Concealed Carry...as a nurse?

Nurses Activism

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  1. Do you have a concealed carry license?

    • 148
      Yes, although it stays in the car/home while at work.
    • 68
      Yes, it is always on me no matter where I am.
    • 104
      No, I do not see the need.

227 members have participated

With the current news over gun control and gun rights legislation being pushed through Congress as a result of the tragedies of Aurora, CO, Newtown, CT and the others like them, the thought of concealed carry among healthcare workers has got my attention peaked. Recently, another Allnurses member started a thread (up to 22 pages presently) about what nurses can do as a result of these horrific events.

This post is not meant to reflect my personal stance on this issue, although I can inform that I am not a CCL holder (however interested), nor is it meant to be a bashing session from either side, but I am interested in seeing how many individuals have their concealed carry license, and if they carry while they are at work (and, yes I am well aware of the legal stance healthcare facilities take as being gun free zones)?

I, also, am aware of some of our members being both nurses and current/former law enforcement officers, so what is your take on this issue?

Specializes in OR.
On 1/12/2020 at 8:40 AM, HelpfulNatureHopeful said:

Barring certain extreme circumstances no one needs a gun. Period.

I guess you haven't experienced 'extreme circumstances' yet.

I have-burglar at top of stairs in townhouse, me waking up to go into work on Sat. for on-call ortho case...me: no gun, burglar: armed? Unknown, couldn't see his hands. Thank goodness I convinced him I was armed (total BLUFF) and he ran down the stairs and out the window he removed to get in.

Or, my neighbor, cycling with her two small children on the local bike path 1 mile from my home in a 'nice' area, robbed of her wedding rings by man with knife last week.

If you have some magic wand, other than a gun, that immunizes YOU from being a victim of criminal behaviour, please share where I can get one, too. Until then, I carry, legally and lawfully. This means CC in places that do not discriminate against legal & lawful gun owners. Do I go to a movie theater? Not if they demand I be unarmed. I will stream what I want to see if theaters want me to leave the gun in the car. Do I carry in a hospital, govt building? Hell NO! As I mentioned, LEGAL & LAWFUL are keys to being a concealed carry license holder.

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Specializes in Med/surg, Quality & Risk.
14 minutes ago, 11blade said:

I guess you haven't experienced 'extreme circumstances' yet.

I have-burglar at top of stairs in townhouse, me waking up to go into work on Sat. for on-call ortho case...me: no gun, burglar: armed? Unknown, couldn't see his hands. Thank goodness I convinced him I was armed (total BLUFF) and he ran down the stairs and out the window he removed to get in.

Or, my neighbor, cycling with her two small children on the local bike path 1 mile from my home in a 'nice' area, robbed of her wedding rings by man with knife last week.

If you have some magic wand, other than a gun, that immunizes YOU from being a victim of criminal behaviour, please share where I can get one, too. Until then, I carry, legally and lawfully. This means CC in places that do not discriminate against legal & lawful gun owners. Do I go to a movie theater? Not if they demand I be unarmed. I will stream what I want to see if theaters want me to leave the gun in the car. Do I carry in a hospital, govt building? Hell NO! As I mentioned, LEGAL & LAWFUL are keys to being a concealed carry license holder.

That’s what they said....no one needs a gun, barring [except for] extreme circumstances.
Good examples of extreme circumstances though.

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Specializes in OR.
1 minute ago, redhead_NURSE98! said:

That’s what they said....no one needs a gun, barring [except for] extreme circumstances. 
Good examples of extreme circumstances though.

"Extreme circumstances" don't appear on a schedule....I'm scheduled to get robbed today, so I think I'll carry my gun today. Likewise, carrying a gun is not an innoculation against criminal behaviour. Accuracy and judgement aren't conferred by osmosis just by picking up a gun. Consistently practicing with a weapon, including getting it out of a concealed posture, are mandatory. The gun is not the weapon, YOU are the weapon. If you don't go the next step and get the proper training it's like turning a16 year old loose with the family car and NO driving lessons.

If you are not willing to make the commitment to training to safely operate a weapon of mass destruction (car, gun, chainsaw, etc.) you are right to decline to do those things.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Flight Nursing.

Watch the news today. A bunch of stark raving morons want to get rid of the police. Worse, a bunch of moronic elected officials are buying into the idea. What could possibly go wrong?

Mobs roaming the streets assaulting people, looting and burning down businesses. Police not enforcing the law.

Now ask me again why I concealed carry.

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Specializes in NICU.
On 6/6/2020 at 1:50 PM, 11blade said:

have-burglar at top of stairs in townhouse, me waking up to go into work on Sat. for on-call ortho case...me: no gun, burglar: armed? Unknown, couldn't see his hands. Thank goodness I convinced him I was armed (total BLUFF) and he ran down the stairs and out the window he removed to get in.

I agree

There are too many crimes committed on innocent law abiding citizens ,in "nice" areas,while jogging,walking kids to school,or that infamous case where everyone gone except husband.The evil is out there.If I could carry an uzi I would.

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Specializes in Med/surg, Quality & Risk.
On 6/6/2020 at 1:34 PM, 11blade said:

"Extreme circumstances" don't appear on a schedule....I'm scheduled to get robbed today, so I think I'll carry my gun today. Likewise, carrying a gun is not an innoculation against criminal behaviour. Accuracy and judgement aren't conferred by osmosis just by picking up a gun. Consistently practicing with a weapon, including getting it out of a concealed posture, are mandatory. The gun is not the weapon, YOU are the weapon. If you don't go the next step and get the proper training it's like turning a16 year old loose with the family car and NO driving lessons.

If you are not willing to make the commitment to training to safely operate a weapon of mass destruction (car, gun, chainsaw, etc.) you are right to decline to do those things.

I don’t really know what all of that has to do with what I said, or the original comment, so

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Specializes in ER, HH, CTICU, corrections, cardiology, hospice.
On 1/30/2013 at 4:26 AM, atlnurse477 said:

I'm, not really a fan of firearms! Just leave it for law enforcer's use!I voted for the last option

Ask a LEO if they aren’t Historians, if they are honest about it, they will agree.

Do you have a fire extinguisher in your home or car? Why would you? Isn’t there a fire department where you live?

On 1/30/2013 at 6:22 AM, klone said:

As someone who works at the Aurora hospital where most of the theater shooting victims were taken, I'm a strong proponent of gun control (I was before the Aurora shooting). Every hospital I've worked at has had a "no firearms" policy, with a sign to that effect posted at the front door. The idea of more people with concealed carry frightens me. As someone else said, let's leave the law enforcement to the people who are trained to do that.

When seconds count, law enforcement is only minutes away.

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

Oh great, an ammosexual dredges up a year-old response to an 8-year-old thread.

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Specializes in retired LTC.
17 hours ago, nursetim said:

Ask a LEO if they aren’t Historians, if they are honest about it, they will agree.

Do you have a fire extinguisher in your home or car? Why would you? Isn’t there a fire department where you live?

When seconds count, law enforcement is only minutes away

Uh ... In the time it took me to read this sentence, I could've been shot dead.

All the local police obviously WEREN'T minutes close enough!!

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
4 hours ago, amoLucia said:

Uh ... In the time it took me to read this sentence, I could've been shot dead.

All the local police obviously WEREN'T minutes close enough!!

So True the police don't protect you from criminals, They show up after a crime has occured and investigate and may catch the perpetrator.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

hyppy - you just fortify my point. It's a split-second decision to determine the danger and then pull the weapon. And ACCURATELY discharge it. Not something I would ever be successful at, I think.

There's an old TV episode on 'Designing Women' where Delta Burke is being  accosted and she's telling the bad guy to 'wait' as she's rummages thru her purse looking for her concealed gun.

Funny as H*ll on one level, but it emphasizes my point re readiness & accuracy.

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
18 hours ago, amoLucia said:

hyppy - you just fortify my point. It's a split-second decision to determine the danger and then pull the weapon. And ACCURATELY discharge it. Not something I would ever be successful at, I think.

There's an old TV episode on 'Designing Women' where Delta Burke is being  accosted and she's telling the bad guy to 'wait' as she's rummages thru her purse looking for her concealed gun.

Funny as H*ll on one level, but it emphasizes my point re readiness & accuracy.

No I get it and no one should own a gun without having taken a gun safety class. Also they must be mentally prepared to use it. My dad taught me how to shoot when I was about 10. I sure did kill a lot of soup cans back in the day.  You don't need to be super accurate as long as you use the same method police are taught. Don't think you'll shoot your attacker in the leg and disable him/her simply aim fpr the center of the body and keep pulling the trigger until the gun runs out of bullets or your assailent drops.

Still it is always best to run away from danger if you can!

Hppy

 

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