Firearms

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I thought this was an interesting discussion that happened to pop-up on a certain social media site. How many of you conceal carry? And what do you think about prohibiting firearms on hospital property?

I think with the increasing violence these days, safety is a major concern for everyone. How do you protect yourself and still abide by the rules set by your facility?

Well, this thread turned weird for a second. I appreciate all the insightful thoughts and opinions. I'm certainly learning many things from everyone's posts.

For many of us, it's less about staying "comfortable" as you so dismissively put, as it is about the very rational doubt that a given shooter can even hit the broad side of a barn away from the calm, highly controlled setting of a shooting range.

You our have good reason to be scared of bad boys ... And we have good reason to be scared of you.

I apologize if I sounded dismissive but it really is a comfort issue, a comfort issue relating to why and how someone else does or does not do something that has pretty much no impact upon you.

Imagining that you are going to be stuck in the middle of a shootout is a hypothetical story with very little basis in reality. Even police, who for a living carry a firearm, rarely are involved in a gunfight. My aunt and cousin who are both retired police officers never once fired their weapons in anger. My aunt even spent much of her career in South Phoenix (bad area) and the reservation (crazy bad area).

Again, carrying a firearm does not come down to being scared. I do not think I, or any of my loved ones, will ever be involved in an incident requiring the use of a firearm for defense.

The decision to carry a firearm is a personal choice that is many times different for different people.

It is about fear. That's what comfort means.

There's a lot of scared people with guns out there.

Scary.

Specializes in Heme Onc.
I apologize if I sounded dismissive but it really is a comfort issue, a comfort issue relating to why and how someone else does or does not do something that has pretty much no impact upon you.

Imagining that you are going to be stuck in the middle of a shootout is a hypothetical story with very little basis in reality. Even police, who for a living carry a firearm, rarely are involved in a gunfight. My aunt and cousin who are both retired police officers never once fired their weapons in anger. My aunt even spent much of her career in South Phoenix (bad area) and the reservation (crazy bad area).

Again, carrying a firearm does not come down to being scared. I do not think I, or any of my loved ones, will ever be involved in an incident requiring the use of a firearm for defense.

The decision to carry a firearm is a personal choice that is many times different for different people.

Again, personal choices are not always appropriate and do NOT have to be accepted by the community (Hence, hospitals owning private property being able to make decisions on whether or not weapons are permissible).

Allowing weapons in the hospital isn't about your personal choices, it's about maintaining a safe environment for patients, families and staff. 505 people DIED as a result of ACCIDENTAL gun discharges in 2013. I seriously don't feel like thats a risk hospitals need to be taking on. If it is... gun holders are gonna have to wear a stupid orange bracelet, just like all the wobbly-legged.

You say yourself, that individuals are rarely involved in a gunfight. Why should the rest of have to be exposed to risk, for what really is a lack of threat.

Specializes in Hospice.

So, if fear of a shootout is not based in reality and you do not believe that you will ever be involved in a situation requiring the use of a fire-arm, why carry?

Specializes in Med/Surg/ICU/Stepdown.
I strongly support your right to do or not to do what you believe in but wanting to force others to comply with what makes you feel comfortable is disappointing.

Hopefully one day more will realize that the less we regulate what others do or believe in the better off everyone will be.

Fortunately with gay marriage, the legalization of marijuana use, and constitutional carry like in Arizona we are slowly heading to a more open and tolerant society but we have a long ways to go.

We can agree to disagree.

But imagine if NO ONE had firearms. Would we have to fear much in the way of violence then?

Again, personal choices are not always appropriate and do NOT have to be accepted by the community (Hence, hospitals owning private property being able to make decisions on whether or not weapons are permissible).

Allowing weapons in the hospital isn't about your personal choices, it's about maintaining a safe environment for patients, families and staff. 505 people DIED as a result of ACCIDENTAL gun discharges in 2013. I seriously don't feel like thats a risk hospitals need to be taking on. If it is... gun holders are gonna have to wear a stupid orange bracelet, just like all the wobbly-legged.

You say yourself, that individuals are rarely involved in a gunfight. Why should the rest of have to be exposed to risk, for what really is a lack of threat.

I am a firm believer that a privately owned company gets to make rules that are legal on their property. A privately held company is not the "community."

I honestly do not know what "wobbly-legged" refers to, is that a TV show reference?

505 people killed a year is in the same mortality range as riding a bicycle. How many of those 505 were other people other than the person handling the firearm btw? I'm curious.

I remember people saying that they did not want to work with people who were HIV+ for safety reasons.

So, if fear of a shootout is not based in reality and you do not believe that you will ever be involved in a situation requiring the use of a fire-arm, why carry?

I already posted my personal reason earlier in the thread but

"I personally carry a firearm like I carry a AAA card or life insurance. It's not because I am afraid or concerned that I will ever actually need them but that I believe it is reasonable and prudent. "

Specializes in Hospice.

As is my concern over incompetent shooters being armed in my workplace.

We can agree to disagree.

But imagine if NO ONE had firearms. Would we have to fear much in the way of violence then?

Considering that 3,799 people were killed by means other than firearm in 2013 I would say yes, keep in mind that that is only the people murdered but that does not include all violent crime like you asked such as rape etc.

Specializes in Heme Onc.
I am a firm believer that a privately owned company gets to make rules that are legal on their property. A privately held company is not the "community."

I honestly do not know what "wobbly-legged" refers to, is that a TV show reference?

505 people killed a year is in the same mortality range as riding a bicycle. How many of those 505 were other people other than the person handling the firearm btw? I'm curious.

I remember people saying that they did not want to work with people who were HIV+ for safety reasons.

Yes... and we don't ride bicycles in the hospital either, because there is unnecessary risk involved for little to no benefit. Unforutunately, we DO care for patient's in the hospital including those with HIV. It is part of our onus as healthcare workers to manage a certain amount of risk on behalf of the patient, not to expose them to risk based on our personal preferences.

The original post is about CARRYING IN HOSPITALS AND ON HOSPITAL PROPERTY. This is what we're all talking about here, why would we be talking about any other setting other than in the hospital? It's what the thread is about!

Wobbly-legs are fall risk patients, for the record.

As is my concern over incompetent shooters being armed in my workplace.

Feel better that most of those who I know conceal carry are former police and military who regularly engage in training.

I know in most states, all?, that in order to get your CCW you have to prove a minimum of competence by completing a shooting test.

You are entitled to your concern though.

Fortunately though, what people do not know about (as in the case of CCW) they do not generally worry about.

+ Add a Comment