School Shootings

bitter_betsy, BSN · May 19, 2018

Most importantly, I would like to see zero news or radio coverage of said events. These events severely impact the town and a nobody becomes a somebody for days. If we made it illegal to shed any light on these sorts of actions (and hold any agency accountable for doing so) these attention seekers would have to find a new reason and potentially new place to get their attention from.

I certainly don't want to put a firearm into the hands of someone that is afraid of guns - only those confident in their ability to actually protect the children should be allowed to carry guns and should be allowed to do so immediately. Additional security measures should be added to each school - if that means metal detectors or see through book bags so be it. This is about safety and not fashion.

When I was a kid - all the guys had a shotgun in the back window of their truck. Not a single person thought it would be a good idea to shoot up the school for attention. Sometimes windows would be left down and guns would be available to anyone who would want to reach in and grab one. Nobody ever did. Probably because your dad and grand dad and every male in your family would have taken a belt to your backside if you did anything that stupid and then drove you to jail themselves. We have little snowflakes now that don't know what discipline is anymore. They only thing that matters to them is the number of "likes" they get in a day.

KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN · May 19, 2018

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/388468-obama-education-secretary-pull-children-out-of-schools-until

Only one problem is that many of those who oppose any changes of status quo do not send their kids in "usual" public schools.

SummitRN, BSN, RN · May 19, 2018

School system spends your and my hard-earned tax $$$ with approximately same "effectivity" as health care system does. If one searches hard enough there, $100000/year/high school would be a bucket taken out of a pool.

There are about 125K schools. 50 million students.

There are about 250K NPs, 4% of which are PMHNPs (of all types), ~10K.

So again, where are you going to find and competently train 125K pediatric PMHNPs when there is a shortage of clinical placements now?

Only after you answer that do we need to talk about the ~$20 BILLION dollars per year you proposed to pay them (including benefit costs). 100K salary for 9 months a year is probably a relatively reasonable consideration on the average.

I was bullied insanely in school and I honestly tell you that the only one reason why I did not kill anyone there was because I had no access to any type of weapons. If I'd had it, Columbine would be crying in shame.

That sounds rough. Is that how you felt then? How do you feel now?

pmabraham, BSN, RN · May 19, 2018

"I am requesting your ideas, recommendations, suggestions, thoughts, etc., regarding what you think would prevent future school shootings; as you would a head to toe assessment, identification, and intervention of your patient, so to speak. Or from any other relationship you have to school age children."

1) Gun free zones do not work

2) We need to invest more in mental health

KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN · May 19, 2018

Only after you answer that do we need to talk about the ~$20 BILLION dollars per year you proposed to pay them (including benefit costs).
That sounds rough. Is that how you felt then? How do you feel now?

College football cost 9+ billions in 2015

CHART: How much money schools make off of college sports - Business Insider

If we can spend this kind of money on what is essentially an emotional show, can only twice more be spent on protecting our children?

And, yes, I felt like that then. It was 8 years of torture with direct danger for my life, 6 days/week, 9 months a year. Do not ask me where my parents were then, please.

Those sweet memories of my childhood were one of deal breakers for me when I made decision to emigrate with full understanding that I might not come back ever. Right now, I am quite satisfied with the fact that those of them who are still alive (half of the class are either incarcerated or did not make it through rough time of 1990th) will never dream of anything even distantly reminding of my just-a-little-upper middle class ordinary life of American professional.

SC_RNDude · May 20, 2018

It would be an instant answer if NRA and all gun-toting Second Amendment kissers could be instantly brought to control and become truly responsible owners. But let's be reasonable: the chances for that to happen are pretty close to zero for our projected lifetime.

Really? How many of these shootings are being carried out by NRA members?

Jory, MSN, APRN, CNM · May 20, 2018

If they are not going to change any gun laws, then at minimum, every school needs to have metal detectors and children go through a check point every day with limited number of entry points and law enforcement, not rented security, needs to do the morning checks. When kids come in late during the day, the rented security can handle the smaller number of students.

I don't care how much it costs. It has to happen. But something has to change or we can sit back and wait for the next one.

How often do you see shootings inside of a courthouse? That's why.

Tenebrae, BSN, RN · May 20, 2018

Stringent background checks for anyone wanting to own guns?

I recall watching one of those secret shopper videos after the Florida shootings. A young lad about 16 years of age, tried to buy lottery tickets, alcohol, cigarettes and was declined. Walked into a gun show and walked about with some sort of semi automatic weapon. No background check nada

Mary3010 · May 20, 2018

Thank you Old Dude for bringing up this discussion. This is an issue that needs to be addressed and I want to help!!!! It's so horrible to always hear so many people being impacted by people misusing guns. I don't have an answer in how to completely eradicate this issue, though I hope that this might help.

I think this issue is more than just a mental health issue. I believe that it is just a lot easier and a lot quicker for criminals to kill in large by using guns rather than a knife for instance. Whether these criminals have a mental illness or not, they are still capable of murder. You might be interested in this: Most violent individuals don’t have a mental illness - Scimex

There was a mass shooting in Australia in 1996 known as the Port Arthur Massacre. The murderer Martin Bryant was questioned for his motives by detectives/police. He said that if it wasn't for people like him then they themselves would not have a job. He killed 35 people and wounded 23. Among the people he killed, one was a child who he intended to kill before their mother. He wanted the mother to be tortured by her child dying before it was her turn. After this incident, there were stricter gun laws that were made. This 1996 mass shooting incident was the last of its kind in Australia. I'm not saying that this is the answer, I'm just saying that it could be something to consider. There's no harm in trying if it means potentially saving lives. You might find this a good read: March for Our Lives: Australia hasn't had a mass shooting since 1996

Over in Australia people can go to school, the shops etc. etc. and not fear being killed by a person with a gun. The only protection in schools are fences and there's no metal detectors or anything like that because it just isn't an issue. Bags are checked before entering night clubs, concerts, sporting events etc. The only real protection in universities is a guard. There's just no fear over in Australia. I think you can go shooting but there would be strict processes to do it. You definitely can't just walk into a supermarket and buy a gun. I hope that this isn't read the wrong way. I wasn't sure if I should post this or not. All I'm trying to do is to help in potentially eliminating the mass shootings that we keep on seeing.

OldDude · May 20, 2018

Thank you Old Dude for bringing up this discussion. This is an issue that needs to be addressed and I want to help!!!! It's so horrible to always hear so many people being impacted by people misusing guns. I don't have an answer in how to completely eradicate this issue, though I hope that this might help.
I think this issue is more than just a mental health issue. I believe that it is just a lot easier and a lot quicker for criminals to kill in large by using guns rather than a knife for instance. Whether these criminals have a mental illness or not, they are still capable of murder. You might be interested in this: Most violent individuals don't have a mental illness - Scimex
There was a mass shooting in Australia in 1996 known as the Port Arthur Massacre. The murderer Martin Bryant was questioned for his motives by detectives/police. He said that if it wasn't for people like him then they themselves would not have a job. He killed 35 people and wounded 23. Among the people he killed, one was a child who he intended to kill before their mother. He wanted the mother to be tortured by her child dying before it was her turn. After this incident, there were stricter gun laws that were made. This 1996 mass shooting incident was the last of its kind in Australia. I'm not saying that this is the answer, I'm just saying that it could be something to consider. There's no harm in trying if it means potentially saving lives. You might find this a good read: March for Our Lives: Australia hasn't had a mass shooting since 1996
Over in Australia people can go to school, the shops etc. etc. and not fear being killed by a person with a gun. The only protection in schools are fences and there's no metal detectors or anything like that because it just isn't an issue. Bags are checked before entering night clubs, concerts, sporting events etc. The only real protection in universities is a guard. There's just no fear over in Australia. I think you can go shooting but there would be strict processes to do it. You definitely can't just walk into a supermarket and buy a gun. I hope that this isn't read the wrong way. I wasn't sure if I should post this or not. All I'm trying to do is to help in potentially eliminating the mass shootings that we keep on seeing.

I'm very glad you posted, thank you!

SummitRN, BSN, RN · May 20, 2018

This 1996 mass shooting incident was the last of its kind in Australia.

Australian Mass Shootings since 1996:

1999 Adelaide Massacre 10 casualties

2002 Monash University 7 casualties

2011 Hectorville Massacre 6 casualties

2014 Lockhart Massacre 5 casualties

2014 Sydney Hostage Crisis 4 casualties

2018 Osmington Shootings 7 casualtie

If you look at the frequency of mass shootings before 1996, it is no worse! Yet, Australia has some of the most draconian gun control laws in the world. It is also an island with 7% of the population of the US and different culture/demographics.

The other contention usually presented by activists relating to Australia is that the Australian virtual gun ban cut violent crime. There was only an observed decrease in violent crime if cherry picking time frames. The ban occurred during an an already existing downtrend in violence, which then later reversed. Gun homicide rates later increased as well.

Western Australia massacre: 7 dead in Margaret River mass shooting - The Washington Post May 11, 2018

OldDude · May 20, 2018

Australian Mass Shootings since 1996:
1999 Adelaide Massacre 10 casualties
2002 Monash University 7 casualties
2011 Hectorville Massacre 6 casualties
2014 Lockhart Massacre 5 casualties
2014 Sydney Hostage Crisis 4 casualties
2018 Osmington Shootings 7 casualtie
If you look at the frequency of mass shootings before 1996, it is no worse! Yet, Australia has some of the most draconian gun control laws in the world. It is also an island with 7% of the population of the US and different culture/demographics.
The other contention usually presented by activists relating to Australia is that the Australian virtual gun ban cut violent crime. There was only an observed decrease in violent crime if cherry picking time frames. The ban occurred during an an already existing downtrend in violence, which then later reversed. Gun homicide rates later increased as well.
Western Australia massacre: 7 dead in Margaret River mass shooting - The Washington Post May 11, 2018

More good information, thank you!