I know that gun ownership is a hot button issue but I was just wondering how you all feel about nurses being gun owners. I recently acquired a very nice hunting rifle that was handed down from my dad. None of the boys wanted it so I jumped at it since I had many happy memories of hunting and target shooting with my dad. It is a stunningly Beautiful Henry Golden Boy in perfect condition. I have not gone shooting in almost 30 years so I took it to the range and familiarized myself again with all aspects of the gun and how to clean and store it with a range master.
Someone at work asked me what I had done that weekend and I said I went shooting. She arched her eyebrows and said something guns weren't very nurse-like.
This is not a handgun - but a family heirloom. I doubt I'll ever shoot it off the range but I may give it to my son when he is a grown man.
I know that gun ownership is a hot button issue but I was just wondering how you all feel about nurses being gun owners.
About the same as I feel about anyone being a gun owner, some people are cautious and safe and others are reckless and stupid. Some people treat guns with respect and know when they shouldn't have them, some use them knowledgeably so no one gets hurt and others don't know when they aren't responsible to own or use one.
Makes me think of motor vehicle drivers I have to be around on a daily basis, there are those who are cautious and use good sense when driving and others who don't have the sense the good Lord gave a cow, they are irresponsible and careless and cause accidents. Can't ban cars, can't ban guns. Only wish people knew when they shouldn't touch either one!
I've lived from the southern part of California to the far northern part and lots of people own firearms. I think people are surprised and think of California in a stereotyped way. Even in the big cities, people own firearms.
I'm aware that people own guns here ...it just doesn't seem to be on the same level as Texas.
I've lived from the southern part of California to the far northern part and lots of people own firearms. I think people are surprised and think of California in a stereotyped way. Even in the big cities, people own firearms.
I'm pretty close to the Bay . . . there are gun owners there. (I looked up the latest stats state by state and gun ownership is at about 20% here in CA. But that doesn't mean people don't have unregistered guns. )
As to being a nurse and having a gun . . . I'm a nurse and have many "guns". All my kids and my husband hunt. I prefer to shoot clay pigeons and go to the shooting range. There's a concealed carry class coming up that my husband and I would like to attend.
The OP's "friend" who made the comment that guns aren't very nurse-like made an uninformed statement. One has nothing to do with the other.
I live in a rural part of the Sierra Foothills and though I don't know the actual stats, I'd guess our legal ownership as well as fanciers are pretty high here in the rural areas. They are very visible and very common. Really, just a non issue. (My boys all hunt and it's as natural as riding a bike around here)
I live in Texas, we all have guns, don't matter what and who you are.
That's simply not true.
The state's leadership loves the second amendment, but Texas barely exceeds the national average for gun ownership.
Urban areas, which tend to have weaker gun cultures, perhaps helps explain Texas' ownership rate of 35.7 percent. The national average is 29.1 percent. Gun ownership rates are notoriously difficult to survey, but other studies in past years also put the national average in the same place: About one out of every three Americans owns a gun.
I don't have my weapons in the nightstand because I have small children, but they are accessible. I think it's very nursey to protect myself from home invaders as much as protecting myself from microbial invaders. Californian here, so may be the exception, but live in a very red portion of Cali.
Also have a hubs who is gone 90% of the time, so it's only me left to protect my little humans, which I would without a thought as to the damage it would inflict upon the unlucky person who would threaten the Oscar home.
You mention it's not a handgun, so what if it is? I don't see how it's anyone's business if you own guns, or what type.
Very strange to assume gun ownership is not nursey.
Specializes in Palliative, Onc, Med-Surg, Home Hospice.
Liberalism is not the issue here. OP needs to assert herself in the workplace.
You keep your weapon "in" the nightstand?
As a single woman, I feel much safer sleeping with my weapon .. on top of the night stand. One in the chamber.. 15 in the mag.
I'm not a single woman and I feel safer with my gun next to me. So, I completely understand where you are coming from. I have an autistic son, so all our guns are locked up but I have easy access to my gun (small safe) that takes me less than 5 secs to get into. I keep my .380 and a loaded magazine in the safe. I also love shooting my gun. And my daughters gun. I just like shooting.
Funny story: One night, when my husband was at work, I "heard" someone in the house. (It was the danged cat) so I got my daughters gun out of the safe. No magazine. They were left in the range bag, which was locked up in the trailer. So, I am going through my house with an unloaded gun. Once I made sure all was well I looked down at the gun and realized that I was either going to have to bluff any would be intruder or throw an unloaded gun at them.
Needless to say, a new magazine was purchased for both guns, and are kept in the safe.
ETA: Most of the nurses I work with own guns. I think there are maybe 2 out of 40 who don't. A couple hunt also. I know teachers, lawyers, nurses, chemists, chef's etc. who carry guns. Some people don't like guns, some do. It has nothing to do with profession (except law enforcement, but I know a couple of retired cops who don't have guns).
Specializes in Palliative, Onc, Med-Surg, Home Hospice.
Deers are actually dangerous.
They've murdered many a motorcyclist or auto driver.
Back when I still lived in Indy, my Da and brother went hunting (my brothers first time hunting, he was 13, I was 8). They managed to get within 2 miles of where they were going to hunt when a deer ran in front of the car. The car was totaled, my brother had whiplash, my da sprained his wrist. My da told everyone how lucky they were that it wasn't worse. A couple of years later, a friend of my Da's died after hitting a dear.
In light of our recent election, I would respectfully suggest that anyone who thinks that owning a gun is not "nurse like" take the time to re-read the US Constitution (not the Microsoft version) and focus their attention on the Second Amendment. I cannot find a single word in that document that prohibits, limits or casts any doubt on the absolute RIGHT of NURSES to own firearms. Beyond that our military RNs are required to demonstrate firearms proficiency. Many of the MDs and RNs i have worked with over the years can be found at the range in their off hours because like me, they share the opinion that 1) they are entitled to self defense 2) they have seen the statistics showing that health care workers are frequently targeted by drug seekers who obtain guns regardless of how many laws forbid them to do so 3)they take seriously their obligation to practice frequently so as to be safe with their firearms.
Support the Constitution AND be prepared to protect yourself!
In light of our recent election, I would respectfully suggest that anyone who thinks that owning a gun is not "nurse like" take the time to re-read the US Constitution (not the Microsoft version) and focus their attention on the Second Amendment. I cannot find a single word in that document that prohibits, limits or casts any doubt on the absolute RIGHT of NURSES to own firearms. Beyond that our military RNs are required to demonstrate firearms proficiency. Many of the MDs and RNs i have worked with over the years can be found at the range in their off hours because like me, they share the opinion that 1) they are entitled to self defense 2) they have seen the statistics showing that health care workers are frequently targeted by drug seekers who obtain guns regardless of how many laws forbid them to do so 3)they take seriously their obligation to practice frequently so as to be safe with their firearms.
Support the Constitution AND be prepared to protect yourself!
)
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About the same as I feel about anyone being a gun owner, some people are cautious and safe and others are reckless and stupid. Some people treat guns with respect and know when they shouldn't have them, some use them knowledgeably so no one gets hurt and others don't know when they aren't responsible to own or use one.
Makes me think of motor vehicle drivers I have to be around on a daily basis, there are those who are cautious and use good sense when driving and others who don't have the sense the good Lord gave a cow, they are irresponsible and careless and cause accidents. Can't ban cars, can't ban guns. Only wish people knew when they shouldn't touch either one!