Loaded gun

[indianahope]

Patient keeps loaded gun in holster at side. Would you refuse to visit?

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

YEp - this was the exact reason that I got out of home care in 1993!

[caliotter3]

It is your right to request that weapon be kept elsewhere while you do your visit. Noncompliance is justification for discharge from service.

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

loaded gun, knife, irritating dog, yelling human...all reasons to refuse to visit...you do not have to risk your life, safety, or your emotional health...

[caliotter3]

Make certain that you document everything as it occurs, to include an incident report. If they refuse to remove the weapon from the room, then call your agency and inform them and leave the premises.

[vashtee, RN]

What the heck? What kind of person keeps a loaded gun in a holster at their side, especially when they are sick? Very strange.

Then again, I had a patient who came to the hospital sick as a dog carrying his loaded BB gun. Again, very strange.

[Valerie Salva, BSN, RN]

Yes- I would refuse.

[OncallRN]

while the Pt likely has a legal right to keep and bear arms, you have a right to feel safe in your working enviroment. a polite request that the gun be put away during a visit is a resonable request, just ask asking the a dog also be kept behide a closed door. i'm sure your agency has a policy, ask about.

[Ginapixi, BSN, RN]

We had a patient who had guns in the home. He was too weak to get up and reach any of them, they were locked up; HOWEVER: Our head of SW had no one go into the home until the guns were all out of the house; the children took them as well as amo, only then did HHA and nursing etc go back for services; Guns in the home usually do not scare me, but if some one keeps a loaded weapon on his person, I doubt I would go in! Not afraid to die, but not suicidal either!

[DroogieRN]

I don't know this patient or the situation he is in, but as a gun-totin' individual myself, I would not refuse to treat the patient.

[rngolfer53]

Patient keeps loaded gun in holster at side. Would you refuse to visit?

Yep, until the gun was safely stored during my visit, which starts the moment I pull up to the house, not when I walk into the bedroom. Safely stored means unloaded for starters.

I own guns, am not afraid of them per se, but I also respect what they can do, which is kill or injure me.

[TuTonka]

I think I would first have to know how balanced this pt is before I would say go or not go again, but I would encourage you to discuss this with your supervisor and explain how you personally feel about this situation.

TuTonka