Concealed Carry...as a nurse?

[mcknis]

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?

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

Our facility has a policy against carrying weapons, regardless of whether or not the individual is licensed to do so. Exceptions are law enforcement officers.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

classicdame said:

our facility has a policy against carrrying weapons, regardless of whether or not the individual is licensed to do so. Exceptions are law enforcement officers.

Same here.

But even if it were allowed, I wouldn't bring a firearm to work. IMO to bring a gun into a psychiatric facility is too much of a liability.

[macawake, MSN]

To me there would be something seriously awry with a world where a nurse or a physician in a civilian setting carries a gun at work. Besides, it would weigh down my scrub pants and completely ruin my flattering attire My opinion is leave the "law-enforcing" to the law enforcement officers.

[silentRN]

Depends on where you live I guess. I carry one in the car or in my coat pocket, but I don't carry when I go to work. To each their own.

[applewhitern, BSN, RN]

You would be fired and escorted out of the building if you were caught with a gun at my hospital.

[AngelfireRN, MSN, RN, APRN]

I have my CC permit. I keep Bessie in the car. She goes to work with me (at a clinic) and has been known to make an appearance when there's a threat against myself, my staff, or others, during which time she sat on my desk, out of range of patients. The rest of the time she stays in the car.

My boss is fully on board and supportive. When you do pain management, you can't be too careful.

ETA: I always carried Bessie, in the car, even when I worked hospital. Management knew, and no one ever said boo about it.

[amoLucia]

AngelfireRN - am curious as to which state do you live/work in? I have a guess ...

[AngelfireRN, MSN, RN, APRN]

I live in Alabama. Was your guess right?

[ChristineN, BSN, RN]

I did not vote as my choice is not there. I do not have a concealed carry, but am completely supportive of those that do. However, I am supportive of there being restrictions on the places you can "carry" (ie hospitals). I do think our security guards need more than just billy clubs though...

[BlueDevil,DNP, DNP, RN]

AngelfireRN said:

I have my CC permit. I keep Bessie in the car. She goes to work with me (at a clinic) and has been known to make an appearance when there's a threat against myself, my staff, or others, during which time she sat on my desk, out of range of patients. The rest of the time she stays in the car.

My boss is fully on board and supportive. When you do pain management, you can't be too careful.

ETA: I always carried Bessie, in the car, even when I worked hospital. Management knew, and no one ever said boo about it.

Floored that you would brandish a firearm in your workplace as a means to intimidate a patient. You have made some suspect comments in the past, but this is truly the most unprofessional thing I have seen on this website. Ashamed and embarrassed by you/for you.

[AngelfireRN, MSN, RN, APRN]

BlueDevil,DNP said:

Floored that you would brandish a firearm in your workplace as a means to intimidate a patient. You have made some suspect comments in the past, but this is truly the most unprofessional thing I have seen on this website. Ashamed and embarrassed by you/for you.

I never said I brandished my weapon. It's there in the event that someone carries out a threat to enter the clinic or return to the clinic armed. I don't find it unprofessional to protect myself and those I work with. In the 2 or so years I've been there, my manager asked me to bring it in one time. It stayed in my desk, in the holster, and was never brought out again after that day. This was after a threat by a former patient was made, and it was not my decision to bring it inside.

My weapon has only ever been fired at a target, on a practice range. I have never brandished it to anyone, at any time. It is in my car if I have need of it, because I drive almost an hour each way to work, through questionable areas and on back roads. I keep my certifications current, and I am well within my legal rights to keep a weapon on my person if I so choose. I choose not to.

Call it unprofessional if you want. Be embarrassed and ashamed for yourself, not for me. I never said it was used as an intimidation tactic, not once. But my boss, my OM, and our local law enforcement would tend to disagree with you.

And before you judge me, please consider this...I work in a clinic that dispenses controlled substances. We routinely dismiss patients or refuse to prescribe controls to patients that fail drug screens or fail to comply with clinic policy. I practice in a rural area, where about 90% of the general populace is armed. They bring their weapons to the clinic. Now, you tell me...given the area, given the type of clinic, and given the fact that there are usually one or more young children present ( two of them under one year of age), why on EARTH is it unprofessional of me to have a weapon in my car in the event that it might be needed?

As was said, I am within my rights, within the law, and bring the weapon inside only upon the request of my supervising physician. And those are the only entities I need to please.