Is there a cure for gun violence?

There is little doubt that gun control is a hotly debated topic today. Supporters of strict gun control say that access to guns is just too easy. The opposition believes that is unconstitutional and that despite a rise in gun ownership, gun homicides have decreased. Regardless of this debate, the statistics are astonishing. Since 2006, there have been over 200 mass killings within the United States (defined as 4 or more victims)¹. The percentage of individuals killed by guns within the US is sort of 20 times higher in comparison with similar socioeconomic countries on this planet. It is obvious that Americans are experiencing too many senseless deaths related to gun violence and that we must work harder to search out solutions to this devastating problem.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), firearms caused 33,636 deaths in 2013, or 10.6 deaths per 100,000 Americans². In the identical yr, there have been 33,804 deaths from automobile accidents, or 10.7 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants.². Car accidents have declined over the past few many years, largely because of mandatory education and government regulations. You cannot drive without passing your driving test, obtaining your driving license and paying for automobile insurance. In addition, your automobile must undergo regular emissions tests and inspections. Guns made within the U.S. wouldn’t have to satisfy federal safety standards.

Last week, President Obama proposed “executive actions” on gun violence, a set of recommendations geared toward closing loopholes in gun control laws to forestall future mass shootings. Some of the initiatives include increasing mental health treatment coverage, improving universal background checks, requiring gun sellers to be licensed and keep formal sales records, and developing security lock technology and “smart guns” that only the registered owner can shoot. The president’s proposal will likely be met with resistance and a possible reversal if Americans elect a Republican within the upcoming election.

Regardless of the consequence of latest gun control initiatives, what role can health care providers play? Nurses, who often treat victims of violent crime and their members of the family, are specially trained to advertise safety, public health and education. Several nursing organizations have issued positions on gun control, including: American Nurses Association (ANA) and National Nursing League. In addition, over 30 nursing organizations have signed the agreement call to motion to national, state and native governments to ask for higher access to mental health services, an assault weapons ban and other gun control reforms.

The following recommendations can assist us catch up with to finding a cure for gun violence.

1. Increasing access to mental health programs for people, families and students from elementary school through college:

   A. Although most individuals with mental illness will not be violent, severe psychosis and schizophrenia combined with substance abuse can result in erratic behavior. Funding must be increased to coach nurses and medical examiners to acknowledge signs of violent tendencies, in addition to to supply community and hospital mental health care, housing and access to medicines.³

2. Include a firearm safety assessment as a part of routine checkups for all patients:⁴

   A. Several states proceed to propose laws prohibiting physicians from documenting gun ownership in patient records. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends advising parents on gun safety measures.⁵ This philosophy can also be supported in adult and elderly dementia populations.

3. Develop and implement evidence-based hospital violence intervention programs specializing in:

   A. Violence in an intimate relationship

   B. Behavioral health, including anti-bullying

   C. Substance use

4. Enhance community engagement/outreach and education schemes with initiatives focused on:

   A. Life skills

   B. Anger management

   C. Conflict resolution

   D. Suicide prevention

   to me. Violence Prevention Programs: Effective research-based community programs proven to cut back homicides include Cure Violence, Aim4Peace, and the Wraparound Project.⁶

5. Collect more data, conduct research, and educate families on the right way to best protect themselves and their families from gun injuries:⁴

   A. Keep guns away from household members who wouldn’t use them safely, resembling children or individuals with dementia.

One measure alone just isn’t the answer. Rather, it’s going to take multiple strategies implemented in our local communities, inside the mental health system, and ultimately on the federal level to make an impact on gun-related fatalities. As a society, we must strike a balance between maintaining individual constitutional rights and protecting the lifetime of every American. Perhaps by specializing in empathy, public health, and education, we will change our culture, protect our freedoms, and save lives.

1. Overberg, P., Hoyer, M., Hannan, M., Upton, J., Hansen, B. and Durkin, E. (2013) Behind the bloodshed: the untold story of mass murder in America. . Downloaded from http://www.gannett-cdn.com/GDContent/mass-killings/index.html#title

2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2016) FastStats; All injuries; Death in automobile accidents; All firearm fatalities. Downloaded from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/injury.htm

3. American Nurses Association. (2016) A call to finish violence. . Downloaded from http://www.theamericannurse.org/index.php/2013/03/01/call-to-end-violence/

4. Domrose, C. (2013) Nurses debate their role in firearm safety education. Downloaded from https://news.nurse.com/2013/04/08/nurses-debate-their-role-in-firearm-safety-education-2/

5. Graziano, M. and Pulcini, J. (2013) Politics and Politics: Gun Violence and the Role of Health Care: A Confusing State of Affairs (2013). . 113 section 9. Retrieved from /JournalArticle?Article_ID=1590663&Journal_ID=54030&Issue_ID=1590611

6. Jacobson, J. (2015) A cure for gun violence. . 115 section 4. Retrieved from /JournalArticle?Article_ID=2794833&Journal_ID=54030&Issue_ID=2794782

Myrna B. Schnur, RN, MSN