I am so proud to share an article and podcast that I co-authored with my good friend, Laurie Combe, NASN’s past president. Laurie reached out to me with great concern regarding the rising prevalence of gun violence in our youth and teens. We teamed up on an article that we hope will be embraced by our school nursing colleagues to provide actional steps to reduce gun violence in schools and communities. We used a case-based scenario to explore downstream, midstream, and upstream interventions through a public health lens to mitigate the impact of gun violence in schools.
School nursing’s expanded role in firearm violence prevention is crucial in addressing this pressing public health issue. School nurses play a vital role in promoting awareness, and education, and identifying intervention strategies related to firearm safety. They can educate students, parents, and school staff on safe storage, risk assessment, and community resources for firearm injury prevention.
Additionally, school nurses can advocate for policy changes to address gaps in firearm safety regulations and promote interdisciplinary collaboration to develop comprehensive approaches to reducing firearm violence. By leveraging their expertise and influence, school nurses can make a significant impact in preventing firearm-related injuries and promoting the well-being of individuals and communities through participating in a community-wide safe storage campaign. Our article explores actionable strategies for nurses to support and implement firearm-safe storage practices, preventing firearm violence. We would like to thank Cynthia Galemore, Editor of NASN School Nurse for her wise counsel and guidance in brining our article to publication and choosing our article to be the featured podcast of the July 2023 issue of NASN School Nurse.
Here is the article, it is open access for the next 60 days:
School Nurses Can Reduce Firearm Injuries and Deaths
