Nursing’s Role in Firearm Violence Prevention

Abstract

American communities are in crisis due to the alarming frequency of gun violence during the last two decades. While it can be argued that the country is no more at risk of gun violence than at other times in history, technological advancement has failed to ensure any breakthroughs to curb the prevalence of violence in American culture. Nurses are trusted healthcare professionals well-positioned within communities to promote awareness, education, and lead intervention strategies to mobilize community resources to foster firearm injury prevention. However, nurses are ill-prepared to advocate for policy changes to bridge gaps in firearm safety regulations and promote the critical interdisciplinary collaboration necessary to develop comprehensive approaches to reduce firearm violence. This paper aims to provide nurses with fundamental knowledge related to strategic models that may help engage communities in meaningful, sustainable change to improve firearm safety and prevent firearm violence across the country.