NURS 8502 Week 11 Discussion 1 Policy Analysis Summary Sample

Gun violence is an urgent, complex, and multifaceted problem. According to new data issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), gun deaths are reaching epidemic levels in 2019. This intolerable tendency has continued for years, and it is past time for it to end. The stakes are at an all-time high. In total, 39,707 Americans were killed by firearms in 2019. This corresponds to almost 3,300-gun deaths every month, over 763 per week, and nearly 109 per day. Rates of firearm suicide and homicide continue to grow year after year. Each act of gun violence wreaks havoc on families and communities, leaving survivors to deal with sorrow, loss, and trauma (Nguyen, 2021). 

Numerous gun-control strategies have been linked to lower gun-related morbidity and mortality rates. For example, requiring prospective gun purchasers to obtain a license, allowing for the temporary removal of guns from people who are in danger of killing themselves or others, and regulating safe storage have all been related to decreased rates of homicide, suicide, and unintentional gun deaths (Crifasi et al., 2021). Gun-control law is decided at the federal level, but healthcare providers can help minimize gun violence at the local level as well. Health professionals can help with research, questionnaires, and listening sessions to gather data for working papers that will eventually serve as background material for future legislation. These experts can campaign for gun safety on a local level by collaborating with local legislators, political action groups, and other lobbying initiatives aimed at swaying public opinion. The people may not have the ability to directly participate in the development of gun-control legislation, but their votes have a large influence on legislators (Healthcare Management, 2022). As the most noble profession, nurses have a collective obligation to reduce gun violence. Parents and caregivers seek advice from nurses. Nurses must utilize their influence and relationships with families to highlight gun violence and safety. Nurses are at the forefront of health promotion for a variety of medical illnesses and are therefore in an ideal position to incorporate screenings for gun violence and safety into routine workflows (Muir, 2021). 

References 

Crifasi, C. K., Ward, J. A., McGinty, E. E., Webster, D. W., & Barry, C. L. (2021). Public opinion on gun 

policy by race and gun ownership status. Preventive Medicine, 149, N.PAG. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2021.106607