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Abstract
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Focus neutral discussions on safety and education.
Takeaways:
- Gun injury has moved to the number one spot on the CDC's list for causes of death in children between ages 1 and 19 years.
- Nurses and providers can make a difference in reducing firearm injury in their communities.
- Nurses should get involved in speaking out in support of local laws that will improve safety for their patients.
The 1980s and 1990s were full of neon bracelets, side ponytails, and kids playing in the streets until dark. Parents held babies on their laps in moving cars. My best friend and I raced our curly-handled blue and pink ten-speed bikes to school without helmets every day of junior high. My dad kept his loaded, unlocked handgun on a top shelf in the closet, and all six kids knew exactly where it was. It wasn't that car seats, helmets, and weapons safety weren't cool in the 1980s, they just weren't considered a high-profile public health issue.
Over time, seatbelt use became more common with the enactment of laws about their use and babies now must travel in approved car seats. According to the Department of Transportation, automobile injuries plummeted by about 45% as seat belt use increased. ...
Language: en |