The Impact of Gang Violence on Nurses Hospitals across our country are bombarded with victims of gang violence. As a nurse, you see patients and care for them, doing your best to nurture them back to health. You spend time with them, and do your best to ensure they make a full recovery. You watch them walk out of the hospital, and wish them well. Then, a month later, the same patient is right back in the hospital. The sad fact is, it was not an illness, but rather gang violence that brought them into the emergency room. A Busy Emergency Room Trent was a registered nurse, working at a busy hospital in the emergency room. His story puts the exact perspective on what it’s like for nurses to see gang violence. Saturday night at 11 pm Trent heard the call that there were multiple victims being transported in. An all too familiar scenario, such a call either indicates multi car accident or gang violence, and in most cases, it is due to gang violence. This night the victims were-
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A 19-year-old male with gun shots to the abdomen and hip. Prognosis is good that he will recover, however he may have some paralysis. A 17-year-old male with a gunshot wound to the head. Although alive upon arrival, he passed within an hour. A 15-year-old male with a gunshot wound to the leg and shoulder. Although his prognosis is good that he will survive this incident, he was proudly posting photos of his injuries online while boasting that he killed a rival gang member. A 14-year-old female that was 4 months pregnant. She lost the baby, and later that night lost her own life. A 15-year-old female with a shrapnel in her head, face, and shoulder. She too was posting photos online and vowed to retaliate against the rival gang members. Related: Medical Mistakes in the United States
The opposing gang members were transported to a trauma center across town; it is very dangerous to admit rival gangs to the same medical center. 4 members of the rival gang passed away on this night, and 3 remained hospitalized.
Trent spoke to a survivor of the attack that night, asking why he was a regular visitor at the hospital, and why he was wasting his life in this way. According to Trent, he never got an answer; the young man suffered a blood clot and lost his life as well. The fact is, the above scenario is very common in the world today. Surgeons actually begin to know the names of the gang members that they operate on, as they see them so often. This constant violence can certainly take its toll on the medical personnel that treat them, such as the nurses. it is estimated that in emergency rooms across America, on average, nurses will see and treat 17 gang members during a month. Illness and injuries can take a toll on a nurse, and senseless violence only intensifies the situation. Support systems are being implemented in many hospitals located in large cities. Although available to all nurses, the main focus is to offer support to those emergency room nurses that continuously see and treat victims of gang violence. In addition, centers are opening in major cities to attempt to stop gang violence before it escalates into claiming lives. Related: Top Ten Tips from Nurses- International Nurses Association For nurses that currently work in emergency rooms and see victims of gang violence on a regular basis, seek out support when needed. Statistics say that when a nurse works in a busy emergency room for more than 3 years, it may be best to transfer to another department. Burnout can take a toll on any nurse, and the exposure to gang violence will only intensify the trauma suffered. Anytime that you feel you need support or a change in your position, speak with human resources. They are trained to assess the situation, and recommend changes in your best interest. Don’t wait until a full burn out consumes you. Speak up so that you can remain an asset to the nursing profession. Related: List of nursing organizations Please follow us on Facebook, Linkedin, Pinterest and Twitter