Abstract
Background: Firearm injury contributed to 15,706 pediatric deaths in 2019 (Xu et al., 2021). The number of children injured in these accidents exceeded motor vehicle collisions for the first time in 2019 (Andrews et al., 2022). While such events are preventable, gun violence is the leading cause of death in children under 19 years of age (Andrews et al., 2022). Thus, there is an urgent need to stop this source of pediatric morbidity and mortality.
Objectives: The aim of this DNP project was to evaluate whether providing a trigger lock safety device with firearm storage training using the Health Promotion Model effectively educating parents to use secure gun storage habits in the home to prevent pediatric injury.
Methods: A quasi-experimental design for a prospective study utilized a pretest and posttest strategy employed in a rural, pediatric primary care setting.
Results: The study assessed the storage practices of firearms in the home and did not find a change in practices between families provided a trigger locking device with storage education compared with families provided education alone (χ2 (2, N = 152) = 4.423, p = .219).
Conclusion: The research questions pertaining to the storage practices of firearms in the home were fully answered. The provision of a trigger-locking device did not significantly change practices in this group. Implications for future nursing research and advancements in clinical practice should focus on more family education outcomes measurement.
Notes
Reference list included in attached slide deck.
Sigma Membership
Pi Eta
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Quasi-Experimental Study, Other
Research Approach
Quantitative Research
Keywords:
Primary Care, Promoting Clinical Outcomes, Gun Safety, Firearm Storage, Pediatric Firearm Injury Reduction
Recommended Citation
Callahan, Lisa and Callahan, Clark, "Improving Safe Practices for Firearm Storage in a Pediatric Primary Care Setting" (2025). Biennial Convention (CONV). 192.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/convention/2025/presentations_2025/192
Conference Name
48th Biennial Convention
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2025-12-05
Improving Safe Practices for Firearm Storage in a Pediatric Primary Care Setting
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Background: Firearm injury contributed to 15,706 pediatric deaths in 2019 (Xu et al., 2021). The number of children injured in these accidents exceeded motor vehicle collisions for the first time in 2019 (Andrews et al., 2022). While such events are preventable, gun violence is the leading cause of death in children under 19 years of age (Andrews et al., 2022). Thus, there is an urgent need to stop this source of pediatric morbidity and mortality.
Objectives: The aim of this DNP project was to evaluate whether providing a trigger lock safety device with firearm storage training using the Health Promotion Model effectively educating parents to use secure gun storage habits in the home to prevent pediatric injury.
Methods: A quasi-experimental design for a prospective study utilized a pretest and posttest strategy employed in a rural, pediatric primary care setting.
Results: The study assessed the storage practices of firearms in the home and did not find a change in practices between families provided a trigger locking device with storage education compared with families provided education alone (χ2 (2, N = 152) = 4.423, p = .219).
Conclusion: The research questions pertaining to the storage practices of firearms in the home were fully answered. The provision of a trigger-locking device did not significantly change practices in this group. Implications for future nursing research and advancements in clinical practice should focus on more family education outcomes measurement.
Description
Firearm injuries are the leading cause of death in Pediatrics. Consistent counseling for families regarding safe storage practices must be implemented to daily practice in primary care is vital to advancing safe gun storage practices.