A Simulation-Based Prospective Cohort Study on Teaching Best Practices in Firearms Safety

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Public Health
• Emergency Medicine

Background:

• Gun violence is a critical public health issue in the U.S.
• Healthcare providers face risks from firearms in the workplace.
• There's a need for formal training on firearm safety for medical professionals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a simulation-based educational intervention for medical students on safe firearm handling.
• To assess the impact of training on students' ability to manage firearms encountered in clinical settings.

Main Methods:

• Prospective cohort pilot study involving third- and fourth-year medical students.
• Simulation-based training included pre- and post-intervention assessments of firearm removal skills.
• An 8-item checklist evaluated critical actions in safe firearm handling.

Main Results:

• Significant improvement in median checklist scores from pre-intervention (5) to post-intervention (7) (P < 0.001).
• Students demonstrated enhanced performance in key safety steps, including safe firearm handling and removal from patient areas.
• The intervention effectively improved critical actions related to firearm safety.

Conclusions:

• This is the first educational intervention to formally teach safe firearm handling in clinical spaces.
• The low-cost, transferable pilot project offers a model for training centers.
• The training enhances preparedness for healthcare providers encountering firearms.