Faculty Behaviors and Beliefs About Teaching Gun Violence Prevention in Undergraduate Nursing Programs

Gun violence is a public health crisis, but nurses report receiving little education related to gun violence prevention (GVP).

This study aimed to describe undergraduate nursing faculty teaching behaviors and perceptions related to GVP and explore factors associated with teaching it.

A cross-sectional survey design was used.

Less than one-third of faculty taught GVP. Knowledge, confidence, and beliefs were significantly associated with teaching GVP. Most were favorable to include GVP in curricula and agreed assessing for gun access, counseling about safe gun storage, and counseling about lethal means restriction should be taught. Key barriers included content saturation, political atmosphere, lack of educational materials, and lack of topic expertise.

Faculty agree that GVP should be taught, but most do not teach it in undergraduate nursing programs. Faculty development programs focused on GVP and support from national nursing organizations may decrease barriers in incorporating GVP into curricula.