should physicians routinely inquire about guns?

[Guest justme]

This article from the Western Journal of Medicine seems most appropriate to place here.

Should Physicians Routinely Inquire about Guns?: No

[oldogy]

I had to tell a physician about gun damage one time during a physical when he inquired about my bruised shoulder.

Routinely ask about guns? He!! no!

oldogy

[Mike.357]

no they should not routinely ask about guns.

If a gun is why you are seeing them I would say it is okay.

For example.

Doctor: "Do you own the Glock that you shot yourself in the butt with?"

And example of not okay might be

Doctor: " There now, the hangnail is all removed, apply this ointment twice a day,

By the way do you own guns?"

Pretty much I am going to tell the doctor to stick the the medical subject at hand.

[-boatman-]

I have never had a doctor ask and if they do I'll find a new doctor if he ever does it again. I did bring it up with my eye doctor.

When I went for new glasses recently I sad "Doc, I can't focus on my front sights". He said "I'll see what I can do". Then we proceed to talk guns. I had no idea before this that he was a gun owner.

[Oh Shoot]

...

Doctor: "Do you own the Glock that you shot yourself in the butt with?...

Proper response is,

"Yes, of course it was a Glock, but ownership details are privileged information."

- OS

[DavidCBaker]

I asked my spinal surgery how quickly I could go back to shooting after having a double fusion and a mess of titanium placed inside me a few weeks ago.

His eyes lit up, he asked me what I had, and we had a good ol' discussion about what I could and could not shoot. I never pegged him for an avid shooter, but that was cool.

[Smith]

Old argument they have been trying for years. If they can clear guns as medical devices they can be regulated as health concerns to public safety and sidestep 2a and every other current law.

[Guest SUNTZU]

Proper response is,

"Yes, of course it was a Glock, but ownership details are privileged information."

- OS

I'd make a smart reply to you and Mike, but am afraid I would just jinx myself.

[Guest Bronker]

This article from the Western Journal of Medicine seems most appropriate to place here.

Should Physicians Routinely Inquire about Guns?: No

I don't.

Unless I spot one on your hip. If I see that its a Glock, then I usually make an immediate psychiatrist referral.

I carry in my office. You can too.

[Guest Halfpint]

My optometrist and dentist are both gunners, but I've known them since I was in high school . . . we talk guns in their offices and in the shop where I work, no biggie.

Haven't been to a regular doctor in a couple years, but I'm pretty sure the corpsman attached to the platoon where I'm headed will know a little about the M16A2.

[Guest Rick O'Shay]

My doc routinely asks me about guns, "Bought anything new?"

I think he carries at the office but am not 100% sure. Believe though, I have looked.

[Garufa]

What prompted this article from 2001? Maybe I missed something but the author cites no examples of a physician asking for such information.

[ftncityfatboy]

I spotted my doc at a gun show at Chilhowee Park. When I went in for my physical, I ask him about it and what he was there for. Come to find out he reloads and was purchasing reloading stuff. We talked about what we both had, he showed me pixs of a deer his son dropped with one of his reloads. We had quite the chat about guns and shooting. we both expressed how we didn't trust anyone now days, etc, etc. He was going to take his permit class and get permit. I didn't expect him to be the carrying type.

[Guest Ghostrider]

I've taken a **** load of weapons off patients in my career. It sounds "two faced" but I really don't like having them in my ER/Trauma center as people aren't always in their right minds during that kind of stress.

With that said, trauma nurses and the local authorities are generally very polite to each other and have good relationships.

Two examples stand out. "Pancho Via" (gangbanger) shows up in my trauma center in El Paso and I find a cut down 12 Ga in his pants. I get a hand on it, he won't give it up and no way am I going to let go. He called me some not so nice names in spanish and had been shot by an MP breaking into houses on post. He had no military affiliation. Why they didn't find it in the field is a mystery to me.

I pushed the button for the MPs (we had a "panic button" at each bed and two behind the desk) and they showed up with 1911s in the bang position. I told them pretty shortly what was going on and they "persauded" pancho to give it up. I testified against him in civil court in my dress greens, along with the MPs and about a zillion other military people.

The other was in Clarksville. Guy comes in from an MVA (car wreck) and has a gym bag on the streacher with him. I take the bag, sit it on the floor and give it a push under the bed with my toe. It was a heavy bag, and I noticed the piston when I pushed it. I asked him what was up and he said he was taking the receipts to the bank when he had the accident, but didn't have a permit for it.

He was a very polite, hardworking young man doing his job. One of the local cops I knew was taking a DUI report a few beds down and I asked him to check in with me when he was finished.

Short story, he took the $8,000 and the 9 MM into "protective custody" while we took care of the guy. Several hours later when we let him out of the ER, I called the cop back, he brought back the bag, the gun, and the money, had the guy sign for them and drove him to the bank, and then home.

Moral: We already have methods to deal with firearms in ERs and Trauma centers. Docs don't need to know under normal circumstanes and I doubt most would ask unless they were forced. Most docs don't want to know any more about their patients than necessary.

[G27]

Old argument they have been trying for years. If they can clear guns as medical devices they can attempt to regulate them as health concerns to public safety and sidestep 2a and every other current law.

FiFY.

[ttocswob]

My family MD took the HCP class when I did, so no problem there!

[1908_Cubbies]

My kid's pediatrician asks everytime we are in the office!

[Guest AeroEngrSoftDevMBA]

When my youngest was born about 10 months ago, we took him for the standard week after delivery doctor appointment. When I was filling out his new patient forms there was a sheet inserted that asked all kinds of inappropriate questions. A few I can remember:

Do you have guns in your household?

If so, are the stored locked and unloaded?

How many hours a week do your kids watch TV?

Do you read to your kids before bedtime every night?

And on and on...

I put a big X across the entire sheet and on the bottom wrote, "Questions not appropriate!"

This was a private office. I could not imagine why they needed to know these things. Though I can imagine being reported to the authorities if some angry office worker didn't like my answers. I do not trust the government in any way, shape, or form as far as my kids are concerned. I have read to many horror stories about people having their children taken from them by some overzealous public servant.

No thank you.

[Smith]

When my youngest was born about 10 months ago, we took him for the standard week after delivery doctor appointment. When I was filling out his new patient forms there was a sheet inserted that asked all kinds of inappropriate questions. A few I can remember:

Do you have guns in your household?

If so, are the stored locked and unloaded?

How many hours a week do your kids watch TV?

Do you read to your kids before bedtime every night?

And on and on...

I put a big X across the entire sheet and on the bottom wrote, "Questions not appropriate!"

This was a private office. I could not imagine why they needed to know these things. Though I can imagine being reported to the authorities if some angry office worker didn't like my answers. I do not trust the government in any way, shape, or form as far as my kids are concerned. I have read to many horror stories about people having their children taken from them by some overzealous public servant.

No thank you.

I have an aunt in Arkansas who was a family services employee who handled child abuse claims. She is very nice but her life is a testament to bad decisions.... over and over and over. As much as I love her, if those are the kind of people who make the decision unilaterally to take kids into custody....... I am deeply troubled and will not answer any questions or volunteer any info on how my family is conducted.

[Guest canynracer]

I dont have a doctor

My kids Dr doesnt say a word...I am not sure he cares, but I dont care if he cares...he never sees it.

[Curiousgb]

I went fo r a Drug Screening yesterday. It turned out to be a Drug/Physical. I left the gun in the car, but kept my holster on. Doc asked me to pull up my tshirt, ok. Whats that? A holster. Long pause..........OK. Next.

[saintsfanbrian]

Kids pediatrician asked 1 time. Will never ask again. Their office is not posted.

[RinTN]

I went fo r a Drug Screening yesterday. It turned out to be a Drug/Physical. I left the gun in the car, but kept my holster on. Doc asked me to pull up my tshirt, ok. Whats that? A holster. Long pause..........OK. Next.

If you were wearing an *empty* holster, I think I would have been confused and given a long pause too!

[Curiousgb]

If you were wearing an *empty* holster, I think I would have been confused and given a long pause too!

When I went in I only thought I was going to pee in a cup. So I just pulled the pistol out of the holster and went in. Next thing I know I have to go see the Dr? I Did have a mag pouch with mag on.

[Mike.357]

Next thing I know I have to go see the Dr?

so did he grab your bullets, ask you to turn your head and cough?