Medical facilities are on high alert after a gunman opened fire at a Tulsa hospital on Wednesday afternoon before taking his own life. The investigation is still ongoing, but police believe the shooter targeted one of the physicians on staff after a recent operation left the gunman in pain. Millions of nurses shared their reactions to the tragedy online. Many said their facilities are increasing security in the wake of the shooting to better protect patients and staff, but many providers still fear for their safety.
We had to install panic buttons at the reception area because of some patients (and spouses). We are a fairly small ambulatory center, in an office building. No security. Always a little scary when someone tries to intimidate staff.
Gail
I’m an elementary school nurse in Oklahoma. These shootings have all of us in hospitals and schools so scared and on edge. When will it stop 😓
Britt
I worked in a top ranked pediatric ER for 30 years, in one of the highest crime rated cities in the U.S. Every week we would receive gunshot victims under the age of 18 yrs. from gang related shootings, or innocent child victims of drive by shootings, or sheer neglect of adults leaving their guns out for a toddler or child to find and shoot. Every day our staff was verbally threatened by these patients’ families in our overcrowded ER waiting rooms, because they felt like their child with a runny nose should take priority over a child struggling to breathe from an asthma attack, and so on and so on. This hospital threw their staff under the bus every day, by not listening to our pleas for tighter security, crowd control, metal detectors, etc.
Janet
Congress didn’t even change anything after THEIR lives were threatened with guns on January 6th. Does anyone out there have hope?
Ali
The shooting (at Tulsa, OK hospital) follows killings in Buffalo, New York; Uvalde, Texas; and New Orleans. A span of violence also hit several U.S cities over the Memorial Day weekend, leaving at least 156 people dead and 412 injured from 5 p.m. ET Friday to 5 a.m. Tuesday, according to a preliminary count by The Gun Violence Archive.
Barbara
Assault rifles have to stop being sold and anyone that has one needs to forfeit to the military.
Donna
Do not know how this has not happened more often with patients being violent to nursing and medical staff.
Lucette
This is my worst fear working at the hospital.
Betsy
I live in a southern state and work in a rural critical access hospital. I am legally allowed to keep my personal firearm locked in my car. There are signs on all the doors alerting you that it is illegal to bring weapons inside. Let me assure you that if this happens at my workplace, it will be over before the police can make the 2.5-mile trip up the road to us. I am not the only nurse that carries a weapon to work either. As do our unarmed security guards who are mostly ex-cops and vets.
Jenny
It seems that people have easier access to guns than mental health resources.
Laura
When we eliminate gun free zones. You’re fish in a barrel with zero protection. The politicians throwing fits about gun control are guarded by armed men and women. The judges that decide traffic tickets are guarded by guns. Grocery stores have armed security. Children, doctors, nurses, teachers – guarded by a sign.
Glenn
It will continue as long as the repulsive Republicans keep blocking the vote to ban assault weapons.
Roxanne
We need gun control. The drafters of the second amendment never considered assault rifles in their plan. There is no need to have assault rifles since all it does is kill a lot of beings in a fast time. It is the kind of thing useful for war. The next step is funding research for mental illness. As it stands now most mental health professionals are not well versed in treating shooters. That must change. Funding must go to the study of shooters, preventative measures, and treatment. The carnage has to stop. Anyone who thinks we are violating rights does not get it.
Susan
Three words: assault weapon ban. No one is walking into a hospital or school shooting people with a hunting rifle.
David
I’m so sad and sorry. As a retired nurse I remember the days when it was fun to go to work, great camaraderie, and no fears that somebody will come in and shoot us up.
Martha
All of these shooters clearly do not care about gun laws. Stop blaming the guns and not the people. It is mental health issues, and that they target buildings that they know can’t defend themselves. The law-abiding citizens don’t take their guns into hospitals and schools. The people there are vulnerable and an easy target. A handful of security guards (usually without guns) cannot do much.
Wake up. Gun free zones just mean the people there are defenseless. The bad guys don’t follow the rules.
Lyn
States with the strictest gun laws have the lowest death by gun rate, mental health problems or not! Hardly rocket science.
Tonya
When we stop being soft on crime and prosecute to the max. When we stop advertising gun free zones. Only law-abiding citizens follow laws. Start showing these killers that if you don’t die on the scene you’ll be put to death through the judicial system. Now, it’s time to address the root cause, mental health, and broken families.
Wynee
