Firearm violence in america: a growing health problem.

Firearm injury is a disease that afflicts many individuals in the United States, either directly or indirectly. Trauma and critical care nurses have direct experience with this life-threatening disease and recognize the high lethality. The magnitude of this health problem requires a focus on primary prevention. We recognize that any focus on firearm injury is often contentious and political; however, nurses bring a ready-made credibility and focus on evidence-based practice to the prevention of this disease.