Emergency medical services (EMS) clinicians' views on EMS‐delivered interventions to promote secure firearm storage practices

Abstract

IntroductionLethal means safety counseling (LMSC) to promote secure firearm storage may reduce the risk of firearm‐involved deaths, including suicide. We examined if emergency medical services (EMS) clinicians, including emergency medical technicians and paramedics, may be suitable LMSC messengers.MethodWe conducted a web‐based survey of 229 US EMS clinicians.ResultsWhile few EMS clinicians supported EMS‐delivered LMSC to all patients (17.0%), most supported EMS‐delivered LMSC to patients in an acute suicidal crisis (64.2%) or with a known suicide attempt history (55.9%). Barriers to EMS‐delivered LMSC included lack of training (73.4%), perceptions that LMSC is outside EMS clinicians' scope of practice (58.1%), and lack of standard operating procedures (56.3%). Most reported at least some interest in receiving training on EMS‐delivered LMSC (67.7%). Participants holding more accurate beliefs about the link between firearm storage practices and suicide risk, as well as the efficacy of LMSC, were more likely to support EMS‐delivered LMSC across patient scenarios (ORs = 2.18–5.21, ps <0.01) and express interest in receiving LMSC training (ORs = 3.78–5.43, ps <0.001).ConclusionGiven that many EMS clinicians interface with patients at elevated suicide risk, targeted LMSC training may be strategic; however, research is needed to determine if and how EMS clinicians might be viable LMSC messengers.