My baby well visit - Upset - Overreacting?

[Joecool]

So I bring my kid in for his wellness check and one of the questions I am asked from the nurse as she following her checklist is "Are there any firearms in your house?". I got pissed and said "None of your damn business."

Am I overreacting at this? I am pretty upset with good old Park Nicollet. I have been their quite a few times for this is not my son's first wellness checkup.

What does everyone think here.

[DeanC]

You should have said "No, I carry them with me" and pulled up your shirt.

[jgalt]

http://www.mnguntalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=52&t=11537&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=doctor

The topic has been discussed before - but I'm all for bringing it up again...

[mmcnx2]

I chimed in last time too, but I agree it is none of their business and I take pride telling them so.

One of my son's doctors asked and I told him nicely none of his business, after which he agreed but said the clinic policy made him ask. I suggested he take it up with them, and he said not if he wanted to keep his job.

So like most things it was corporate politic and someones priate agenda. I wrote a nice but firm letter to the clinic and explained to them that I would be moving my care somewhere else that understood what impacted healthcare and what didn't more clearly.

[Seismic Sam]

The classic response has been to ask the nurse for the information on any malpractice suits that have been filed against the nurse and/or doctor. I mean, you're just trying to protect your kid against a mislabed and LOADED hypodermic needle or un-needed or hazardous medical procedure...

Say it with a straight face and then report back...

[Stradawhovious]

I think a perfectly valid response would be a calm "I choose not to answer that question since it has absolutley nothing to do with this well visit". I also think a perfectly valid followup response to the nurse would be "How many sexual partners have you had in the last year?". It has the same validity as their question to you, and is just as personal in nature.

The problem with the "IT'S NONE OF YOUR DAMN BUSINESS!" response is that the answer to the question is then "The patient's father/mother became verbally abusive when asked about firearms". I would hate to see that come back to haunt you.

[bensdad]

I chimed in last time too. There are two documents floating out there in magic web land (I have hard copies somewhere) that you can hand to your health-care professional when asked about firearms. I'll try to find them, but my net-fu is weak.

Found it: http://www.examiner.com/x-1417-Gun-Righ ... ety-advice

[1911fan]

I have heard someone say " I take the personal safety of my children very much to heart, thank you"


and never answer the question.

Its a standard American Pediatrics question. My daughter was asked while wearing her (at the time) recently earned firearms safety hat, and just pointed and when Doh!. I know they asked several times prior to that but I think we just answered with something like "we hunt" and left it there. I do know one nurse at the peds clinic started on a lecture and I brought up the guns kill 44k a year, and doctors/hospitals kill 220K a year. My Doctor smiled at that one.

[Kirstie]

That is so werid we have never been asked that, maybe because rob open carries when he's with the kids.

[Squib Joe]

Ask your doctor if he is qualified to give firearms safety training or consulting, and willing to back up his counseling with his malpractice insurance.. then ask him to fill out this form:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/29542461/Phys ... ility-Form

[old guy]

I kept my holster on my belt when I went in a couple of weeks ago, Dr. and many other personell saw it including the security gaurd, but nobody said a word.

John

[Joecool]

Well I feel better that I answered appropriately. I wasn't carrying at the time but I hope I am next time and I might just lift up my shirt (or open fanny pack). Yes laugh at me now.

[1911fan]

I find that being less confrontational and more benign is the way to treat it. just give a non answer, then move on. No sense pissing off the nurse who you might need someday.

[onebohemian]

Whenever I'm asked this question, I just answer it "yes" and leave it at that. I've never gotten any follow-up lecture or a mean look or anything else. The nurse asked the question because it's on whatever form she's using. (BTW, whoever wrote that form is the one you should state your objections to -- not the nurse reading the question.) Unfortunately there are too many people that through nature have qualified themselves to be referred to as "parents," and having those folks reminded to lock their guns up so their elementary aged children don't unknowingly shoot themselves or their siblings or their friends doesn't bother me -- even when I'm being reminded of it along with those morons. Remember just a month ago: http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/2010/05/8-year-old_shoo.php Stories like this are tough to read. In an 80's movie called Parenthood, one of the characters ("Tod") said it best with, "You know, Mrs. Buckman, you need a license to buy a dog, to drive a car - hell, you even need a license to catch a fish. But they'll let any ****-******* ******* be a father."

Lots of folks joke about the phrase "it's for the kids" because it's been so abused by the anti crowd, but seriously, in this situation, I think that's a justifiable reason. I can't say that reminding the morons will actually cause them to store their firearms safely when they get home from the visit to the doctor, but I still think the possible reward is greater than the alleged harm just asking the question is imputed to cause.

My 2 cents,

Edited on 6/21/2010 at 3:44 p.m. by user842. Reason: Profanity filter violation.

[onebohemian]

Well I feel better that I answered appropriately. I wasn't carrying at the time but I hope I am next time and I might just lift up my shirt (or open fanny pack). Yes laugh at me now.

I understand you may be just joking a little with this comment, but I'll say it anyway. Displaying your weapon even just by lifting your shirt or opening your fanny pack in that scenario will likely end up in you being asked to leave the premises, if not worse. There are plenty of ways to fight the antis -- making a scene at a pediatrician's office will not in the end help any of us.