image: Katelin Hoskins, PhD, MBE, CRNP, Assistant Professor in Penn Nursing’s Department of Biobehavioral Health Sciences.
Credit: Penn Nursing
PHILADELPHIA (October 28, 2024) – The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing (Penn Nursing) has been awarded a $3.2 million, 5-year grant from the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) to scale out an evidence-based secure firearm storage intervention at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). Firearms are now the leading cause of death for U.S. children and teens, driving the largest spike in children’s mortality in more than 50 years. The study aims to keep children safer from firearm injury and mortality by promoting secure firearm storage.
The intervention, known as S.A.F.E. Firearm, involves a brief discussion with parents about secure firearm storage and offers free cable locks. While the intervention has been studied in pediatric primary care, this study will adapt it for nurse-led delivery in the pediatric inpatient setting. “Nurse-led implementation of firearm safety interventions during hospital admissions is a major opportunity to advance our shared goal of keeping kids safe,” said principal investigator Katelin Hoskins, PhD, MBE, CRNP, Assistant Professor in Penn Nursing’s Department of Biobehavioral Health Sciences. She added, “Advocating for children is at the core of pediatric nursing practice.”
The study team will collaborate with both parent and clinician partners for intervention adaptation and design of the implementation approach. To test the effectiveness of the adapted intervention in improving secure firearm storage, as well as other firearm safety behaviors (e.g., asking about firearms where children visit and play), twelve medical-surgical units at CHOP Philadelphia and King of Prussia campuses will be randomized to either the adapted intervention or usual care group. Researchers will also examine implementation from the perspective of nurses.
"Children's hospitals are uniquely positioned to play a role in promoting firearm safety," said co-investigator Joel Fein, MD, MPH, Co-director of CHOP’s Center for Violence Prevention. "Through the trusted relationship between nurses and our patients’ families, we hope to make a positive impact on their safety and wellbeing." Co-investigator Dorothy Novick, MD elaborated, "This study has the potential to make a significant contribution to the field of firearm injury prevention and public health. Our goal is for safe firearm storage to be as natural as other preventive measures such as childproofing homes and buckling seatbelts."
This research is supported by the National Institute of Nursing Research of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under award number R01NR021259. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH.
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About the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing is one of the world’s leading schools of nursing. For the ninth year in a row, it is ranked the #1 nursing school in the world by QS University. Our Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) is among the top ranked programs in the nation according to the 2025 U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges rankings. Our School also consistently ranks highly in the U.S. News & World Report annual list of best graduate schools and is ranked as one of the top schools of nursing in funding from the National Institutes of Health. Penn Nursing prepares nurse scientists and nurse leaders to meet the health needs of a global society through innovation in research, education, and practice. Follow Penn Nursing on: Facebook, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, & Instagram.
About Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
About Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia: A non-profit, charitable organization, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the nation’s first pediatric hospital. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare professionals, and pioneering major research initiatives, the 595-bed hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the country. The institution has a well-established history of providing advanced pediatric care close to home through its CHOP Care Network, which includes more than 50 primary care practices, specialty care and surgical centers, urgent care centers, and community hospital alliances throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey, as well as the Middleman Family Pavilion and its dedicated pediatric emergency department in King of Prussia. In addition, its unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents. For more information, visit https://www.chop.edu.