ANA Reacts to Tulsa Shooting: Calls on Congress to take decisive action
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Shannon McClendon, shannon.mcclendon@ana.org
Keziah Proctor, keziah.proctor@ana.org
SILVER SPRING, MD - A mass shooting at Saint Francis Hospital campus in Tulsa, OK on June 1 that left four people dead, including multiple health care professionals, is the latest act of gun violence in a recent uptick of mass shootings nationwide. The following statement is attributable to American Nurses Association (ANA) President Ernest Grant, PhD, RN, FAAN:
“We find ourselves here again as a nation grieving more lives lost to unspeakable acts of gun violence. Ordinary places like our grocery stores, churches, movie theaters, shopping malls, health care facilities, and schools have become the scenes of carnage and death that are reminiscent of war zones. It feels as if nowhere is safe. And I feel like a broken record each time I must issue a statement on arguably preventable gun violence.
ANA continues to urge Congress to develop commonsense, bipartisan legislation that can help protect our communities and repair a system that has allowed gun violence to become our norm. ANA is encouraged that bipartisan members of Congress are at the table negotiating a legislative proposal designed to address these senseless mass shootings. They must press forward and find a solution. The public health crisis of gun violence has had a grip on our nation for far too long and we need decisive action from our elected officials now.
ANA has and continues to stand in solidarity with many Americans, nurses, and the health care community in calling on Congress to act now.
How many Americans and children must be slaughtered before we act? How many parents and families will have to bury their loved ones and carry unfathomable lifelong trauma before we decide to end this madness? The conscience of our country is hanging in the balance. Our action and inaction today will reflect the value that we place on the lives of all people and children as well as the future generations of this country.”
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The American Nurses Association (ANA) is the premier organization representing the interests of the nation's 4.3 million registered nurses. ANA advances the profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting a safe and ethical work environment, bolstering the health and wellness of nurses, and advocating on health care issues that affect nurses and the public. ANA is at the forefront of improving the quality of health care for all. For more information, visit www.nursingworld.org. For high-resolution images of the ANA logo or photos of ANA leadership, please click here.