Trip to the Doctors

At one point in your life, you will be visiting the doctors. Let’s say that you’re are getting a routine checkup. As a concealed carrier, what do you do? Before you venture out and do anything while being armed, you need to know the laws in your area and state. You may be covered by state laws, but sometimes counties or townships may have different laws regulating where you can go while you can legally carry a firearm. So you need to find out what the laws are for carrying in a hospital or medical clinic. Is the hospital on federal, state or private grounds?

Some or all of these areas, you may not legally carry on those grounds or their parking lot. If you can park in the lot, are there any laws on how you need to lock up your firearm since you may not be able to bring it into the facility? Do the bullets need to be in a separate case? Don’t get caught not following the laws. This could cost you dearly.

So you now have the understanding of the law around carrying a firearm in a building in which you now know that either you can or cannot carry. So let’s say you can legally carrying on those hospital or clinic grounds, so what do you do? Most times, when you’re getting checked out, they will weigh you. If you have your Every Day Carry (EDC), like a gun, knife, flashlight, medical kit, spare ammo, etc., you may be up an extra 10 pounds. When it comes to this, I tell them that I already weighed myself and give them the weight. For me, they just write it down and I am no longer bothered by them about it.

Now if you’re going to have to get your body examined, you may have to put your gear into something. Now I am not a fan of off-body carry, but in this case, a backpack or some other type of off-body carry may have to do in this situation. Never mention firearms to your doctor or nurse!! You don’t want this recorded in your medical record. Stuff like this can come back at you, especially for a person who is against firearms. So keep this to yourself, it’s not even relevant to your visit. Some doctors have been asking if people have firearms, but this is none of their business and honestly should never be asked by a doctor who is doing a routine checkup.

If you will be getting shots or if they are taking blood, I would highly recommend they poke your non-dominant arm. Some shots will make your arm hurt, so doing this to your dominant arm may make you slow on the draw if you need to present your firearm. If your dominant hand/arm is injured and that is the reason why you are visiting a doctor, you may end up purchasing another holster for your non-dominant side and practice drawing with your other hand until your injury has healed. After your injury is healed, and depending on your injury, you may have to retrain your dominant side again in drawing your firearm (unloaded of course).

If you are laid up in a hospital, you will have to have your gear in an off-body carry bag. You will not have any clothes to wear, medical professionals are always visiting you, you can’t hide your firearm in the bed since you are constantly being checked and probed, and you don’t one someone retrieving it from you while you are asleep. Every situation is different, and others may end up carrying your personal items for you since you may be moved around from one bed to another, and sometimes to another room. If you are heavily medicated, having a firearm is a bad choice since your state of mind may not be at its best. Remember, safety first for you and those around you. If you think you must have your firearm, you may just have to lock it up in a portable safe and inside a backpack until you leave the hospital. Just remember, medication that affects your mind and having a firearm is a bad combination and should be avoided.

If you have anything to contribute to help others out who will be going in for their physical or being hospitalized, please share your experiences. Thank you.

Be safe out there, be the responsible firearm owner and always follow the “Concealed Carry Creed“!!!