Becoming a Flight Nurse
Feb 17th, 2008 by Emily
Flight Medic to Flight Nurse
- Introduction
- Thank You
- Luck is Where Preparation Meets Opportunity
- Flight Nurse: A Life of Training and Trauma
- Becoming a Flight Nurse—-Overview
- What is a Flight Nurse, Exactly? Part I: General Job Description
- What is a Flight Nurse, Exactly? Part II: The Cool Factor, vBlog No. 5
- Personality Characteristics of a Flight Nurse
- Formal Education
- Professional Licensing
- General Certifications
- Nursing Certifications
- Pre-Flight Nurse Work Experience
- Types of Flight Programs
- Certificate of Need -vs- Free-For-All States
- Characteristics of a Good Flight Program
- Flight EMS Statistics
- The “C” Word
- Types of Flight Requests
- Day in the Life of a Flight Nurse
- Patient Types
- Clinical Specifics
- Scope of Practice
- Main Diagnoses
- Procedures
- Clinical Reference List
- Research in Flight EMS
- Education Programs
- Patient Billing
- U.S. Flight Programs
- International Flight Programs
- Formal Professional Organizations
- Related Web Sites
- Aircraft
Introduction
Last modified on 2008-02-18 02:30:35 GMT. 1 comment. Top.
Introduction
One day in 1998, I called my mom, as I still do, the morning after my first bad flight as a Medic in the U.S. Army. The training accident made the Associated Press ticker and the front page of at least two papers as far away as Florida and Michigan.
He was 19 years old, engaged and a father. I was left alone with him as another flight medic and the flight physician prepped to transfer him to the ER at a level one trauma center in San Bernardino County. His heart, beating strongly about 85 times a minute, sped up to the mid 100s and almost instantly slow down to nothing. The monitor squiggles stopped.
At the time I didn’t realize that was the classic response for a heart no longer controlled by the brainstem. His brain herniated. The young soldier died right in front of me and there was nothing I could do.
I will never forget that afternoon as long as I live.
Lansing State Journal, 20 June 1998
“Emily, you need to never do anything else with your life,” was my mother’s response. At 24 years old, I understood to my soul that she was right.
Orlando Sentinel, 20 June 1998
Seven years passed between my last mission as a flight medic and my first mission as a flight nurse. Never once during those intervening years did I lose track of what mom said to me that morning. Never once did I forget that soldier, my first patient.
Over the past four years, sharing my life through this blog has been a natural extension of who I am. Being able to now write about my life as a flight nurse has brought everything full circle.
Thanks to the many of you whom have taken the time to ask me about becoming a flight nurse. Your questions have motivated me to attempt another long term goal, writing a book. For now, it will be saved here as part of my blog: a multi-media version of both who I am and what being a flight nurse is all about.
Thank You
Last modified on 2008-02-18 02:32:57 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
Patrick—for always encouraging my crazy ideas. Mom—for picking me up, over and over. B.J.—for keeping me sane by being insane. The Club—for reminding me why I do what I do. SFC Rodriguez—for not just wearing both EFMB and Aircrew Member badges, but lighting the torch in a young impressionable PFC. Ben, Sarah & Kate—for giving me reasons to move home. My Aero Med Family—for supporting this even though I am ‘the new girl.’
I could never be me without you all.
Luck is Where Preparation Meets Opportunity
Last modified on 2008-02-17 22:15:11 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
This page, part of crzegrl.net, is a chronological collection of posts titled: “Becoming a Flight Nurse.” Flight Nursing is a unique specialty in the nursing world as there is no one way to get there. Each flight nurse brings a unique set of experiences and skills with them on each mission. Although openings for flight nurses are coveted and rare, they do exist.
I approached my quest to be the one in the flight nurse’s seat believing that, “Luck favors a prepared mind,” and “Luck is where preparation meets opportunity.” I also knew that, “the squeaky nurse (aka–the PIA nurse with creds and the right personality) gets the job.”
It is my hope that my experiences and the information I present will inspire you in your quest to become a better nurse, because that is what being a Flight Nurse is about, becoming the best of the best. I also hope to encourage you to approach Nursing as a profession instead of just a job. When I was a new flight medic, I asked one of my sergeants if he still got scared when the mission bell rang.
He stopped and purposefully turned, looking me in the eye, “Emily, the day you are no longer afraid is the day you need to quit.”
Being a professional is about the quest to always be better, respect your skills, but know your limitations.
I’m still scared.
Flight Nurse: A Life of Training and Trauma
Last modified on 2008-02-18 02:54:25 GMT. 3 comments. Top.
This is a paper written by John C. Lee, Jr., SRN from the east side of the country. I am grateful that he shared it with me, because he captured the desire to become a flight nurse and quite a lot of useful information for those interested in the field. Reprinted with permission.
Flight Nurse: A Life of Training and Trauma
As I have yet to begin my formal training for a nursing career, reflecting on a specific role within nursing is a guilty pleasure. However, I realize that in today’s world, it is never too early in an educational pursuit to think about long-term career goals. Without any experience in the field, this exercise is very much a reflection of what I currently feel based on my own thoughts and research knowledge. As with all things, life is dynamically fluid, and my future experiences will bring opportunities and changes in my career. For now I will let my mind fly toward the blue skies of a flight nurse.
Every few weeks, I pull into the parking area at CMMC to view the rays of sun dancing on the smooth shinny metal body of the Lifeflight helicopter. One day I was lucky enough to see the blades of the chopper slowly turning, getting faster and faster as I smelled the jet fuel and heard the wind whistle past my ears; out of the hospital, running past me were the nurses and paramedics in their blue jumpsuits and helmets. They hopped aboard, then flew off at top speed in their fully equipped flying emergency room, ready to land on the road or in a field to pick up a trauma patient in desperate need of care. I knew that both the helicopter and nurses would be operating at top speed to get the patient stable in the crucial “Golden Hour” and beat back death. The chance to fly, be a part of a highly trained team, along with being able to help stabilize and give a trauma patient the chance to live, seems like a career I would love. In my exploration into the world of a flight nurse, I found it to be a career built around a life of training and trauma.
The field of flight nursing was born out of trauma: the need to get critically ill patients to a hospital quickly in order to offer the best chance for survival. More specifically, World War II created this new career for nurses. According to Lambert & Lambert (2005):
When the war began it was thought that only cargo or bomber aircraft would be used to transport sick and wounded soldiers. Thus since enlisted men in the Medical Corps were taught first aid, it was not considered necessary to assign nurses to accompany the wounded while being transported in an aircraft. However this policy quickly changed with the establishment of a Nursing Division in the Air Surgeon’s Office for the development and special training of flight nurses. (pp. 34 -35)
Through each subsequent war, the need for flight nurses grew. Around 1971, the creation of emergency medical services, established the need for civilian flight nurses to transport the most critically ill and provide top-notch medical service in flight (Air & Surface Transport Nurses Association (ASTNA), 2007).
I quickly realized that a flight nurse is a lot more than just being a nurse, wearing a flight suit, and looking cool. Flight nursing combines the skills of intensive care, critical care, and emergency nursing. According to Scally (2002), “Some might argue that even more so than in other types of nursing, [in flight nursing] continuous training and experience matter” (p. 1). Flight nursing involves caring for the 10 percent of the most critically ill or injured patients across all specialties of medicine and disease process. Instead of just maintaining the patients during transport, flight nurses make onsite diagnoses and treatment decisions, providing care before the patients get to the hospitals (Scally, 2002). This requires an intense amount of training.
Requirements to be a flight nurse vary from state to state and program to program but nationally, all flight nursing programs require RN’s to have two to three years of critical care experience and advanced cardiac life support and pediatric advanced life support certificates. Other requirements may include a neonatal resuscitation program, a nationally recognized trauma program, and transport nurse advanced trauma courses. Certifications such as critical care registered nurse, certified emergency nurse, or certified flight registered nurse may also be required. Some states also require nurses to be paramedics or at least emergency medical technicians (ASTNA, 2007).
To meet my goal of becoming a flight nurse will require hard work, a huge time commitment, much training, and exposure to trauma. Aside from the possible adrenaline rush, what draws me to this career is the opportunity to learn so many varying and broad based skills. Through my short time being a lowly EMT-B, I have developed a great desire to continue to learn life-saving techniques and trauma skills. Along with the typical protocols, I will be forced to make diagnoses that will impact the patient for good or bad.
On a broad based level, I am already on a flight path toward my goals. As a voluntary EMT-B, I realize just how important it is to keep learning and moving forward with continuing training. In the next month, I will be taking a course in pre-hospital trauma life support for EMS providers. I am currently involved with volunteer work at Tri-Town Rescue, and have had exposure over the past several weeks ranging from traumatic motor vehicle accidents to working on a patient in full cardiac arrest. This summer I may even train for my EMT – intermediate level certificate.
In the short-term, I will focus my education in these areas along with graduating with my BSN. In the long-term, I will look for opportunities to meet the requirements needed in the critical care unit to learn and hone my technical skills along with my interpersonal skills. Through all this, I will continue to train and train and train toward my goal of applying for and securing a job as a flight nurse. This will not be an easy task. According to the ASTNA (2007), there are about 3,000 civilian flight nurses in the United States. There are more nurses wanting to be flight nurses than there are jobs. According to Scally (2002), “Turnover in most flight nursing programs are very low. However, you can find a job as a flight nurse if you’re willing to move to any area of the country as jobs become available, be persistent, and continue to obtain more advanced training” (p. 2). I am finding out that anything worthwhile in life is a process of persistence.
Once I reach this highly specialized goal, what kind of money can I command? Research from Salary.com (2007), shows that the median expected salary is $56,326 for a flight nurse. The range is from a low of $52,184 to a high of $64,804. In comparison, the median expected salary for an emergency room nurse is $56, 226, with the range at a low of $51,106 to a high of $61,644. Initially, I was shocked to see that at the median range the salary difference is approximately a hundred dollars. All this extra training for what seems such a small amount of pay? This can be attributed to two factors. The first is that in general nursing salaries are low compared to other high-end professions, and the second is the simple theory of economics: supply vs. demand. With so many willing nurses and so few slots available, the market controls salaries. In the end, it is not the appeal of money, it is the professional challenge that draws many nurses to flight nursing.
I know for me it is the overall challenge of nursing that draws me toward the profession, with a long-term horizon of critical care flight nursing. Hudson (2001) states, “Flight nursing has the intensity of ICU with the urgency of an emergency department. It is the ultimate challenge, the relationships formed are professional, yet intensely intimate at the same time” (p. 230). I can think of no other job that allows room for both professionalism and intimacy. This is why I can allow my mind to fly toward the skies of flight nursing. Whatever my career in nursing brings, I am sure it will bring challenges, relationships, professionalism, and intimacy. I can only hope that time and persistence will bring a flight helmet and jumpsuit to me.
References
Air & Surface Transport Nurses Association. (n.d.). ASTNA answers frequently asked questions. Retrieved February 19, 2007, from http://www.astna.org/FN-FAQ.html
Hudson, J. (2001). Trauma junkie: Memoirs of an emergency flight nurse. Buffalo, NY: Firefly Books.
Lambert, V. and Lambert C. (2005). The evolution of nursing education and practice in the U.S. In J. Daly, S. Speedy, D. Jackson, V. Lambert, & C. Lambert. (Eds.), Professional nursing: Concepts, issues, and challenges (pp. 34-35). New York: Springer Publishing Company.
Salary.com. (n.d). Salary.com nursing salaries. Retrieved February 19, 2007, from http://www.salary.com/sitesearch/layoutscripts/sisl_display.asp?searchtextvalue=ed+nurse&Image1.x=0&Image1.y=0
Scally, R. (2002). Flight nurses: Nursing’s high altitude calling. Spotlight on nurses. Retrieved February 19, 2007, from http://www.nursezone.com/student_nurse_center/default.asp?articleId=9674
Becoming a Flight Nurse—-Overview
Last modified on 2008-04-08 17:41:46 GMT. 3 comments. Top.
Adrenaline, chaos, stress, excitement, emotion—-
There are endless adjectives associated with the world of flight medicine.
“I’ve always wanted to be a flight nurse, but . . .”
This has been repeated to me endless times. Flight nursing is a profession many want, but few are willing to pursue. The job requirements alone are enough to weed out the “wannabe” riff-raff. I personally believe many of the rest, who would actually be amazing at this very specialized segment of nursing, give up the dream because they simply can’t visualize the path. I was one of the lucky few who were gifted with both opportunity and incredible mentors. The path was lit brightly.
What you will find in my words, hopefully, is a guide. An in, into one of the most rewarding, but simultaneously one of the most physically, intellectually and emotionally demanding profession in existence. Not only are the lives of our patients at stake, but those of the medical crew are as well.
My DUSTOFF MEDEVAC unit had a motto:
“So Others May Live”
It was a shortened form of the unit’s original Viet Nam motto:
“We Die, So Others May Live”
Last year this reality came close to home when a Survival Flight organ procurement team gave their lives on a flight to collect lungs for a man who needed them. Pulling life from death.
One of the team was and acquaintance of my best friend Ben who was working at the Ann Arbor VA. The aviation community is small. Very small.
A few days after the accident, without a word, Ben greeted me with an all enveloping bear hug. I knew he saw my mortality a bit more clearly, as did I.
——–
This is not an all inclusive guide. It is also not a finished product. It isn’t meant to be. It is more of a living, evolving work, meant to encourage, inspire and put a recognizable face on flight nursing. Yes, it is a profession of the elite. No, it is not a club of pre-madonnas. We need the best, we want the best, we expect the best.
Our patients’ lives depend on it.
My life depends on it.
This is also not a work of all encompassing views. These views are mine, and mine alone. Although I am supported by my employer, Aero Med, in my blogging venture, all mistakes are my responsibility and I will conscientiously strive to represent Aero Med, my co-workers and my patient encounters in a professional manner. HIPAA is always at the fore front of my mind. Be certain that the stories are changed accordingly. No good story is ever worth breaching a person’s privacy.
I welcome and encourage questions. I rely on my coworkers and readers to keep my writing content accurate and appropriate. One of the beauties of blogging is an unlimited number of editors and proofreaders, making a much better product.
For those of you who hope to earn a place in the flight nurse’s seat, I hope this will be of use. For those of you simply curious about what goes on when we fly over your house and rattle your windows——welcome.
Be sure, however, that your life will never be the same.
What is a Flight Nurse, Exactly? Part I: General Job Description
Last modified on 2008-06-11 04:21:57 GMT. 7 comments. Top.
I’m in the flight nurse’s seat, so now what?
Before delving any more deeply into the nuances of the flight nursing profession, I think it would be wise to discuss the basics of what a flight nurse is. In my mind, describing the flight nurse role should be broken down into three parts, and thus three posts:
Part I: General Job Description—official definition and my definition
Part II: The Cool Factor—where the rubber meets the road
Part III: Personality—the most important component
Part I: General Job Description
As with any job, someone, somewhere has been tasked with writing an “official” job description. As I prescribe to the mantra, “Brilliant people copy, geniuses steal,” when possible, the following comes from my actual job description:
Registered Nurse, Flight
“The Registered Nurse, in accordance with [ORGANIZATION blah blah blah,] collaborates with other members of the health care team and uses clinical judgment skills to diagnose and treat the patient responses to actual or potential health conditions. The RN assesses, monitors, detects, plans and takes appropriate action to prevent potential physiological complications associated with specific health problems and / or medical treatment.”
As you can see, this description could cover any RN position in existence. The interesting bits and bobs are actually in our addendum with one specific sentence being important:
“Able to function effectively in and out of hospital environment with limited supportive equipment and personnel.”
I will not beat a dead horse by rewriting what is easily written. Other general flight nursing job descriptions can be found at the following links:
Air & Surface Transport Nurses Association FAQ
Nursing Spectrum, Students’ Corner: Flight Nursing
Have You ever Thought About Becoming a Flight Nurse?
NursingLink: Flight Nurse
What is My Definition of a Flight Nurse?
“A Registered Nurse, licensed and certified to their eyeballs, who is confident but not arrogant, assertive, but not an ass, experienced but able to learn new tricks. The RN has to have awesome assessment skills, be in tune with their own intuition, able to be productive in the face of extreme chaos, be a politician and tactful when necessary or just plain mean when needed. They must be self motivated, and detail oriented to the point of being anal retentive. The RN has to be a team player. A dark, sick and somewhat twisted sense of humor is preferred. They must also be courageous but maintain balance in their risk taking behavior. Above all, the nurse must keep the safety of themselves, their fellow crew members, and the patient their primary focus. They should also look cool in a flight suit.”
Although there is quite a bit of humor (duh) in the above paragraph, there is also a lot of truth to it as well. Flight Nurses must be able to care for the patient, the patient’s loved ones, the ground crew/hospital staff, as well as his or her self.
The rest simply boils down to the desire to become a Flight Nurse, and the capability to love being on the edge.
What is a Flight Nurse, Exactly? Part II: The Cool Factor, vBlog No. 5
Last modified on 2008-06-15 23:31:58 GMT. 4 comments. Top.
I thought that in Part II of “What is a Flight Nurse, Exactly” the cool factor could only be described in living color.
A Flight Nurse is quite simply, Hope. Hope to patients, families and the communities they serve. They are also part of a crew who’s members are represented by the individuals here.
[...] Becoming a Flight Nurse [...]
I have been a nurse for 11 years.ICU and ER
Have an interview as a flight RN in Arizona, next week- so does my husband!!!!!!\
We are travel nursing in Arizona ans I ran into a Flight nurse. I asked questions and found out that they were interviewing
Applied and got interviews. Nervous but fascinated. As, in Wisconsin, where I am from, you would never see an opening let alone 2 openings for flight nursing!!!!!
We are both veterans in the military
Husband is nervous about relocating, I just want the job- will worry about the facts later
Taryn and David Dreyer
I am interesting in becoming a flight nurse, I have been an ICU nurse and and ER nurse for 11 years and looking for a change but in the same field. can you steer me in the right direction.
I am a Senior in High School and am very interested in the Aeromedical field. When I attend the local community college this fall (I plan on transferring to a different school later), are there any specific courses that I should look for that would help me later on?
Hey, thanks for the responses! I emailed you all and hope to keep hearing from you……
Thanks again for visiting here!
Emily-
Thanks for this website! I’m entering my 3rd of 5 semesters of nursing school & knew day 1 that I wanted to be a flight nurse. Recently I did a ride along with East Care, a flight service associated with Pitt County Memorial Hospital in Greenville, NC. It was so awesome !! The thrill & rush of it all is undescribable !! As well as being in nursing school, I’m also in the EMT- Basic program to work towards eventually becoming a paramedic as well.
Any advice as to which area would give the greatest benefit to becoming a flight nurse- critical care units or emergency departments?
Thanks !
I have recently finished college for a Medical Assistant. Although, I really love what I do I have also wanted to become a flight nurse. I have already been looking into classes to start my RN is there any classes that you would suggest or what path you would suggest to start me on the path to reaching my goal. I am only 21 but I really want to do this. As a child this was my dream goal. I would really love to hear a response from you. I need some guidence to help me to get on the right track to start the climbing process. Thank you so much!
Tiffany
I am almost finished with my first year of nursing school. I have worked the last eleven years in a hospital as nursing tech for ICU and ER. I want to become a flight nurse. And I realize have so much more learning to do. Thank you for putting on here what you have gone through to grown into the person you are today. This web-page gives me more determation to become my dream.
I have been a RN for 2 1/2 yrs. 1 1/2 years on a med surgical unit. I recently started working on a cardiac telemetry unit. I am very much interested in pursuing a career as a flight nurse. Can you please assist me in the necessary steps that I would need to take in pursuing my goal. I woul be interested in talking to someone and ask questions on how to apply. Thank you
How far back to they consider your flight experience as being current? Within the last 3 years, or five years or less?
How do crew members get compensated for their certifications above what is required, is there a standing formula? Do you take their years of nursing experience into consideration?
I am a senior in high school and a member of the rescue squade in dyer county what classes do i need to take in college to be a flight nurse i really want to do it. what are all the requirements?
@jeannie—-hope this helps!
They were just happy I had ANY flight experience when I was hired on. I guess it would depend on the specific program and what the person had done in the mean time.
I almost choked on my beer when I read the compensated part of the certifications! We are not compensated in any way. Actually, that isn’t true. We are 2 pay grades above a floor nurse, but we are paid on salary, not hourly. So, when it is all said and done, we actually lose money if you look at the number of hours we actually work. We are also hospital employees which isn’t always the case for flight programs.
The silver lining? We will be eligible for a house wide bonus program that the hospital put into place in their quest for Magnet Status.
(sorry, my sarcasm is running high tonight!)
Oh, we also do take years of experience into consideration. If you are a new chicklet to the nursing profession, but you come to the table with a boat load of street medic experience that counts as well!
I am currently going to school to be a Nurse right now. When I finish my degree, can I go right into the feild of being a flight nurse, or do I have to have years of experince at a hospital before becoming a flight nurse? Thank you for you time.
I just gotta say “thank you” for doing what you are doing.
A bunch of years ago when this MedEvac helicopter stuff was pretty new around here, one of my best friends almost died in a head on crash on a twisty road late at night. She was taken by chopper to the area Trauma center where surgeons dealt quickly with her ruptured liver. Had she had to travel by ambulance, she would surely have bled out long before reaching the hospital. Not only is she still alive, but she went back to school and recently got her RN.
Thanks. Again.
Jez
I can’t wait to read the rest of your writings on becoming a flight nurse. I am currently a nursing student and am looking forward to one day flying. Come to think of it, you are not far from my area, ever been to LaPorte Hospital?
I am now on my 3rdyear of nursing school. I am seriously thinking of becoming a flight nurse, that’s how I ended up here on your blog. I do freelance work online to support my schooling… Thanks for your very inspiring blog. Makes me want to strive more harder in my studies…
i am an RN with 5-6 years of emergency room experience. i am looking to get my certifications for becoming a flight nurse. i am looking to speak to someone about what certifications and qualifications that i can obtain to help getting a job as a flight nurse. i am finding it harder to find information than i ever thought possible. please help. seriously looking to become a flight nurse. one of my goals in life. i have been a travel nurse for the past 4 years and am looking to make a career move. any information you could give me would be helpful. thank you
Hey Emily,
What a great blog! Loved the video! I am almost done nursing school (got one more semester) and am very interested in Flight Nursing. Obviously I will need experience, so where do you suggest I start? I live near Cooper University Hospital in Camden, NJ which is known for it’s Trauma Center, but how can I make sure I am going in the right direction for Flight Nursing? I
[...] With additional education you can strive to be a Nurse Practitioner (NP), or a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist(CRNA). Ever heard of a Flight Nurse? [...]
Hi Emily!
I can’t tell you how excited I have been to have stumbled up on your blog. It is my dream to be a flight nurse. I am going to start an ADN program next fall…so, I know I’ve got a long road ahead of me…but I love this page that you’re putting together. It will really help to have some direction as to the type of experience that makes you most “hireable” and the whole slew of certifications that I’ll need to work on.
I was just wondering…there are a whole bunch of titles/bullet points at the top of the page that don’t link to anything. Are those all works “in progress?” …or is there something wrong with the page? Many of the titles pique my interest and I was wanting to read them.
I hope you’re doing well…you haven’t written anything new in a while. Take care…and thanks for sharing your life with us!
Jennie
So i am only an eight grader but im really interested in becoming a flight nurse so if you could tell me what i need to do to get past whats coming in the future.
Emily,
I just finished reading the book, Meditations on hope, and I was so touched by your passage. Just thought I would let you know that your writing does impact all walks of life.
Thanks
I am thirty two years old and a former EMT. I am looking for a change of career. Presently I am a corrections officer. I love emergency medicine and love to fly. Is is too late to working toward becoming a flight nurse. Is it a pipe dream. Be honest with me, I don’t want to set my hopes and my sights on doing something that is not feasible at my age.
Thanks for the honest opinion.
Be safe!
Dave Wright
i am a 17 year old girl who really wants to be a flight….its one of my dreams! =] but i am going to be graduating high school next year and i dont even know what college, classes, or anything like that to get me on the right track on becoming a flight nurse…..if you could help me to get started or headed on the right track that would be great….or even some advice on what i need to do to become a flight nurse.thank you so much! hope to hear from you soon
I am 26 years old and want to be a flight nurse (someday).
For now I am taking classes to be accepted into the local community college’s nursing program. I also volunteer at the local hospital in several different areas. I was just wondering if you had any tips or recommendations of classes that would be beneficial to starting in this career path???
Thanks.
hello…
i’m carlisle from the Philippines.. i’m currently a student taking up bachelors of science in nursing and after i have my RN in the future i always wanted to be a flight nurse since i was 9 years old..
Hi Emily,
Like many on this page I am interested in becoming a flight nurse as well. My dad was a chopper pilot so I grew up around helicopters. I also have a few friends who are flight nurses for West Michigan AirCare and I have had the opportunity to fly with them on a few occasions and got hooked!
I am an elementary teacher but got laid off and am thinking of a career change.
I was wondering do you know if any flight companies ever hire physician’s assistants? The problem with nursing in this area is the huge waiting list. I’m looking at least 2-3 years to get into school, then once finished probably at least 2 to 3 years ER, ICU etc. experience before I would be considered flight nurse material, which will put me at 41 years old at least. I know that the older I am the less marketable I become. PA school is less time and I can get in right away. Is there such a thing as a flight PA? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks for all that you do! Flight nurses are amazing people.
I am going to be a freshman in highschool this year. I was talking with my dad about my future when the topic of becoming a flight nurse came up. Ever since then, I have been very interested to be a flight nurse. Also, I just found out that my dad has had a goal to be one too! He asked me to find some info about it because he doesnt have too much time. (for now)
He came from the Ukraine about 14 years ago so he had to learn English. There were also some othere comlications which would slow him down.
He was also wondering if it might be too late for him too start on this new career. He is 40 years old but very excited about this! He really wants this ALOT! Do you think you could give us some tips and help us? We would really appreciate that!
Thanks
Dear Emily, I am going to be Junior in high school this year, and since I was a kid, I knew I wanted to be an e.r. nurse, or a black hawk pilot in the Army, like my dad, then I was reading on the internet and it became so obvious to me that this is what I need to do. If you could maybe give me a rough over-view of the classes I will need to take, and the classes required in college, and also what it was like being a flight nurse in the Army? It would be wonderful, and thank you for writing such an insightful blog, this has helped me so incredibly much to realize what I need to do with my life.
Emily, what a good inspirtation! I have always dreamed of becoming a Flight Nurse. My dad is one of many family memebers being in the Medical field as I Firefighter/Medic, since age 2 I said I would always follow his footsteps. I’m going back into the college mode after 3 years of full-time work. I have taken EMT-B & plan to go on to get my Cardic, Intermediate & Paramedic. Can you give me an idea of which classes & college courses are going to be my best bet to becoming a successful Flight Nurse!! Thanks, keep up the Great work & Great blogs!! -Kayla.
Hi Emily. I just read through some of your posts and all I can say is wow! Your job seems so awesome and rewarding. I just graduated from college with my BSN. I am looking for a job in an ED as it is my dream to one day become a flight nurse. Do you have any advice for a new graduate like myself?
Thanks, Amy
Hey Emily. Like many other posts here, I am a senior in high school wanting to become a Flight Nurse but don’t really know the correct path (colleges, majors, etc.) to go on. I would like to be in a Trauma Center (hopefully Cooper University Hospital in Camden, NJ) and eventually be a Flight Nurse. If I became a Physician’s Assistant would I still be able to become a Flight Nurse, or do I have to be a RN? I don’t know anyone who is in the medical field (other than local EMTs) and any advice would be very appreciated!! Thank you so much for your help! It is truly inspiring!!
Hey Emily, great to see that a busy flight nurse like yourself has taken time out to put this information on the web, I have also subscribed to your videos on youtube
I am a new grad RN myself, currently in a my BSN program in NY, I am doing a research paper (by choice) on Flight Nurses, I was wondering if you would be kind enough to tell me what kind of professional issues or challenges you face as a flight nurse? I know lower wages, and the effects of health care reform are couple of the big ones ,is there anything else that I should also look into? Thanks.
Hi Emily,
My name is Jordin and i am a high school senior and i have been looking forward to a career in trauma and medicine as long as i can remember, specifically flight nursing. I grew up with a ER nurse as a mom and a fireman/ paramedic as a dad, and all I ever hear is medical and I love it. I think throughout my years at home a passion to help has rubbed off on me haha. I started volunteering at a community hospital when i was 13 and recently through the fire department on an ambulance. Throughout my hours I have noticed I took a liking to the trauma. I loved the adrenaline rush and the fact that I could help someone so messed up and help make them better. Well, the reason I wrote to you was to see if you had any recomendations on where I should apply to school or steps I could take to get onto the flight nursing path. If you could write me back as soon as you can that would be greatly appreciated!
P.S. Thank you for everything that you do..You truly are a hero!
[...] Becoming a Flight Nurse [...]
Hi Emily,
There is so much valuable information here. What a great resource for nursing students everywhere!
Hey Emily…thanks for your blog.
I’m just wondering what my chances of getting a job are without actual flight experience…I think I’m on the right track. I have 1.5 years ICU experience and counting, ACLS, working on CCRN, EMT-B (then hopefully NREMT-P), will be PALS in fall, hope to take BTLS or PHTLS this summer and maybe TNCC next spring..NRC not required here, but will look good…all in all, If I meet the requirements and apply with bare minimum ICU experience and no flight experience, what are my chances of breaking into flight nursing…currently there are several full time job listings within 5 hour drive of my house (i.e GA, TN, MS). I have been up with the local medflight for ride alongs..so I know this is what I want to do….just curious how long it will take or if I stand a chance without flight experience when the time comes. If nothing else, I work with an RT that flew fixed wing transfers and will put a good word in for me with a different co. when the time comes… so maybe i can get a foot in the door.
This is much longer than i intended..mainly I just want to fly and save lives..any suggestions or help is greatly appreciated!
Thanks ,
Jessi
just a few words…. takes a woman with guts to step up and take on action as if nothing else in this world matters but that moment in life.
I would like to know what your answer was for Jen(#27). I kinda had the same thought.
Hi Emily!
I’m still in high school, but I am thinking a lot about college and my job/career. I want to be an Officer in the Navy Nurse Corps, but I also want to be a flight nurse. Could you tell me some about your training and kind of what you do as a flight nurse? I’m just trying to lean everything I can(:
I am a 33yr old mom of five. I have worked med/surg, ortho, and I just relocated with my spouse and kids and hace a job working in the picu. I have yet to get back to school for my rn degree. I have been working as a tech for four an a half yrs. Is it too late for me to become a flight nurse? I hope to start school in the fall. Still have pre reqs to do.
I am happy to have found your blog. I recently finished my ER rotation in RN school and was scared to death the entire time, however I found making myself focus through that fear was very intense. A new emotion.
I am working on a cardiac floor as a PCS until December, at which time I hope to land a job (I hope my boss is listening). That will give me a definitive pathway to critical care within the year. Another 3-4 years in critical care and I will be ready to take on trauma, particularly air transport.
Thanks again for the insiders view on Flight Nursing.
Rob
Hello Emily,
I have been reading your blog and its really inspired me. I am the oldest of two kids, and the first to go to college in my family. I’m still in highschool, and am going to be taking CNA classes when school starts again. I was wondering if you could give me some pointers on becoming a flight nurse. When I was little I would always tell my mom that I was going to take care of people, that I wanted to make a difference in someones life. It was not tell about two years ago that I finally figured out that I want to be a flight nurse. If you could tell me what keep you motivated and what not. It would be very helpful.
Thanks so much,
Kayla
I read your blog and I to am wondering if you could help stear me in the right direction. I have been a nurse for about 3 years now. I did about 2.5 years as a ER/trama RN in a level 1 pediatric ER. I am currently a sexual assault nurse examiner and I also work as an EP RN. I wanted to learn more about the electrical activity of the heart and EP is the best way to do it! Now I’m pretty comfortable with heart rhythms to say the least! I have always been a very determined person and would do anything to acheive my goals. So needless to say filght nursing has been a long time dream for me. Could you help stear me in the right direction. What do they look for with an applicant? And where the best place is to look for available jobs? Thank you so much for your help! I greatly appreicate it!
Mackenzee