Interested in an exciting and challenging career in nursing? Looking for opportunities to work in emergency situations? Are you passionate about providing excellent patient care in a moment’s notice? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then a career in flight nursing might be right for you!
A flight nurse is a career position for registered nurses who are highly trained to administer all-encompassing critical care, emergency, and pre-hospital care for patients of all kinds during rescue operations or aeromedical evacuations on aircrafts or helicopters.
Flight nurses work as a part of the aeromedical evacuation team aboard airplanes and helicopters. Their role is to provides patient care and ensure safety and comfort for patients of all types. After evaluating the needs of patients during a flight, the nurse utilizes the proper equipment, supplies and medications as needed. The care is given during the entire course of the flight until the destination is reached.
Another important duty of a flight nurse is to act as a liaison for operational and medical aircrews. In instances where a medical physician is not present, the flight nurse can perform initial emergency care. The training necessary for this career includes hemodynamic support, mechanical ventilation, vasoactive medications and a variety of training relating to intensive care.
The education requirements to become a flight nurse include the certification as a registered nurse plus post-grad training in emergency nursing or intensive care. Qualifications that need to be acquired are neonatal resuscitation, pediatric advanced life support, advanced cardiac life support, and pre-hospital trauma life support. Most flight nurses obtain a minimum experience level of 5 years in an ICU, ER or other critical care based hospital setting.
To learn more about careers in flight nursing, visit the resources provided in the Nurse Without Borders website. In addition, learn more about flight nursing opportunities near you, such as Hartford Hospital’s LIFE STAR Flight Crew. So, attention passengers, the flight to a rewarding and fulfilling career in nursing is now boarding!
