Rozina Aziz Being a flight nurse is an option to consider if you are interested in a career in nursing or are already working as a nurse but are seeking a new challenge. Flight nursing is one of the many fulfilling careers in the medical industry.
Find out if this is a career path you’re interested in by researching the skills and responsibilities of flight nurses. This article will describe what flight nurse is, what they do, the skills they need, the compensation and career outlook, and the steps one must take to enter this field.
What is a Flight Nurse?
Registered nurses with specialized training in providing medical treatment while transporting patients in rotorcraft (such as a helicopter) or fixed-wing aircraft (such as an airplane) are referred to as “flight nurses” or “transport nurses.”
Flight nurses collaborate with other medical experts like paramedics and doctors to guarantee that patients receive the best possible treatment while an route. Patients in critical condition are frequently transported to trauma centers with their assistance.
Emergency nurses offer comprehensive care in urgent and emergency situations, such as pre-hospitalization, critical care at the scene, and during transport between medical facilities. They frequently have a plethora of patients entrusted to their care.
What duties do flight nurses have?
First aid, resuscitation, vital sign monitoring, and IV insertions are some things that flight nurses may do for patients while transporting them. Many patients are in critical condition or have sustained life-threatening injuries, making round-the-clock monitoring essential.
You may be expected to do more than look after patients; you’ll also have to keep track of paperwork, make sure the right tools are always on board, and more. The flight crew, the paramedics, the doctors, and the flight nurses all work together to ensure the safe transport of patients.
Along with providing medical care, flight nurses are also responsible for assisting patients with boarding and disembarking the plane and completing routine maintenance inspections on the plane and its medical equipment. The tasks may include disinfecting the cabin, washing the plane, and checking the shelf life of all medications.
What competencies do Flight Nurses need?
To be a flight nurse, you must possess these skills:
Confidence:
Having a firm grasp of standard medical practice and patient care is essential.
Decision-making:
Rapidly assessing the situation and determining the most effective course of treatment.
Communication:
Communicating clearly and accurately with patients, coworkers, and other stakeholders
Resourcefulness:
Possessing the ability to arrange facilities and supplies such that they cater to individual patients’ requirements
How to become a Flight Nurse?
Following these guidelines can help you on your way to becoming a flight nurse.
Get a degree in nursing
An undergraduate or graduate degree in nursing is the starting point for a career as a flight nurse. Any program leading to an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in nursing is acceptable so long as its graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN.
Associate and bachelor’s degree programs in nursing allow students to learn and practice essential nurse skills and gain experience with a wide range of patient situations.
To get your nursing degree, you might take classes like:
- Anatomy and physiology
- Microbiology
- Chemistry
- Psychology
- Nutrition
- Fundamentals of Nursing
You also spend time caring for real patients during your clinical hours, which are often done at a hospital. To provide a more varied experience, some applications allow you to select from various options for each cycle.
Acquire Practical Knowledge
Your search for the ideal place to settle down can begin once you’ve passed the NCLEX-RN and fulfilled all state prerequisites. Experience in any field of nursing is useful preparation for a career as a flight nurse. Gaining experience in trauma centers, emergency rooms or critical care units can give you expertise similar to that of a flight nurse. The fast pace and emphasis on making quick judgments about patient care can be useful preparation for a career as a flight nurse.
Gain certification to be a flight nurse
While a certification might not be necessary for every job, it is always a plus when applying for positions. Show your skills in this field and your readiness for emergency services by taking the Certified Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN) exam. This exam tests your knowledge of basic and advanced life support, pediatric care, trauma management, and emergency nursing.
Indicate you want to play the part
Interested registered nurses should let their supervisors know about their desire to join the flight team of their hospital or another nurse facility. Feedback on your qualifications, such as the minimum years of experience required, may be given.
A second option to demonstrate your motivation for the role is to offer to “work shadow” an established flight nurse by riding along with them as they transfer patients.
What type of work environment will Flight Nurses be in?
Not all flight nurses treat the same patients; some specialize in caring for a certain demographic. Who you run into may depend on where you work.
Institutions specialized in rescue missions:
Flight nurses work in helicopters to stabilize patients after traumatic events like car crashes, near-drownings, or natural disasters and then take them to hospitals. This type of nurse may also be called upon to remove a critically ill patient or an injured hiker from a far-flung location.
Institutions treating burns:
These specialist teams transport the patients with burns to the nearest burn center.
Emergency centers/hospitals:
In the role of a flight nurse, you can be called upon to aid with transport to and from the hospital in the event of accidents in the immediate vicinity.
Military:
When it comes to medical personnel, the United States Air Force and Navy are both in need of flight nurses. The military can send these nurses to war zones, where they will treat and evacuate wounded service members.
Corporations operating independently:
For facilities that don’t regularly require the services of a flight nurse, private firms may provide them on a contract basis. Flight nurses should expect their roles to evolve to fit the contractor’s requirements.
What is the Role of the Flight Nurse in Contrast to Other Forms of Nursing?
A flight nurse’s duties are similar to those of an ER or ICU nurse. On the other hand, flight nurses perform these duties in tighter quarters and can face dangerous conditions, including extreme weather and exposure to toxic substances and debris.
The primary distinction between flight nursing and other forms of nursing is the nature of the employment itself. You might work in a hospital but have options at fire stations, EMS firms, SAR groups, federal agencies, and military installations.
Do You Think You’d Enjoy a Career in Flight Nursing?
As flight nurses often give care in times of emergency or trauma, they need to thrive in high-stakes circumstances with plenty of moving parts.
They are acting without guidance
This category includes a wide range of actions, from something as innocuous as starting a new prescription without consulting a doctor to identifying life-threatening problems that require immediate attention to decrease mortality or morbidity.
Thinking outside the box
The resources available to a flight nurse are limited to what can be found on board the aircraft. The medical community sometimes needs to get innovative to address this.
Maintain one’s calm under pressure
As a result of the gravity of their work, all air medical team members must be able to keep their cool under pressure.
Having empathy and being sympathetic
There is already enough stress involved when a loved one is critically ill or injured without worrying about being separated from them for an indefinite amount of time. Caring and considerate communication are crucial for everyone’s satisfaction.
Having the ability to change and shift in response
One day you’ll have five flights assigned to you, while the next day, you’ll be on call with no flights. When many flights are scheduled for a given day, keeping the plane stocked can take time and effort.
What are the other necessities of a flight nurse?
Nurses of all specialties, including those on the flight, must update their licensure every two years. It is common practice for license renewal to require the completion of continuing education courses. It would help if you always were sure to maintain your certifications. Every four years, you’ll need to re-certify as a CFRN.
What pay and job prospects do Flight Nurses have?
There is a wide range in annual salary for a flight nurse, from $50,161 to $95,605. This type of nurse may expect a typical yearly salary of $68,050. Salary ranges can be narrowed by experience level, industry, and company size. Employment prospects for registered nurses in the field of flight are improving because of the expanding nurse industry.
Despite the low turnover rate in this field, many private firms are advertising for qualified nurses. Successful transport nurses appreciate delivering emergency treatment and are looking for a more exciting work setting than a hospital or doctor’s office.
What Options Do Flight Nurses Have for Joining Professional Associations?
The American Society of Transport Nurses and Associates (ASTNA) has been a remarkable group providing aid to transport nurses and other professionals for 35 years. Through the group’s commitment to education and safety, transport nursing is developed and patient care is improved. It contributes to disseminating knowledge, materials, and encouragement for developing this promising subfield of nursing.
FAQ’s
Are flight nurses in high demand?
Since there is a growing need for flight nurses, their average income is expected to rise steadily in the next few years.
What does it take to become a flight nurse?
With an associate degree in nursing (ADN) and three years of experience, some people can become flight nurses in five years. However, additional education and experience are typically required to enter this field due to the demanding nature of the work. Flight nurses will typically earn a bachelor’s degree after four years of study and require at least five years of clinical experience.
Do flight nurses get to go on flights?
There is an occasional need for flight nurses to take on travel assignments. The flight nurse may also work in the emergency room or intensive care unit at these smaller, outlying facilities—even in small states like Alaska and Montana.
What is the work schedule for flight nurses?
Flight nurses perform 6 to 8 shifts per month, each lasting 24 hours. This work can be physically demanding when you’re on the clock, but flight nurses can put in fewer hours than regular nurses.
