Army vs. AF

If you want to be a flight nurse go Air Force. While Army nurses do provide en route care for transports (usually a patient transfer via helo where the patient needs more care than the medic can provide) AN don't routinely do this. A nurse is usually grabbed from the ER or ICU for the transfer.

Air Force does have actual flight nurse positions which involve 6 weeks of school and follow on training before they can care for patients in the air. There are a few nurses on this forum that can provide more specifics than I can, so hopefully they'll chime in.

Yep, go AF. This statement is from a prior service Army bubba. As an RN you will have some great opportunities with the AF IHMO.

Not burst anyone's bubble, but the AF won't let AD nurses go straight into flight nursing. It usually takes about two+ years before you can apply to go to flight nursing school and then get a flight assignment (expect 3-4yrs). Although, as a AF reserve/NG you can go straight into flight nursing.

Flight nursing in the AF is basically med-surg in the sky. The patients have to be stable in order to go with normal flight nurses, otherwise they go out with a CCAT team (MD, RT, and usually and ICU or ER nurse trained to transport critically ill patients). CCATT is not a full time job whereas AF flight nursing is.

I've been told that flight nurses in the Reserves and Guard get to fly a lot more than active duty ones due. Plus you can join the reserves and go straight in as a flight nurse.

Its not like they take you right out of nursing school. I was rejected my the first time I tried to get on with them because of lack of experience. Also, if you read what wtbcrna stated in his post "Flight nursing in the AF is basically med-surg in the sky. The patients have to be stable in order to go with normal flight nurses, otherwise they go out with a CCAT team" Flight Nurses in the Air Force don't necessarily have to have critical care experience. Do some reseach...Start by trying this website

http://www.goang.com/

Put flight nurse into the search box and see what you get. You could also talk to a Health professions recruiter as well.