Flight Nurse description

May 24, 2007 07:33 AM

by sutherner86

hey all, i am thinkin of becoming a nurse... my mama is a travelin nurse and she said that she really thinks I would love to be a flight nurse. See, i have to have some kinda action in my job. I have done the fireman thing, I am currently in the Navy, and I won't be able to do this nurse thing for couple more years. But, can anyone explain, maybe describe, what all a flight nurse does, or a nurse... i have always been interested in doin somethin in the health care field, and i grew up in a hospital, but i keep gettin this mental picture that nurses are more like care takers... like room service... can anyone dilute those thoughts for me?

Cole

*GilaRN* · May 29, 2007, 08:15 PM

Re: Flight Nurse description

Room service is for a Hotel; unfortunately, this is a view many people have of Nurses. I would say this is much like people simply calling paramedics “ambulance drivers.” True, Nursing is much more holistic in nature when caring for a person. Do not confuse this with servitude. A Nurse is responsible for taking care of the whole patient. While you will perform many technical tasks and make decisions based on a medical model, you will also perform many independent interventions based on a persons psychosocial, educational, and functional needs. The Nurse should be able to administer both medical and holistic interventions and treatments with a high level of competence.
If you are looking for a constant supply adrenaline from your work, I would say stay away from health care. True, you may have moments, but allot of medicine is tedious, repetitive, and dare I say boring. You will be challenged and will often have to think out of the box; however, do not expect constant action. Nursing is quite diverse and is involved in multiple aspects of health care, so do not write off or decide on any one are of Nursing until you have a little experience.
Flight Nursing is much the same. You will need at least a few years of solid critical care or emergency nursing experience for most companies to consider you for employment. A job description of a flight nurse is a Nurse that provides Nursing care in the flight environment. (The Readers Digest Version) Flight nursing is quite challenging and I am constantly learning; however, being on a helicopter does not automatically elevate me to super nurse status. You are constantly learning and being challenged regardless of your specialty. It may sound strange, but I had an incredible amount of autonomy and challenge as an LPN at a long term care facility. Nursing is that diverse.

**traumaRUs** · May 29, 2007, 08:29 PM

Re: Flight Nurse description

I worked level one trauma center for 10 years and loved it - lots of adrenaline rush and no boredom. Every day was different, different patients, different co-workers, I thrived on that. Type A personalities do the best in the big, busy ERs. Would imagine that a flight nurse would be similar. We had the biggest flight program south of CHicago.

Medicine Eagle · Jul 24, 2007, 08:24 PM

Re: Flight Nurse description

I am with you. Level I trauma has my heart. I love it. I am an adrenaline junkie as well. Trust me you won't get bored in a level I.

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Flight Nurse description

Flight Nurse description

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