flight positions

Try www.flightweb.com, it has pretty good classifieds and a lively forum. Sometimes it helps to scan the websites of individual companies.

Good Luck,

Pete Fitzpatrick
RN, CFRN, EMT-P
Writing from the Ninth Circle

www.astna.org

www.airmethods.com

What are the requirements or certifications that you need to become a flight nurse?

Most services require 3-5 years of ER or ICU experience. Also required are ACLS, PALS, NRP, and TNCC/PHTLS. EMT-P is highly, highly preferred - occasionally required.

I have heard many people talking about the dangers of flight nursing, terrain, crashes, dangerous situations? Does any one have a few more stories or some info?

Because of the nature of the work, you must be in top physical condition as well.

I can't say from a nursing standpoint, but I can give you good information from a PILOT standpoint I flew helicopters in the army and have been a fixed wing (airplane) pilot since high school.

Flying is dangerous business. Most of the time nothing out of the usual happens, but a dangerous situation WILL come about at some point if you fly long enough. If you are a flight nurse in helicopters.. you can raise the danger factor up many more notches. Tail rotor strikes, tail rotor gearbox failure(s), are probably the number 1 reasons for downed helicopters, and put that on top of landing in unusual areas to pick up a patient, and you've just raised the risk factor 10 fold.

To be honest.. I think the ideal flight nurse position is in the military.. specifically the Air Force (definately not army... don't say I didn't warn you!). You'd get the experience, and you'd get paid the same base pay as your counterparts + danger pay, 30 days per year vacation that rolls over to the next year (maxes out at 70 days on the books), etc., etc., etc.

The only benefit I see of being a flight nurse, is so I wouldn't have to worry about the typical "yuk" part of nursing that most experience on the hospital floor.

Good luck!

I recently resigned from flying after 7 years, and I'd have to say the most dangerous part of your job is driving to work.

Actually flying as an RN is probably less dangerous than being a truck driver.

The company I worked for has completed over 100,000 missions...which means a lot more flights than that when you include SAR and PR stuff, and has never experienced a tail-rotor strike or gear box failure. In fact, they have never experienced a mechanical failure which even resulted in an injury.

Like I said...the drive in and the drive home are the most dangerous parts.

As far as the Military...military flight nurse jobs are temporary. It's a slot that you can apply for and perform for a couple years, and then you are moved on to the next big military adventure. There are no career Air Force flight nurses, except the reserves.

Thats a classic statistics example I wasn't comparing the dangers of flying to automobiles. There are more automobiles on the road at any given time in the U.S. as opposed to aircraft in the air. Subtract fixed wing aircraft from that and you're left with relatively very few helicopters buzzing around. I understand and agree with your statement, however my point was simply about the dangers as they relate to aviation.

1. fly long enough (any pilot will tell you) something will happen.. and usually before a pilot reaches 5,000 hours flight time. Remember, I said from a pilot's point of view. And as a pilot of both fixed and rotary wing, and having been through emergencies in both, I assure you that any seasoned pilot will tell you the same.. the dangers associated with flying 'choppers is a lot higher than flying fixed. The flight profile environment is also much more dangerous. Engrave that in granite I think the FAA and NTSB Accident/incident reports will back me up on that one.

2. Most pilots don't rack up even 15,000 hrs. flight time in 10 years, but you're talking about 100,000 "missions" ?? Take 100,000 missions that probably aren't typically over an hour (I'm guessing), and divide them by several aircraft and crews, then throw in the mean-time-before-component-failure, and 100,000 "missions" spread over the years the company has operated and... well, I'm sure you see where I'm headed statistically. apples to apples?

3. You're correct about the military, and such rotations apply to virtually every field in the military, as its common to work various parts of the office or your respective field. Attornies, nurses, engineers, pilots (depending on aircraft and unit, different units have different emphasis. ie. night vision goggle flights, medac, tactical, etc.. even though you might be a blackhawk pilot).

For many, flight nurse is coveted in the Army.. for others, they run like hell from it and pray they don't get it.

4. Oh! I bet you're talkinga bout the old "nightengale" (sp?) crews on the C-9A in the AF Reserve? I was refering to the AF flight nurses (active duty) that were stationed with us in Korea back in '92. There were also AF nurses (non reserve) attached to our special forces unit in the area.

One thing I've learned from being an AF brat and Army flier... nothing is ever engraved in granite in the military..

Respectfully..