Looking for a little guidance please

[PICNICRN, BSN, RN]

Ok...... so please excuse me if this is a naive or silly question, I just don't know where to get info.....

I am interested in transport nursing not necessarily air transport-ground is ok with me. I have tons of Peds ICU and NICU experience and I have done transport(ground and very little air) prior to relocating to where I am now. Problem is, even the Children's hospital in my city does not have a transport team- they rely on air evac for all hosp to hosp transports---This is really different for me. I am interested EMT/paramedic nursing- I just don't know where to start- and I am wondering if EMT services have special "teams" for pediatric/neonatal patients or if a RN/paramedic is expected to go on adult calls also. I called a local ambulance service on an ad on monster for a Rn position and when I spoke to the rep, I was told that they could train me for adults........ it is just that I am not interested in picking up old guys who have had an MI and I don't want to be in the air exclusively.

Any comments would help me. Thanks in advance!

[Neveranurseagain, RN]

When I worked as a paramedic/RN, a crew was called in that specialized in NICU for the babes. They would do an air transport or ground ambulance, depending on the weather and the babe. The crew never did children or adults. They flew alot to Northern AZ from Phoenix transporting them from small hospitals to the big city. Look around--call the airvac company that does your hospital to hospital transfers. Some of them may have a ride along program to get your feet wet before you commit. It's not a job--it's an adventure!

[Rio, ASN, RN]

look here:

http://www.astna.org/job_openings.html

[foraneman]

Look here also: http://www.flightweb.com/jobs/index.php

[emtbubba]

Not sure where you live, but here's something that I thought you might find interesting, even if it's just for the "what-it's-worth-department." Check this out:

http://www.pennstatehershey.org/web/emergencymedicine/patientcare/services/lifelion/ground

Even though the picture is small, try to take a close look at that truck. I've seen it up close, and it is imacculate! They can tranport two PICU or NICU patients in there at once along with a full care team. They even have DVD players for the kids to watch on long transports! :-) I guess that doesn't answer your question though, but it sounds like something that would be right along your line of interests.

I know you don't really want to do a whole lot of adult EMS, but unfortunately it's all part of the deal. Unless you can find a specialty unit like the one I showed you here, you are likely to transport just about any kind of patient in EMS, including those old guys having MI's. But even they do some adult transports too. It's not so bad though. EMS in general really is quite enjoyable. Given your interests though, I would look for a specialty unit like this one, where they don't run emergency calls in the community, but rather they do specialized scheduled transports, or maybe find a team in a local hospital that accompanies ambulance crews on specialty transports like that. I know those units are sometimes hard to find depending on where you live. I know you said your hospital doesn't have a specialty PIC/NIC transport team of their own, but possibly one of the other hosptials in your area does? There are some agencies who do just that; they staff special prepared ICU RN's to accompany flight teams and ground crews on transports like that. I know of a hospital in my state who has sent their flight team to other hospitals in my area to pick up patients, and they sent along another nurse who does only that - he accompanies flight teams on both helicopter and airplane to transport very critical patients.

Anyway, just some ideas.... If all else fails, move to Hershey, PA, and fly with LifeLion. :-)