Pay Scale for Flight Nurses?

TraumaNurse · Sep 26, 2005

Prior to anesthesia school, my flight pay was the same as my RN pay in the trauma ICU. Going to the flight program was simply transferring departments within the hospital. Although base pay was the same, we did get 1.5x from lift-off to return to home base as "hazard pay". When we were on-call, we were getting $2.00 to be at home and then double time from the time of a call until we returned. The double time was a hospital call-back policy. With my hazard pay and call time, I made $75,000/year while flying (That includes minimal OT)

HyperTension · Nov 13, 2005

I just left the "U" (Michigan), and I know that they pondeing entering into negotiations regarding that (and for good reason), but at the time, they (flight nurses) were still listed as a clin. 3 level.

ECMOismygame · Jan 17, 2006

sorry to intrude on this forum, but i cant find good answers anywhere else

im wondering how far off a transport RRT pay would be from an CFRN? since they work as a team, the salaries would be pretty close right? (i imagine the CFRN still make a bit more)

again, its not about the money, but im wondering if i would pursue this endeavor, if i would have to work PRN to supplement income.

yogiisi · Jan 18, 2006

As a flight nurse that works for a private company, I make over $20,000.00 a year more than my friends that work ER. I work (6) 24 hour shifts a month, and this is full time. The benefit package is great. Good luck if you decide to fly.

ECMOismygame · Jan 18, 2006

yogiisi said:
As a flight nurse that works for a private company, I make over $20,000.00 a year more than my friends that work ER. I work (6) 24 hour shifts a month, and this is full time. The benefit package is great. Good luck if you decide to fly.

Most of the ER nurses I know make from 50K-70K. some of the RTs make from 40K-60K......

But then again you work like 1-2 times a week and a second job (agency) wouldn't be a hassle. Also help me save for PA school and take in a whole lot less debt.

There's an agency here that pays RTs $30/hr starting and up to $40/hr (south TX) and I know I could make more, but I love the fact that flight seems to be like a perfect mix of ICU and ER. Also, Critical Care Transport would make for an awesome career day speech whenever I have kids!

Thanks for the info.

Angela6833 · Jan 27, 2006

I am a flight nurse and also work in the ED. I make abnout $7.00 more an hour in the ED though. Advantage is as a full time flight nurse I get to work two 24s or one 24 and two 12hr shifts a week and have my 48hrs in and only have to "work" a few days a week.

Rio, ASN, RN · Jan 28, 2006

yogiisi said:
As a flight nurse that works for a private company, I make over $20,000.00 a year more than my friends that work ER. I work (6) 24 hour shifts a month, and this is full time. The benefit package is great. Good luck if you decide to fly.

Your friends must be grossly under-paid. Where do you work ? Can't be an AirMethods/LifeNet program.

sjt9721, BSN, RN · Mar 25, 2006

Rio said:
Your friends must be grossly under-paid. Where do you work ? Can't be an AirMethods/LifeNet program.

Certainly not SWH or AEL either!

Shamira Aizza · Mar 29, 2006

I'm guessing a PHI program; sounds like their scheduling practices, and I've seen what they offer as far as moving benefits for new hires and I'd expect the regular benefits to be as enticing.

And while the pay is good, the employment is more tenuous...unfortunately PHI is a publically held company that is just as obligated to make money for it's stockholders as it is to haul patients for it's customers, and just like GM, Delphi, and Dupont, stockholders take priority over employees and patients at crunch time.

sjt9721, BSN, RN · Mar 31, 2006

Shamira Aizza said:
I'm guessing a PHI program; sounds like their scheduling practices, and I've seen what they offer as far as moving benefits for new hires and I'd expect the regular benefits to be as enticing.
And while the pay is good, the employment is more tenuous...unfortunately PHI is a publically held company that is just as obligated to make money for it's stockholders as it is to haul patients for it's customers, and just like GM, Delphi, and Dupont, stockholders take priority over employees and patients at crunch time.

Not-for-profits have to make money, too.

And PHIs pay includes community outreach & PR which is time above your scheduled flight shifts.

Shamira Aizza · Mar 31, 2006

sjt9721 said:
Not-for-profits have to make money, too.
And PHIs pay includes community outreach & PR which is time above your scheduled flight shifts.

Regarding profit, you are somewhat correct.

NFP's that 'need' to make money don't have to make money for stockholders in the form of dividends, splits, or price.

However, NFP's that are extensions of a hospital don't need to make money as an independent operation. They can function as loss-leaders whereas they often operatethe flight program at a loss, but they are able to funnel patients into their parent hospitals where they can then generate income which will cover the loss and translate into profit for the hospital.

Not sure what you are trying to say about PHI's pay, outreach, and PR...that's simply good practice; good for them. All I was saying is that PHI pays a lot (comparatively), and offers a good benefits package. Unfortunately, a publically-held company (like PHI), will not operate a flight program to the detriment of it's stockholders, meaning the employees trade job security for higher pay. This is not a criticism, it's simply an observation. PHI has already closed or downsized non-revenue operations...it's simply good business sense, and I would do the exact same thing if I was in charge.

Rio, ASN, RN · Apr 1, 2006

Shamira and sjt9721,

I think that you are both correct , however back to the pay... I think either yogi is blowing smoke out his turbine or he/she is a resident/MD in some obscure program... interesting, we have heard nothing from yogi...

Rio