[Shamira Aizza]

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]

Originally Posted by Shamira Aizza

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]

Originally Posted by sjt9721

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]

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

[lobeth]

I think that flight nursing is an important job and needs to be one that is done from the heart

[EdBSN09]

I think nursing in general is a profession that you must have your heart in to succeed. By the same token, I don't think anyone should starve to death because they're doing something "because of his/her heart."

-Ed

[npingeorgia]

My experience has been that the salaries are competitive with what you will make in an emergency department. I have worked for both a stand alone company and a hospital based flight program and salaries did not vary much. I hate to admit it but I would do it for nothing if I had to. I just enjoyed it that much.
If you work in a program in which you do 24 hours you can actually make more money overall because you will get 2 shifts done in a day.
good luck!!!

[stellasmk]

I'm an flight nurse in a rural area and I get paid alot less than what I do working in ICU or the ER.

[Angela6833]

Sad as it is I make about 9 dollars more an hour in the ER. Flight Nursing pays allot less here. The perk is that we work, (as full timers) two 24hr shifts a week, so that is 8 hrs of OT a week. Sometimes we work one 24 and two 12s but still the OT is there.
I love my job as a Flight Nurse and would never leave but the pay is horrible. Fiqure that one out.

[2dCareer]

A few quick thoughts:

One colleague works a Baylor & jets out of a Regional Level I Trauma Center in the Southeast USA. While on break around 4am one morning she remarked that she couldn't believe she was getting paid time & a half plus 15 for "doing this." She didn't mention her base, but I'm sure she's over $50k.

Another colleague - different day, different place - said she was offered $800 per flight as a Neonatal Critical Care Flight Nurse. She has the MSN.