Flight Nurses in OZ

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Hello all, I have a question. How much of a Medevac system existed in Australia? How much are nurses used in that system? I am currently a Flight Medic in Alaska and plan on getting my ADN ( 2 year program) in the next few years and hope to work in OZ. What kind of job history are your Flight Nurses coming from? As always, any information would be appreciated.

Flight nursing is very well established in Australia. Nearly all Flight Nursing is done through the Royal Flying Doctor Service . You will need to have a Bacheolor of Nursing or equivalent, a post graduate qualification in critical care nursing (ED, ICU or CCU) have some paediatric experience and be a qualified midwife, plus experience++.

Ambulance Services (eg.g ) around Australia staff most of the short haul rotary wing flight work. Staffed by Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance Paramedics. That is three years training, 1-2 years on the road, then MICA training (one year), then 3-5 years as a MICA Paramedic, then doing a flight course with the ambulance service.

Hope this helps.

Chris Hawkins

Melbourne

Australia

[email protected]

Coldfoot, it's worth noting that most of the RFDS bases are not actually in hospital Emergency Depts, but in a hangar or other nearby building. They operate separately from the hospitals and don't have the same financial resources. Jobs with the RFDS are coveted but the turnover is fairly high due to seriously unsociable shift patterns and the unpredictability of flights. If you're already a flight nurse you'll be usedd to it so it may not be such an issue.

Nurses are used extensively in the RFDS - they do a lot of clinics in rural and remote communities without a doc present, and if the doctor on duty is unavailable or on another call, the nurses fly without the doc but use satellite phones to stay in touch and get direction.

The main difference from what I can see is that Aust flight nurses (ie RFDS) have to be registered midwives as well as have all the crit care/ED qualifications that O/S flight nurses have - according to a couple of friends I have who have done it.

Oh, and the compulsory overtime?? Expect to have to stay overnight sometimes when you were supposed to be back at base within a few hours - short retrieval flights have a habit of becoming long ones - remember the retrieval distances here are much longer than some O/S places - maybe not Alaska though!!

I totally admire any of the nurses who do this area of nursing - particularly in Australia - There is a huge area they have to cover and have to be very knowledgeable and (to me brave) - The service in the outback has been a fantastic service for these isolated people.

Good luck - l do hope that you are able to get out there and experience our outback and the cultures that are out there. I have not been up that far north yet but l believe the colours and the beauty is unbelievable. I would also guess the nursing could also enhance your career. Good Luck - Keep us posted if you get out here.

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