Air Force Flight Nurse

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If I were to become a flight nurse in the Air Force, would I be in a Helicopter or Airplane? Also, what would training be like? Where would it be?

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Specializes in ER, ICU cath lab, remote med.
If I were to become a flight nurse in the Air Force, would I be in a Helicopter or Airplane? Also, what would training be like? Where would it be?

Joey, I used to be in the Air Force but not as a flight nurse so I'm not your best resource but I'll tell you what I know.

Air Force flight nurses first have to get a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. There are some programs now that will allow you to enter into the AF while you're in college and they'll pay part or some of your way. I don't know the details on those programs. Once in the AF, flight training is competitive. You'll have to pass a flight physical and apply for the specialty position. Training is flight school and survival school (I think?). I think training is in Texas...not sure how long it lasts. I remember people talking about having to eat bugs in survival school! I don't know how true that is though.

I have only ever seen AF medical flight crews on airplanes...C-130, C-141, C-9, and C-17s. I have seen Army crews on helicopters...but they were paramedics...not nurses.

Anyway, that's about all I know. Look around in this forum under the specialty tab, nursing specialties, military nursing. You'll find a lot of information there and might find someone who actually is an AF flight nurse.

Goodl luck!

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Joey,

My husband was a flight nurse in the AF- the information given by Lucky1 is right. In the active duty AF a flight nursing position lasts about 3-4years and then you would return to a hospital/clinic job. I understand that in the reserves, their primary position is a flight nurse. Good luck!

Christie

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We had a public speaker come to our class to talk about his time as a AF flight nurse and I thought he mentioned you have to have some experience in the ER or ICU as well.

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As far as ER or ICU experience I would say it depends. My husband is an OR nurse and does not have any critical care experience. Other flight nurses he worked with (that I knew) had come from ICU, OB, and PACU. Like everything in this field I think it just depends on your situation.

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