AIr Force Flight Nurse

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Does anyone have an idea of the process for a current activer duty AF nurse to move to position of flight nurse? Application? Additional training/school? Thanks,

On 2/9/2022 at 9:19 PM, Devo19 said:

Yes, there is a chance to change AFSCs but you will need some critical care experience and a squadron that will accept you. When I joined (6/2016), I had to have 6 months of critical care experience and be able to pass my flight physical.

Hi Devo19,

Thank you for the insight.  I am an ER nurse as well.  Hope ER experience will be sufficient for Flight nursing.  I'm getting closer to going Blue.  My paperwork is being sent to the higher up for final approval, then OATH, fingers crossed!  My first choice is March AFB, then Travis AFB.  Are you fully qualified flight nurse now? What unit are you.  How are you liking it? Hows your reserve schedule working out with your civilian full time job? Thanks again for responding. 

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Specializes in Cardiology Nurse Practitioner.

I am! I commissioned May 2016 and become qualified July 2017. I'm at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio but I live in Indiana. I work for the VA and they provide military leave (up to 120/year with no more than 240 rollover). It works out great. Our schedule is put out in advanced so we can plan our flights very far out.

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Sounds great.  How and what are the trainings to be fully qualified flight nurse?  Do you do your regular 2 UTA weekend/month or are you required to do more?  Where do you normally fly to?  Are specific area or are you all over CONUS or out CONUS?

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Specializes in Cardiology Nurse Practitioner.
3 minutes ago, RobdRN said:

Sounds great.  How and what are the trainings to be fully qualified flight nurse?  Do you do your regular 2 UTA weekend/month or are you required to do more?  Where do you normally fly to?  Are specific area or are you all over CONUS or out CONUS?

COT 8 weeks (when I went it was 5.5 weeks), Flight school (4 weeks), AEIQ (4 weeks), SERE (3 weeks when I went - I think it is shorter now) and water survival (2 days). 

Honestly, you can stay qualified as a flyer who just flies during the UTA weekend (we have flight every Fri and Sat of UTA) but not every base is as lucky. I would make UTA for catching up and handling admin stuff and do a three day cross country every other month to stay qualified. It is definitely more work as a flyer. 

We manly fly CONUS.

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Cool.  

I am currently in the Army Reserve as OR Nurse Capt.  Per recruiter, I don't have to go to COT since I did Basic Officer Leadership course in the Army.  Currently, It's taking forever to get a Flight Physical for AF Flight Nurse, so, my plan is to transfer as an OR Nurse and eventually apply for Flight nurse job.  Hopefully, it work out as planned.   How was the training? Flight school, AEIQ, SERE?  Are these training pretty intense? Physically demanding?  Just curious 

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Specializes in ICU.

Are you looking for Flight Nurse or CCAT RN? 2 similar sounding jobs with very different roles.

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Hello Demo,

I am about to raise my right hand as Captain Reserve 46SX (Peri-Operative Nurse).   How is the promotion to Major? How many years as Captain to be eligible to Major? Also, are we required to attend Squadron Officer School to be eligible for Major Promotion?  

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Specializes in Cardiac NP.

My recruiter told me since I am less that 5’4” I would need to do a reach test for flight nurse. Does anyone know if this is correct ? 

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Specializes in Adult Critical Care.

Yep, but unless you're extremely short you should be fine ultimately.  I'm not short so I can't give you a definite reach minimum.  

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Specializes in ED. ICU, PICU, infection prevention, aeromedical e.

I’m 5’2”. I am AE.  Not only the reach test but that drives a waiver which takes time.  It is completely doable.

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Specializes in Adult Critical Care.
On 6/1/2022 at 10:21 AM, RobdRN said:

Hello Demo,

I am about to raise my right hand as Captain Reserve 46SX (Peri-Operative Nurse).   How is the promotion to Major? How many years as Captain to be eligible to Major? Also, are we required to attend Squadron Officer School to be eligible for Major Promotion?  

Promotion to major for the nurse corps is about 6 years from date of rank for captain.  Squadron officer school is either about 5 weeks in residence or it can be done online instead (correspondence).  I don't know if it's actually a hard requirement for reservists but it does make you look bad if you don't have it.  I know it was very uncommon for active duty to promote to Major without it.  I actually don't know anyone who has promoted without it.

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On 9/3/2022 at 12:15 PM, midinphx said:

I’m 5’2”. I am AE.  Not only the reach test but that drives a waiver which takes time.  It is completely doable.

Hello Midinphx,

Are you still an AE as Flight Nurse?   what unit are you attached?  I am currently at Travis AFB as 46S3 (Surgical Nurse). Fairly new in AF reserve Captain (June 2022) coming from Army Reserve (13 years).  My plan to change my AFSC and become a Flight Nurse.  Just trying to figure out the process.  Do you have any insight?  

 

Rob

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