Any Info on Flight nurses

ArkansasFan · Dec 10, 2009

Get certified as a paramedic. It's very common to find a RN/EMT-P running the back of a chopper. Paramedic training will give you a lot of things nursing won't such as scene management, ACLS mastery, airway control, thinking and working independently, etc.

The ones I know and have worked around tell me their collective experiences as a paramedic with the pharmacology knowledge of nursing is what helps them out.

Oh, and by the way, thanks for the job pick because I'm sure as heck not gonna work in back of that d*** bird, lol.

Ikikaeru · Dec 10, 2009

ArkansasFan

Thanks for the info ArkansasFan. I have looked into training as a paramedic but their is currently a wait list for the training program and I will be done with my RN degree before I would be able to gain access to this program. Does the Paramedic program differ that much from ER/ICU training for nurses? or is it more of the actual hands on experience that you get from being a paramedic that is beneficial? I have always thought that the paramedic training was not that far off from a the classes we will receive in nursing.

Thanks again for the suggestions. Also if you know of any good books or other information I can pick up let me know. I'm the type of person that's always looking for more information.

PS I already have my EMT-B, which i know is a far cry from Paramedic but it does give me some of the EMS training that paramedics receive and I have looked into ACLS training that my schools provide.

HumorHeals22 · Dec 10, 2009

Also a flight nurse hopeful, but here you can find a bunch of info on the matter;

https://allnurses.com/flight-nursing-surface/

Ikikaeru · Dec 10, 2009

Wow, thanks SMorrissey22.

Didn't even realize there is a whole section on Flight nurse on the forums. Sorry, I guess I should have posted there and read a bit. This site has so many forums and I am kind of new to them and haven't been able to check them all out. Thanks a bunch!!

Randysbarn1963 · Dec 10, 2009

I have heard from a local fight company that they want people with 3 years field experience before they will hire you. Having a Paramedic certificate and working in the field will do that for you. Yes it's a lot on top of doing your nursing. That's why I am keeping my Paramedic for a while until I get done with nursing school. Best of luck Randy :cool:

Ikikaeru · Dec 10, 2009

Randysbarn1963

Thanks for the advice Randy. I have heard that the flight crew needs lots of experience, I was told a min of 5 years. I plan on doing around 3 - 5 years ICU and or ER (if I can). Maybe CCU depending whats available and stuff. Just looking at things I can do right now to improve my abilities and advance my career. The real problem is I'm extremely motivated and want to get going but my classes are kind of limited on how fast I can go through them. I'm just looking at different options while I'm taking my classes.

Thanks to everyone posting ideas I appreciate all the info, and keep it coming! :yeah: The more ideas i get the happier I am.

ArkansasFan · Dec 11, 2009

Being a paramedic is like cramming the entire ER code team into one person. The medic assesses (and that's pretty important because no one can check you), makes a field diagnosis, treats, intubates, interprets EKGs, defibrilates, cardioverts, TCPs, does IVs, boluses, infusions, injections, IOs, surgical airways, chest decompressions, does all the paper work, etc, plus like I said you'd just get used to working as an individual and trusting yourself. Yeah, there's an EMT-B with you usually, but when you're in back and the basic is up front driving and unavailable to help it's all on you.

I'm not sure you could pick up that ability as a nurse unless you'd done it for a long time, but I'm still skeptical. I haven't met any that could. I don't work as a medic anymore so I'm not as closely related to the field now. I'm not a nurse either nor a nursing student, but I've worked around a lot of them from several different programs. I'm only on the boards here trying to decide if I want to get a second degree in nursing since I've got all the prereqs and then some. Medical school, which I really want to do, is my alternative. I just need physics and organic chemistry. I got my B.S. in general science basically six years ago.

In paramedic school you also practice your skills on each other. Fun stuff. You'll do IVs on classmates, give them shots, run EKGs on them, etc. Yeah, there are sim dummies too, but it's part of being a medic. I think one night we got in back of a pickup truck and drove around the parking lot that night during class practicing IVs on each other. It's different doing in a dark environment while moving. I think the mentality is also different than nursing school. In EMS, your first priority is YOU and not the patient.

You'll definitely need ACLS if you're going to work in the anything you've mentioned be it the ER, ICU, or CCU. You might also pick up PALS and TNCC or BTLS or PHTLS while you're at it. I liked Dale Dubin's Rapid Interpreation of EKGs. It was an easy to read and learn from book.

Ikikaeru · Dec 11, 2009

Thanks again for the info Arkansasfan. Yep I'm already signed up for ACLS and PALS certification classes. I also realize what a paramedic does and their skills. In our area in order for a paramedic to act as a paramedic you have to have two on a rig. They are not allowed to use the full scope of practice (major meds) without a second paramedic to back them up. Also I thought, and this could be just our state, a nurse could work as a paramedic on a rig, again as long as another paramedic/nurse was their. Not 100% sure if this works. As far as gaining experience I can see how this is a great place to start and I will probably look into working for a service once I get my nursing done. Let me know if I have any of the information wrong.

Thanks again