Any special reccommendations?

FlyingScot, RN · Feb 23, 2009

Start by doing a search here on AN and read the multitude of threads that have had this particular question asked and answered. You might also try www.flightweb.com and do a search there as well as they too have many, many threads addressing this same question. The information on both sites is thorough and well-described.

suzanne4, RN · Feb 23, 2009

It normally requires minimum of five years of trauma experience as well as critical care; most have much more than that.

Medic09, BSN, RN, EMT-P · Feb 26, 2009

The industry has definitely gone downhill on standards. For you, that means you'll have to research carefully any company that offers you an interview, whenever that happens. Our accident rates have been way too high the last few years. You want to work only for a company who maximizes your odds of 1) providing good patient care, and 2) getting home safely. There's been plenty of discussion of this on FlightWeb. Don't be in a hurry to get in the air. The better companies have high clinical standards, and want a few years of critical care and/or ED before they even interview a candidate. Interview only with a company who has high clinical and safety standards, and whose crew tend to stay on the job a long time.

FlightWeb is a great resource. Take a look especially at the case presentations. Mike McKinnon and Co. comes up with some wicked challenging and curious patients.

While you're working, take some of the courses that will help you move in the right direction. Trauma classes, but also critical care transport classes if they're offered. Holleran's Air and Surface Patient Transport is a good basic intro book.

Get to know your local air medical crews. Let them know you're interested, and ask them for ideas.