best approach in becoming a flight RN

akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P · Sep 19, 2014

Well, obviously you won't be able to be a Flight RN with an LPN license. While you probably already know this, sometimes the obvious is overlooked. I suspect that your background will have prepared you (somewhat) for making the transition to RN, but for that you'll have to return to school. To be able to cast your application (later) far and wide, I would suggest attending a program that results in a degree being awarded that's the same as a traditional RN student. If you can find a way to do it, try to earn a BSN as early as you can. That will usually help you. If you're able to retain employment where you're at and upgrade to RN, you might be able to find a way to make an easier transition over to ICU and then perhaps to an acute care hospital.

It sounds like you've got a very impressive background and I hope you're able to find your way to your ultimate goal. I'm not a Flight RN by any stretch of the imagination... a few people I've met over the years are/were. They kind of suggested the following. You can start with looking at job listings for Flight RNs and see what they list as "minimum" qualifications and then add a few more years of specific experience on to that. Then reverse-engineer the qualifications back to your current point. That should create a general roadmap to your goals. Like any plan, there will be bumps and hiccups on the way, so don't be afraid to create a new pathway.

There are Flight Nurse forums out there (and possible a sub-forum here) that might be able to offer much more specific advice and help you create a workable plan to achieve your goals.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Sep 19, 2014

A flight nurse is generally a career position for registered nurses who are highly trained to administer all-encompassing critical care, emergency and pre-hospital care for patients of all kinds during rescue operations or aeromedical evacuation on board jet aircraft, propeller aircraft or helicopter.

The education needed to become a flight nurse includes the normal studies of a registered nurse plus post-grad training in emergency nursing or intensive care. Qualifications that need to be acquired in order to be a flight nurse are neonatal resuscitation, pediatric advanced life support, advanced cardiac life support, and pre-hospital trauma life support. As a general rule, they also must obtain a minimum experience level of 5 years in an ICU, ER or other critical care based hospital setting.

Qualifications:
Minimum of five (5) years of ICU/ED/Trauma experience within the last ten (10) years.
Previous flight experience preferred.
Flight experience can be substituted year for year for the ICU/ED/Trauma requirement.
Current licensure and/or certification as listed below:
RN license as appropriate to assigned location
Basic Life Support (BLS) certification
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)
Pre-hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS)
Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) certification
Transport Professional Advanced Trauma Course (TPATC) or Trauma Nursing Core Curriculum (TNCC) certification. Must have successfully completed the TNATC course prior to assuming independent duties; thereafter either TNATC or TNCC (or equivalent) must be current
Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) or Critical Care Nurse (CCRN) until certified as a Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN)
[*]Must obtain certification as a CFRN within one year of hire
[*]Completion of Department of Transportation Air Medical Curriculum within six months of hire
[*]Complies with weight restrictions (maximum 225 pounds fully outfitted to perform the job)
[*]Strong leadership skills and ability to communicate and work with a variety of people one-on-one and in large groups, often in highly stressful situations
[*]Ability to work varied shifts and cover fixed wing call shifts

Position Descriptions

akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P · Sep 19, 2014

Just to add on to the above, those minimum years of ED/ICU experience and the following qualifications may get you looked at briefly, but add a few more years onto that before you're seriously looked at. Out here in California, the flight programs I'm familiar with have 3 years ED/ICU (ICU preferred) as the minimum, but you'd be better off doubling that as minimum to start being competitive. Some programs may give additional preference to an RN that's dual licensed and currently working as a Paramedic for the sole reason that current Paramedics are extremely well trained in field operations and already have a mindset that's better suited for flight work (they're quicker to train/orient to the position). Please note that I didn't say anything about the patient care end of things. There are operational and mindset aspects to flight nursing (especially if the programs do scene calls/911) that aren't taught to nurses unless they're put into a transport situation.

The Prehospital RN will also get that knowledge, but they very easily could lack the ICU knowledge that's necessary for flight program needs. Much of the work that flight programs do is high-level ICU to ICU transfers... very sick patients.

Like I said earlier, while I'm not a flight nurse myself, I'm not completely unaware of what they do and what's needed to become a flight nurse. Those that do the job often find that they don't want to do anything else for a long time.