Hi everyone, I am an ICU RN in a liver transplant unit at USC with 1.5 years of critical care experience and half a year on a neuro DOU floor. I reached out to an air force reserve recruiter asking about flight nursing opportunities and according to him there is a shortage of flight nurses in the Air Force.
I sent him my resume and I am waiting on him to let me know if the CNO at March Air Force Base in California would like to pick me up for commission.
Are there any current flight nurses in the air force reserves that can share their experiences? I'd like to know what to expect in terms of the timeline between contacting recruiter and commissioning. Also, how long is COT, flight school, survival training, and approximately how much time do you serve per month? Is it possible to keep a full time position at a hospital?
I've only been active duty, but CASF's (contingency aeromedical staging facilities) are temporary facilities that are typically found in deployed locations. They are staffed by critical care and trauma nurses. There isn't a full-time slot or AFSC for it to my knowledge. It's just a possible role for certain types of nurses when deployed. Some nurses go to an EMEDS (your sterotypical MASH tent hospitals). Others go to FSTs or MFAST teams. I
I believe jfratian is correct, but I work with a Lt Col who is in charge of a reserve unit with a casf and CCATT component; I'll ask him and get back to you.
Vona, thank you for your replies on this thread. I'm a 7 year experienced er and trauma nurse in a level 1 adult and pediatric ed. I'm motivated to serve my country as a flight nurse in the reserves. Will be finishing my rn to Bsn degree this coming year. Would be you be willing to discuss, off thread, any advice and input for an aspiring AFR nurse.
I'm new in this site, I want to join AF Reserve as a Flight Nurse. I been a RN for 4 years, my exprecience is base mostly in telemetry and med/surg field, and the last year in Surgical ICU and step down. I have a BSN and I'm currently in army reserve as enlisted, ETS Jan 2018. You guys think I have a chance to get selected? Any suggestion or tips? How long is the process of get comission and start drilling? I already contact a recruter in the FL area. Thanks
Is there a flight nurse/CCATT program out of Fort Dix/McGuire Joint? Im from that area and want to get commissioned as a CCATT RN (7 years of ER Experience with Level 1 Trauma and Burn experience). Any advice would be appreciated.
I can confirm there is a CCATT unit at McGuire. Start by hunting down the AF Reserve health professions recruiter for your region and get the paperwork started.
Thank you for the confirmation. I'm completing my bsn this year and have a non-nursing bachelor degree. Will they even discuss the opportunity prior to graduation date of BSN or should I wait? Thanks again!
I think you should try contacting a recruiter now to express your interest, establish a point of contact, and maybe even get some documents from them (e.g. resume format, document list to work on for your scroll, relevant AFIs). They can't start your scroll without your BSN but it'll give you something to do while you're waiting on it so when the time comes to send your commission package there isn't anything left but to click "send".
This thread is AMAZING! I am more than ready to join the AF reserve as a flight nurse. I'm currently an ARNP in Infectious Diseases with 4 years of exp in ER as RN. I contacted a AF healthcare recruiter and he told me that NP positions are full and there is a shortage of FN. At first the idea didn't sit right with me because I wouldn't practice as an NP in AF, which is my goal. Now after much threads on here, I am encouraged to join as an FN (was considering Navy Reserves but AF looks more appealing).
Some questions I have:
1) RCOT vs COT; do I have a say in to which one I may get placed in? I work for a private practice that consists of two MDs and one other NP. Have brought up this subject with my employers yet.
2) When does tuition assistance kick in?
3) I live in Miami, FL - any bases that are "better" in FN? I am not sure if Homestead AFRB has a aeromedical evac squadron
Thanks for this amazing thread. I've bumped into outdated info but boy am I glad to have found this one!
GuelnRn
140 Posts
Does anybody know about the commitment of a casf nurse in the reserves? Vona86 and eurosepsis?