Flight gear and tips

[jjphoenix]

I am in the hiring process for a rotary-wing flight nursing job, just waiting for the OCC health, background check etc. to go through. I know they will issue me gear but wanted to start picking up additional gear in the meantime. What are some good investments and what is not needed, thanks. Also, feel free to share any tips for new flight nurses. I will be working in AZ. I do need a new stethoscope and want to get one that will hold up to rigors of flight.

• Boots
• Stethoscope
• EMT Shears
• under clothes
• lights
• additional items?

[Wuzzie]

There are several posts on flight web addressing this. Read them. Trust me you don't want to be "that" guy.

[jjphoenix]

I will look up the forums.

So what your saying is leave my tactical batman suit at home?? What, I thought I would repel down perform CPR while suspended from a wire.

Besides the "go look through the forums" if anyone has any idea about a good pair of boots to buy that would be cool. Thanks for the tips guys and girls.

[Wuzzie]

Oh God please do otherwise they'll make you pay and it won't be pretty. Anther tip, NEVER, EVER wear your flight suit to the mall, grocery store or any other errand. You'll look like a tool and while the GP might think it's cool your co-workers will fill your helmet with Gorilla Glue and you will be treated with derision and snark for the rest of your career.

[Wuzzie]

Thorogood side zip tactical boots.

[jjphoenix]

Thanks for the tip on the boots! I don't think I would want to wear my flightsuite anywhere. I'd imagine you would want those things off asap.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

I gotta laugh at this post about wearing your flight gear out of work...I was at gas station the other day and one of the ER RNs who I used to work with is now a new flight nurse. New flightsuit, shiny boots, the works - I told him he needed to get it a little dirtier and teased him that he was looking for a girlfriend - he is quite shy and boy did he blush! teeheehee!

[Product]

1 year in working for ground/fixed wing transport. Here is what I've learned for gear.

a few cheap carabineers, they are great for holding your drips, and early on you will forget a few of them at the receiving facility when you leave. Most companies will carry them with them to give to the ER ICU nurses and staff, its a great marketing tool.

Don't buy the tacticool SWAT/MILSPEC boots. Some people will rock Merrels, or even Nikes. Under Armour makes great boots, there are some great ones out there, but get ready to spend some money.

Get a watch that's comfortable and easy to read, esp at night. Guys like to go out and buy the 300 dollar Navy Seal Luminoxx, but I use a 20 dollar PUMA watch off Amazon, with a digital display, and a good glow at night.

You can never have enough PENS. Also, keep a role of SILK TAPE on you at all times, and when SHTF, just tear some off, tape it to you leg, and start writing. Also makes it easy to ghetto label drip bags.

Phone charger. It will always go dead at the WRONG time. Buy an extra and put it in your flight suit.

I keep an extra shirt, shorts, and socks in my cubby, along with soap and deodorant.

Little bit of cash for the drink machine when you land after a flight in 100 degree heat.

Decent pair of $20 sunglasses. Decent pair of earplugs if your working Rotor.

I have a laminated sheet of critical care meds that I keep in my pocket for quick reference, along with a list of phone numbers.

[jjphoenix]

Thanks for the informative response. I already want to change out my boots for something more comfortable. You are right about the pens...I loose all of my pens. I will now carry a pen in each pocket.

[nurse2033, MSN, RN]

Don't wear anything made out of plastic like spandex, polypropylene, fleece, and the like. All you underclothes should be natural fibers. Natural fibers won't melt onto you if something bad happens. Always carry a flashlight, gloves, and a pocket knife. If you do a lot of 911 a headlamp can be very helpful. Good luck!

[RickyRescueRN, BSN, RN]

Most of what you need, your employer will supply you with . (Helmet, uniforms, pens etc). Some employers give their employees an annual "boot allowance"; typically about $100. I always have a stethoscope on me, as well as a bougie, trauma shears, a few hemostats, flashlight with signal laser and business cards. If going on a scene/911 call, I wear a vest with knife, leatherman, finger pulse Ox, IV start kit, saline flushes and a few different size IV catheters and syringes. Don't carry books with me any longer as I prefer Apps on my iPhone. The less you carry, the better off you are , especially in 'hike in situations'

[bgxyrnf, MSN, RN]

I'm not a flight nurse but regarding shears, I've tried a ton of 'em in a busy trauma center, from the cheapo freebies all the way up to Big Shears (bigshears.com) and have found the Leatherman Raptors to be the most reliable. Personally, I wish they weren't foldable (too many nooks and crannies for blood to get embedded) but they reliably cut through most materials without getting jammed up or splitting apart. The Big Shears are amazing in their ability to cut through thick layers (I did 8 layers of stacked webbing from an old Posey belt) but they are just too big to be practical.

If I were a flight nurse, I would keep a Z-rex affixed to the outside of my suit on the front somewhere for two reasons: (1) they're light and slim but still effective for ripping through clothing, and (2) they're effective for ripping through seat belts and may one day help with emergency egress of the crew.

Parenthetically, I actually started carrying a Z-rex on my car seat belt after taking care of some kids whose dad burned up in an MVC fire because he couldn't get out of his seat belt. The kids were initially trapped because the windows were closed but a bystander used a rock to bust out the window (the Z-rex also has a carbide tip to pop windows... probably no help with the polymer windows on an aircraft, though)