Interested in flight nursing

Medic2BSN13, BSN, RN · Aug 29, 2014

The good news is you are on the right track! Flight nurses generally have significant experience (at least 3-5 years, but usually more) in critical care, carry many certifications, and have experience with the sickest patients. Additionally, many also are dual certified as paramedics as well, but I think that also varies by state. I also am looking to this side of nursing, but am still gaining experience and certifications.

What type of nursing are you doing right now?

Es90 · Aug 30, 2014

Oh I'm doing medsurg/ vent unit and it's going ok so far I'm learning a lot. What about you??

Medic2BSN13, BSN, RN · Aug 30, 2014

I am working in a emergency department which is also viewed as beneficial so I am told. I think some people actually consider it a part of critical care. I would agree at times with critical patients, but it's also a lot of being able to work quickly and efficiently as the "treat 'em and street 'em mentality is common. I will eventually look to switch over to the ICU and deal with critical patients with multiple lines, invasive monitoring, vents, etc. I would like to get significant experience in both areas.

FlyingScot, RN · Aug 30, 2014

You will need significant experience in a high-acuity ICU/CVICU. Most services will not accept ED experience on its own. Med-Surg will definitely not cut it. At minimum you will need 3 years but 5 is better. Having your EMT-P may be a requirement as well. Have a look at flight web.com. Lots of good info there although it does get a little heated at times.

Medic2BSN13, BSN, RN · Aug 30, 2014

Flyingscott, do you think MICU experience is preferred over CVICU? Does it matter what type of ICU experience you have granted it's a high acuity medical center? I ask because I would expect companies to look for well-rounded candidates having cared for many different types of critical patients (trauma, cardiac, septic, neuro, etc.). Do they want significant experience in any ICU specialty and will train for the rest? Thanks.

PMFB-RN, RN · Aug 31, 2014

We have a large and active transport service in the health system I work for. 18+ ambulances, two helicopters, and one fixed wing. All are staffed with one RN and one medic who rotate through ground and air assingments.

We ONLY hire RNs with a significant amount (3 years minimum but most have more) of very high qualiety ICU experience. ER experience won't get you in the door. SICU experience is prefered above all. The ideal canidate has 5+ years of high qualiety SICU experience and 2-3 years of PICU experience.

Try to get experience in a unit that has a high degree of nurse autonomy. For example there is a large teaching hospital near by that has a resident in the ICU 24/7 and operates with almost no standing orders & protocols. The RNs there pretty much have to ask the resident to solve every little problem. We don't hire from that hospital.

Medic2BSN13, BSN, RN · Aug 31, 2014

PMFB-RN,

I plan on transferring to an ICU in a level 1 trauma center after some experience in the ED. I know some nurses there and have been there before completing my senior practicum there. The nurses are very autonomous. The way it was explained to me was, "this is as close as you will get to practicing medicine without having a license." There are standing orders for a lot of things including titrating pressors, sedation, ordering labs, and other stuff. I really liked doing clinical time there while in school, but they don't hire without experience and I also had other obligations that I had to attend to after graduation. As a result, I am now working in an ED and plan on switching and gaining enough experience in an ICU and eventually transition to transport nursing. Thanks for your insight!

PMFB-RN, RN · Aug 31, 2014

PMFB-RN,
I plan on transferring to an ICU in a level 1 trauma center after some experience in the ED. I know some nurses there and have been there before completing my senior practicum there. The nurses are very autonomous. The way it was explained to me was, "this is as close as you will get to practicing medicine without having a license." There are standing orders for a lot of things including titrating pressors, sedation, ordering labs, and other stuff. I really liked doing clinical time there while in school, but they don't hire without experience and I also had other obligations that I had to attend to after graduation. As a result, I am now working in an ED and plan on switching and gaining enough experience in an ICU and eventually transition to transport nursing. Thanks for your insight!

Sounds like a good plan. One thing that was a suprise to me when I went into transport nursing is that the pay is the same or lower than in hospital staff nursing. Doesn't seem right to me but that is what I found.

FlyingScot, RN · Aug 31, 2014

Flyingscott, do you think MICU experience is preferred over CVICU? Does it matter what type of ICU experience you have granted it's a high acuity medical center? I ask because I would expect companies to look for well-rounded candidates having cared for many different types of critical patients (trauma, cardiac, septic, neuro, etc.). Do they want significant experience in any ICU specialty and will train for the rest? Thanks.

Most flight services seem to want ICU/CVICU experience over anything else because so many of the patients have heart-related issues. Balloon pump flights are becoming routine. More services (still not many) are flying ECMO patients. What ICU you choose is really hospital dependent. It needs to be a high volume, high acuity and as a previous poster stated a high nurse-autonomy unit. You might want to inquire about preferred experience from your local flight service. Also consider getting your EMT-P and using it. Many services aren't impressed by on paper only certs. I highly recommend you check out http://www.flightweb.com. They have an entire area on their forum about getting started with a ton of really good information.

Medic2BSN13, BSN, RN · Aug 31, 2014

Thanks FlyingScot and PMFB-RN for your input. Do you both still actively fly or have you since moved back into the hospital setting full time?

I have heard that pay isn't as high as many hospitals as the law of supply and demand is in effect with transport nurses. Honestly, I would be okay with it and likely supplement my income with maintaining a per diem status within an ICU.

liberated847 · Aug 31, 2014

Medic, many of us (flight nurses) hold per-diem status in CVICU, Cath Lab, ground 911 ambulance service, etc. flight nursing requires a level of knowledge and continued education hard to maintain if you just fly.