NICU or PICU into flight RN?

[texan]

I eventually want to try flight nursing. Is NICU or PICU experience good enough or do I need adult ICU under my belt? Thanks.

[TraumaNurse]

I've flown with several nurses who had PICU as their background and also 1 with NICU. I think if you are working in PICU, you should try to cross train into adult ICU or ED if it is a level 1 trauma. Adult ICU will give you the best experience (in my opinion). The more well rounded you are, the better your chances of landing a flight nursing job! As a flight nurse, you will have to cross train into all ICUs anyway in order to care for the various patient groups you have to as a flight RN. It's all about exerience, so the more you have in various areas the better.

[suzanne4, RN]

Depends on what type of facility that you want to work for. If you are working flights based at a children's hospital, used more for transfers, then PICU and NICU experience is okay. However, if you want the trauma flights, etc., you will definitely need several different adult ICUs experience. You will be first responder to many accidents so having ED experience also comes into play. Many of the companies are also requiring that the RN also have paramedic certification. This is one type of nursing that definitely will not accept a nurse without multiple years of experience, if anything just so the nurse's comfort level is there.

Good luck! :balloons:

[KarenAR]

My facility (a children's hospital in Florida) currently has an opening for a transport team R.N. The only requirements listed for the position are: "FL RN license required. Two years NICU level III experience, one year pediatric acute care experience."

[irishrose53]

A girl friend of mine in Duluth, Applied for a position as a flight nurse at her hospital after a posting. She had 8 yrs in the PICU. The only time they ever called on her was to transport a peds pt to a specialty hospital.She transfered to the ER and after two years they still have'nt picked her up.