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One of the things that anoy me about public forums like this are people talking about topics that they know nothing about. PA's and NP ARE funtionaly the same. As an NP married to a PA I know this for a fact. My wife actually hase almost 4 times the clinical time that I do. And as to PA's only doing the DOc's scut work, well I've got NP friends who fit that description. There is nothing in my nursing practice that prepared me for being an NP, other than being used to dealing with patients. I got that from the years I spent as a Paramedic before becoming a nurse. As an educator, I've learned that all attempts to cluster people by catagory are doomed to fail. An RN who worked in a low acutity, low volume environment doesn't have the same clinical experience that one who works in a high volume, hig acutiy environment, but as nurses we tend to forget that in these discusions. If our evaluation tool is effective, then it should make no difference how a person came about the knowledge and skills. I guess what I'm getting at is that all discusion that deal in generalities are flawed. Untill we find a way to focus on individual abilities, all we do is spin our wheels.

The standard of changing prehospital lines is actually an APIC (Association of Proffesionals in Infection Control) standard. I'm on Temporary duty in the Air Force right now and don't have access to the references. It is in the 2000 APIC manual. As soon as I get home I'll get the correct references. Check with your infection control office, they should have the correct references.

The Air Force does have specialties, one of which is Flight nursing. The Army does medevac, from the line to medical treatment facility. The Air Force does aerovac, this is from facility to facility mostly. the differences is rotory wing versus fixed wing. The "waiting" period is very important. It takes awhile to go from student to thinking RN. Although the skills come quickly its the judgment that takes time to develop. And this depends on were you are. If your working in a high acuity ER or ICU then it should take less time than if you are working in a lower acutity facility. Rarely do taking shortcuts help anyone, you or your patient.

There aren't many flight nurse positions available in the AF reserve right now. They just finished downsizing. There is a unit at Andrews AFB. I think that is the closest unit. THere is also a unit in Charlston SC.