Will flight programs take a bachelors degree that is not in nursing?

getoverit, BSN, RN, EMT-P · Jan 20, 2011

Most programs don't require a BSN, just an unencumbered license. About half the nurses I've flown with had their BSN and maybe two paramedics had a bachelors degree, the rest were all associates.

I have a bachelors in both nursing and paramedicine, to be totally honest neither degree made much of a difference in the actual job...just maybe set me apart from another applicant during the interview.

good luck and stay safe!

TraumaSurfer · Jan 20, 2011

The local flight teams here prefer a BSN or some type of Bachelors degree for their RNs. The hospital based flight teams already expect this since their ICUs want BSNs for magnet status. For the other flight programs there are many, many applicants so it is best to be prepared to be competitive. It also helps for growth within a company since the RNs will usually take additional roles. However, a Bachelors in another science or even business would also be a plus for advancement for research, QA and management.

If you want the Flight RN seat, you will have to get a few years of ICU and ED experience. The average years of experience here is 5 years to start with many having 10 years at time of hire. If you want the Paramedic seat, a degree probably will not be required but you will need preferably 2 - 3 years of 911 EMS experience.

AnnieOaklyRN, BSN, RN, EMT-P · Jan 25, 2011

The local flight teams here prefer a BSN or some type of Bachelors degree for their RNs. The hospital based flight teams already expect this since their ICUs want BSNs for magnet status. For the other flight programs there are many, many applicants so it is best to be prepared to be competitive. It also helps for growth within a company since the RNs will usually take additional roles. However, a Bachelors in another science or even business would also be a plus for advancement for research, QA and management.
If you want the Flight RN seat, you will have to get a few years of ICU and ED experience. The average years of experience here is 5 years to start with many having 10 years at time of hire. If you want the Paramedic seat, a degree probably will not be required but you will need preferably 2 - 3 years of 911 EMS experience.

Thanks for the info...

I have 13 years of EMS expeeience, 7 years as a medic, and three years as an ER RN. The only ICU setting I would be interested in working in would be a PICU or NICU, would they take that as ICU experience?

Happy

TraumaSurfer · Jan 25, 2011

Thanks for the info...
I have 13 years of EMS expeeience, 7 years as a medic, and three years as an ER RN. The only ICU setting I would be interested in working in would be a PICU or NICU, would they take that as ICU experience?
Happy

Unfortunately you can not always choose the patients you want to transport. If the service does a lot of IFTs from ICU to ICU of different age groups, your patient will be the one who loses by having a provider with very limited experience. The ED may not have prepared you for critical care patients. How many patients with LVADs, ECMO, nitric oxide, HFOV or IABP have you cared for as an RN?

Many places also have dedicated NICU teams which require extensive expensive in that area and to get on one of these transport teams which do whatever mode of transport is necessary may take a few years of experience just in NICU.

You would have to ask yourself if you would feel comfortable allowing a nurse who has no experience in the ED cover your patients or work the trauma room alone.

Unless your RN partner has strong ICU experience, you would not be the best choice for an RN position until you got more experience in the ICUs.