# Flight Nurse Interview



## VFlutter (Aug 3, 2016)

I have my first Flight Nurse interview tomorrow. Any last minute advice? I have been brushing up on my drug calculations, critical care drips, trauma, etc. 

I am also concerned going in with the "bare minimum" experience trying to prove myself. I have worked 5 days a week ever since I started in the unit and also work PRN in another ICU so my hours are much more than average. I also teach IABP, Swan, and Hemodynamics. I do not want to come off like an arrogant young nurse however I do think I have a lot of expertise. 

Also what should I be asking about the company? It is an Air-methods owned company. I know safety is always a big concern and unfortunately the base I am interviewing with had a fatal crash a year ago. I looked up the NTSB report. Other websites say ask about night vision, etc. They fly EC130s.


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## Summit (Aug 3, 2016)

Wear aviators and do not take them off the entire interview. 

GOOD LUCK


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## VFlutter (Aug 3, 2016)

Summit said:


> Wear aviators and do not take them off the entire interview.
> 
> GOOD LUCK



Done. While rocking this T shirt


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## CALEMT (Aug 3, 2016)

Chase said:


> Done. While rocking this T shirt



Damn! You beat me to it! Best of luck to ya! Confidence is key.


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## Summit (Aug 3, 2016)

It is like an ambulance interview in that they need to want to spend 12 or 24 hour or longer shifts with you. Be genial.


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## STXmedic (Aug 3, 2016)

I just had my first interview for flight a week or two ago (also an AirMethods service). It wasn't nearly as stressful as I thought it would be, and I'm traditionally terrible with interviews. They want to ensure that you're atleast at a minimal level of competence, but as mentioned, they also want to make sure you're a good fit.

You're studying just about everything I did; it worked pretty well for me. I also brushed up on lab interpretation and hemodynamic monitoring, but your ICU experience should make you more well-versed in that area than I am.

Good luck!


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## VFlutter (Aug 3, 2016)

STXmedic said:


> I just had my first interview for flight a week or two ago (also an AirMethods service). It wasn't nearly as stressful as I thought it would be, and I'm traditionally terrible with interviews. They want to ensure that you're atleast at a minimal level of competence, but as mentioned, they also want to make sure you're a good fit.
> 
> You're studying just about everything I did; it worked pretty well for me. I also brushed up on lab interpretation and hemodynamic monitoring, but your ICU experience should make you more well-versed in that area than I am.
> 
> Good luck!



Thanks, you too! It sounds like AirMethod's interviews are pretty standard across the board. I was told it would be a written test, case scenarios, and a panel interview, if you passed the first two. 

As far as dress attire I was planning on wearing dress pants and a button down dress shirt. I really despise ties especially when I am stressed. Was it fairly business casual?


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## STXmedic (Aug 3, 2016)

I wore a suit and tie for both my written test and interview/scenarios. I was the only one to wear one for written, and while it did seem like overkill since I was the only one, the hiring director did have positive comments about it. The rest of the applicants wore attire ranging from business casual, to uniforms/scrubs, to even a few in street clothes... 

For the interview/scenarios, at least one other guy was in a suit and tie. 

In hindsight, I do think slacks and a button-up would've been acceptable for both.


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## Carlos Danger (Aug 3, 2016)

Chase said:


> I have my first Flight Nurse interview tomorrow. Any last minute advice? I have been brushing up on my drug calculations, critical care drips, trauma, etc.
> 
> I am also concerned going in with the "bare minimum" experience trying to prove myself. I have worked 5 days a week ever since I started in the unit and also work PRN in another ICU so my hours are much more than average. I also teach IABP, Swan, and Hemodynamics. *I do not want to come off like an arrogant young nurse however I do think I have a lot of expertise. *
> 
> Also what should I be asking about the company? It is an Air-methods owned company. I know safety is always a big concern and unfortunately the base I am interviewing with had a fatal crash a year ago. I looked up the NTSB report. Other websites say ask about night vision, etc. They fly EC130s.



Don't worry about your ICU experience. Your resume speaks for itself - they would never have invited you for an interview if you didn't meet at least their minimum requirements. If someone asks you whether you think you've been doing CC nursing long enough, explain how you not only work more hours than necessary, but that you also seek out challenging assignments and sick patients. Mention that you feel like teaching has helped solidify your knowledge base, and also that think your EMS experience (even if you don't have a lot) helps you conceptualize the challenges and planning involved in taking care of these critical patients outside the hospital. If there's one thing that HEMS programs love, it's teaching experience. If there's another thing, it's an ICU nurse who has also spent at least a little time in the field.

For the same reasons as above, don't study tonight. You know what you know and you aren't going to change that much in an evening. You have plenty of knowledge to do the job of a flight nurse, and even if they ask you something you can't answer, it's OK.

The way you come off is really important. HEMS is as much about customer service as anything. The part I bolded above is critical to avoid. Just be relaxed and be yourself and don't worry about impressing anyone. Find way to be confident, but also relaxed. Convince yourself that the interview isn't that important.

Safety: don't ask them anything about the crash last year, but do ask about their safety policies. Tell them you understand that the industry has a lot of safety challenges, and ask the interviewers what kind of changes they think should be made industry-wide. Then ask them what their program does to keep their crews and patients safe. Then ask them for examples of when they used those practices.

They are going to give you impossible verbal scenarios about incompetent partners, clueless referring physicians, and not being able to contact medical control. They will give you a scenario about launching the helicopter in bad weather when the pilot says it's OK but you don't think it is - the scenario will probably involve the rescue of a badly burned child, just for good measure. They may throw something in about you suspecting that your pilot is impaired but he insists that he is fine. What they want to hear you say is that the interests of crew safety always trumps everything, even if taking that stand involves you risking your reputation.

Dress. I don't know, basic interview stuff. "You can never over dress", "Dress for the position you want" blah blah blah. I abhor wearing anything dressier than cargo shorts and a t-shirt, and I personally (and I think the vast majority of others) would never decide not to hire someone just because they didn't wear a tie. But, there are some crazy people out there who find that crap important. If you are interviewing as part of a group, there will be that one guy there in an expensive three-piece suit, another one or two in nice shirts and ties, and one guy in jeans and a polo shirt that dont fit well. If your lucky there might be a chick wearing a shirt with an inappropriately-low neckline.

Good luck.


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## VFlutter (Aug 5, 2016)

Thank you everyone for the advice. I think it went as well as I could have hoped. Much less stressful than I anticipated. The written test was a little rough. Now just wait and see if I get a call


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## Kevinf (Aug 5, 2016)

Good luck!


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## CANMAN (Aug 9, 2016)

Chase said:


> I have my first Flight Nurse interview tomorrow. Any last minute advice? I have been brushing up on my drug calculations, critical care drips, trauma, etc.
> 
> I am also concerned going in with the "bare minimum" experience trying to prove myself. I have worked 5 days a week ever since I started in the unit and also work PRN in another ICU so my hours are much more than average. I also teach IABP, Swan, and Hemodynamics. I do not want to come off like an arrogant young nurse however I do think I have a lot of expertise.
> 
> Also what should I be asking about the company? It is an Air-methods owned company. I know safety is always a big concern and unfortunately the base I am interviewing with had a fatal crash a year ago. I looked up the NTSB report. Other websites say ask about night vision, etc. They fly EC130s.



Remi gave you all great advice for the interview, which you obviously already completed. Personally I have never been a fan of a large majority of Air Method's programs, and I think it very much depends on what "program" you interviewed for, or if it's just a plain Air Method's base. Feel free to PM me and we can discuss this more. 

Did they give you satisfactory answer's regarding your safety questions? With having a recent crash this is something this would be the most important factor in making your decision to take a job if you get an offer. Unfortunately alot of times just starting out in the industry you don't really know what safety questions to ask, or if what they are telling you is great, or just feel good information. What did the NTSB report say about the accident? Feel free to PM me if you don't want to discuss on the forum. 
CANMAN


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## oliver ruth (Sep 18, 2016)

*thing you need to do before interview *

research about the job  
neutral and positive abut your past job 
do not speak negative about your last boss 
honesty is not the best policy be *nervous*


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## SandpitMedic (Sep 25, 2016)

oliver ruth said:


> *thing you need to do before interview *
> 
> research about the job
> neutral and positive abut your past job
> ...


*Things to do when attempting to give professional career advice: *
Use proper grammar and punctuation.
Spell check. 
That's all.

I think I found the guy who wears the dingy unkept polo shirt.


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## FFPRN16 (Sep 25, 2016)

Summit said:


> Wear aviators and do not take them off the entire interview.
> 
> GOOD LUCK




I got a good laugh out of that.


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