Flight Medicine Career

[redneckmedic]

Not sure if this is the right department for this but I figured I'd give it a whirl. Figured somebody on here could answer my questions and point me in the right direction. Down to business now, I'm considering a career as a flight nurse. I love working as an EMT-I but just want something more and want to climb my way up the ladder. I love being in and around aircraft and have been flying with my uncle since I was 12. I'm just not sure what my first step would be in order to transition from EMT-I to flight nurse. Any information you guys could give me would be greatly appreciated.

 

[systemet]

Not sure if this is the right department for this but I figured I'd give it a whirl. Figured somebody on here could answer my questions and point me in the right direction. Down to business now, I'm considering a career as a flight nurse. I love working as an EMT-I but just want something more and want to climb my way up the ladder. I love being in and around aircraft and have been flying with my uncle since I was 12. I'm just not sure what my first step would be in order to transition from EMT-I to flight nurse. Any information you guys could give me would be greatly appreciated.

Well, it seems like you should probably enroll in a BScN program. Then look get some ICU experience for a couple of years. Think of a flight position as a long term goal, and a nursing credential as a short-term goal.

Make sure you want to be an RN first, before you start. If you're only interested in flight, I think you're looking at 5-7 years to get there. You probably want to be happy in the mean time.

The other stuff like NRP, TNCC, PALS, ACLS, ITLS / ATLS, STABLE, etc. are mostly just weekend courses, that don't carry much weight by themselves.

I'd also have a frank discussion with some of the guys around here about safety in HEMS / fixed wing.

 

[usalsfyre]

Nursing school (preferably BSN)and 3-5 years in a high-acuity CV or trauma/neuro ICU. Understand your competing for very few spots against a highly qualified field. Quite simply, most won't make it. Those that do face a 1 in 3 chance of dying in a HEMS crash in a 20 year career.

 

[systemet]

. Those that do face a 1 in 3 chance of dying in a HEMS crash in a 20 year career.

I've heard this stat before, I was just wondering where it came from? Do you have a citation for it? (Don't worry if it's inconvenient to look up, just if you have it handy).

 

[usalsfyre]

I've heard this stat before, I was just wondering where it came from? Do you have a citation for it? (Don't worry if it's inconvenient to look up, just if you have it handy).

Not handy, might be able to find it tommorow.

 

[systemet]

Not handy, might be able to find it tommorow.

If you have time. I can look for it as well.

 

[WTEngel]

Focus on being the most competent critical care provider you can be, no matter what your discipline, and all doors will be open to you.

Doing things specifically to get on a flight program are a big turn off to a lot of interview committees. Most places want a well rounded provider, who is not enamored by the mode of transport, but more so the opportunity to practice critical care in a dynamic environment.

So the bottom line is, if you intend to go back and get your RN, I would plan on at a minimum of 3 years in a high acuity ER (or preferably an ICU with part time ER experience) and then you might have a shot at a second call. If that 3 years experience is all you have, I would not expect a job offer.

Any place that is willing to hire you with less experience should be looked at very objectively. If a flight program can not attract applicants with a high degree of experience, and they are looking at providers with less than 3 years within their discipline, they likely have problems...remember, your time as an EMT-I will probably not matter when they add up your experience.

Look at the helicopter as a mode of transport. Nothing special about it other than the fact that it can be used in a very narrow set of circumstances to expedite transport to the appropriate facility. The same care can be (and is) provided int he back of ground units every day.

If you give off the impression that you are desperate to become a flight nurse/medic, employers can sense that, and they usually shy away. Focus on being the best you can be, and let them chase you...

 

[redneckmedic]

Thanks for the info guys. Not exactly sure where I'm going from here but keeping my options open. I start my RN courses in January; planning to go for a BSN. Just thought HEMS would be more of a challenge and more stimulating than ER employment. Not a whacker here, just tired of boring redundant calls as an I. Want something that's going to challenge me more and make me push myself farther down the road towards becoming a better provider. Deal with so many code 1 and 2 calls it's ridiculous. In my eyes I can't get the necessary experience to handle critical traumas and ALS-related pts if I'm running broken leg and runny nose calls all the time. What do you guys think?

 

[usalsfyre]

A lot of those runny nose and broken leg calls are sicker than you probably realize. Want to guess where the most consistent population of profoundly sick patients come from?

I'm not bagging on HEMS. I do believe there's value, and will go back to flying in the right situation. But I also don't want anyone to go into that career field without their eyes open. Your not swooping in from the heavens, doing the "cool skills" and flying off into the sunset. Many times with good referring agencies and hospitals you'll be essentially transport.

Most importantly, go to work for a reputable program and understand that you are responsible for your crew not becoming a statistic.

 

[redneckmedic]

Yeah I had to dig deep past all the people who thought it was so cool to be on a flight crew. But ground EMS has its whackers too haha. Kinda fed up with them and think they don't have a place in a life or death career position, but maybe that's not my place to say. I take the profession very seriously and give my best effort with every situation and patient. I think part of that comes from tv shows like "Trauma" (thank god it got cancelled) portraying people in the field as badass people in cool rigs with flashy lights. I run in a "cool rig" myself, but it's cool to me because it's one of the best stocked rigs in the dept. and I run with one of the best medics in the state. What's cool is that I'm completely comfortable with the level and quality of care that is provided to those who ride in my rig. But I don't go far enough to have a prissy stuck up attitude (noticed alot of that from day one) and no my personal vehicle does not have lights and sirens etc etc. on it. My life is not revolving abround turning that key and running 90 everywhere I go code 3 on calls that are not necessarily code 3 (noticed that alot too). But my main objective is to learn what I can, get as much experience as I can, and provide the best care that I can. I know I have alot to learn yet but I think I'm in the right direction. I'm here to help people, because I feel it in my heart that's my purpose. Think it runs in the family, because I was # 4 in my fam to get my I. Now aiming to be the FIRST to obtain an RN and serve in higher level care.

 

[redneckmedic]

A lot of those runny nose and broken leg calls are sicker than you probably realize. Want to guess where the most consistent population of profoundly sick patients come from?

I'm not bagging on HEMS. I do believe there's value, and will go back to flying in the right situation. But I also don't want anyone to go into that career field without their eyes open. Your not swooping in from the heavens, doing the "cool skills" and flying off into the sunset. Many times with good referring agencies and hospitals you'll be essentially transport.

Most importantly, go to work for a reputable program and understand that you are responsible for your crew not becoming a statistic.

I understand everything you say here. I appreciate even the simplest calls and treat all my patients the same, regardless of how lame or exciting I think the call is. I just think that when I get called out repeatedly for mild, BLS level calls and IFT that a) i am not operating/caring at my full level and scope of practice, and b) i am not gaining as much experience or learning as much as I do from something such as MVA's with spinal trauma or bowel evisceration calls (examples are a little extreme, I know). sorry for my endlessly long posts but just want to make sure I explain where I'm coming from and my mode of thinking. And no I am not Judge Judy haha.