Flight Nurse, Flight Nursing Schools, Training, Jobs, and Careers

What is Flight Nurse?
The Flight Nurse's role is to give a high standard of nursing care to triage, assessment and treatment. She will also determine the nature and extent of the injury or illness in order to establish as well as prioritize the amount of care that is necessary for safe transport of the critical care patient to the proper facility.

The flight nurse has to report to her assigned manager or designee and she is to take responsibility for the efficient and safe transport and treatment of every patient. Here are just some of their duties:

1. Utilize safe practices in every aspect of job performance
2. Provide safe and effective care to any patient that is transported by the hospital's helicopter
3. Attend any educational and staff meetings
4. Complete documentation
5. Performs advanced procedures and skills as approved by the hospital or medical helicopter transport company she works for
6. Serve as an educator, model and clinical resource
7. Maintain current licenses and certifications as needed

How to Become a Flight Nurse?
Here are just some of the courses one would take in school:

• Anatomy, physiology and perform assessments for pediatric, adult, and infants
• Advanced Airway Management
• Cardiac emergencies as well as advanced cardiac critical care
• Transport helicopter orientation and safety in procedures during transport; the Flight team members must complete Federal Aviation Administration approved training. The crew members that go on the helicopter mission must complete a Life Emergency Medical Services academy and an Emergency Vehicle Operators Course that includes the procedures for patient loading and uploading.
• Triage
• Education about various equipment including monitors, IV pump, Intra Aortic Balloon Pump, etc.
• Oxygen therapy
• Respiratory emergencies
• Pharmacology
• Pediatric medical emergencies and more

Along with the educational requirements, there are some clinical components that should be completed:

1. Critical Care - five hours with concentration on ventilator and hemodynamic management
2. Obstetrics - two hours concentrating on high risk obstetrical patients
3. Surgery
4. Emergency Room - five hours with a concentration on assessing a patient along with rapid treatment
5. Pre - hospital care - 16 hours equaling 2 eight-hour shifts with a concentration on proper equipment use and proper patient transport

There are specific requirements needed to become a flight nurse. Here are just some of them:

• Must have graduated from an accredited School of Nursing.
• She must have a minimum of three years emergency and/or critical nursing experience to be considered for a position as a Flight Nurse.
• Must have a current RN license for the state in which she practices
• She must either obtain or currently hold an Emergency Medical Technician within one year of being hired.
• Upon being hired, the Flight Nurse must take a Certified Intensive Care Provider class.

Work Environment:
Since the job of a Flight Nurse can be quite physical, the employee must be able to move or lift objects of more than eighty pounds. Adequate physical conditioning must be maintained to be able to perform the job duties. This is a high stress job so the employee must be able to work well under these conditions.

Flight Nurse Salary:
Flight nurses make good money. The average salary for these nurses is $82,000 pr year. Keep in mind that your salary will continue to increase as you gain more experience and years of service.

Flight Nurse School:
If you want schools that offer flight nursing programs, visit the advanced nursing education website. There, you will find schools in our area or online. You should request for the free and no obligation information offered. You can go there by following this link.


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