Explore Your Nursing Skills by Becoming Flight Nurse

Being a member of the paramedics’ team, these nurses have to provide patients with necessary nursing care. They have to prepare plans and participate in the rescue operation and aeromedical evacuation. In case of an absence of the physician, they have to take initiative and administer immediate treatment to the patient. They have to diagnose and pass on the medical information about the patient to the crew on the ground so that they are well prepared to handle the case when the flight lands. Constant monitoring of the patient is also necessary from the site of rescue to the place of treatment.

They have to take care that the patient is alive until he/she reaches the emergency room. Using safety measure and precaution is utmost importance, including the comfort of the patient. The job requires extensive training and experience. They are like a medical analyst who analyzes the condition of the patient and makes a decision on what is right in a situation where the patient is struggling with death.

Becoming a flight nurse is a tough job. You have to be physically fit since you will be participating in rescue operations at the time of emergency. You may even be in a situation where your own life would be in danger. This type of possibility may arise when you are rescuing a person trapped on a high cliff, or pulling out someone from icy water or a deep ravine. In this job, you will have to face all types of emergencies.

The flight-nursing career is for those who love adventure and are eager to have some sort of excitement where the adrenalin runs high. Registered nurses who have worked in emergency room and intensive care units in hospitals for at least three years are eligible for this job. If you are one, then you must take a training that will help you in providing emergency care on aboard. Flight nursing training programs are offered by some nursing schools. You can also find this course with critical-care transport companies.

You will need training in the physical aspects of blood circulation. You should know how to resuscitate an unconscious person by exciting the cardiac function. Further, you must be able to work with mechanical ventilation, and vasoactive medications. In short, you must complete life-saving training necessary for all ages. Training in Basic Trauma Life Support and Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Intensive Critical Core will help you in getting a job for this position.

Not all the excursion or mission ends happily. Sometimes, there are life-threatening incidences as well. If nothing goes wrong, then there are train collisions, plane crash, and road accidents. With so many bad things happening frequently in the world, providing emergency care to the victims is very necessary. And the people who do this job are the flight nurses. These nurses work in hospitals and critical-care transport companies that cater services to people with rescue operation and emergency care. Therefore, getting a job is not a problem since this position will always be in demand. However, they have to compete for the position with other potential candidates. Flight nurses salary is also good as compared to other CNAs (certified nursing assistants).

Given the risks and arrays of skills required in the job, most companies and hospitals will offer the flight nursing care position to candidates with five or more years of experience. This is because there is no room even for a minute error on the job. For it will change the course of treatment and bring the patient on the verge of death. Learning while working is a tough job. Therefore, it is mandatory to complete a flight nursing training, including safety policy training. The easiest way to pursue this career is to join the companies that offer training program and an employment after completing the course.

A complete self-assessment is necessary before pursuing a flight nursing care career. First, you will need to work for years as a registered nurse, and then complete the training course and compile years of experience. Then, you will find yourself suitable for the flight nurse position.