Is it rational to be worried about heli crashes? How often do they happen and how do they compare to other dangers? I’m in nursing school and am considering it but I keep saying videos about the dangers.

Also, how did your salary change from hospital to HEMS?

I happened to have bounced into a seminar and talked to some HEMS leadership. I'll keep it generic. For context, I was a paramedic many moons ago, eventually a ER nurse and left that becoming an APRN and operated as an independent outpatient provider for many years.

But the HEMS people encouraged me to apply for flight jobs saying basically to call them the moment I want to do flight. I don't think they realize how far removed I am from fiddling with machines and pumps. I pointed that out but no one batted am eye about it.

So is flight really that specialized? Am I missing something?

What are their shifts like? Thinking of applying but the position says “D” shift and wondering if anyone can provide insight on what the shift times are, thanks!

Does your company use a 4 point or a 5 point harness for you to strap in with while in the air?

What HEMS companies also do SAR ? Specifically with RN/ CFRN staffing? Locally I know Maryland State Police does but they only allow paramedics. Curious because I’d like to combine my love of medicine with my love of the outdoors and currently hold an RN license. Thanks in advance for any help / guidance.

Is there an upper age cap (or age discrimination) in Flight Nursing?

My hospital has amazing RTs but they don't let us touch their vents. It's a very busy and chaotic unit and there's not a lot of time to ask them to teach.

If I want to understand vents better, (what settings are best for which presentations, understanding when pressure control vs volume control is indicated, troubleshooting when you've gone through DOPE and found nothing wrong etc) what's a good resource?

So far the podcasts I've found are either too rudimentary or way over my head.

Advice: torn between CRNA and Flight RN Hello All,

I'm looking to see what any your opinions/thoughts would be on this topic. For background, I am a 22 y/o M, currently in an ABSN program. I was an EMT throughout undergraduate and received my paramedic license on my 22nd birthday. For me, prehospital and critical care medicine is my passion. I have flown several times (third rider) and absolutely fell in love with the autonomy, small team dynamic, and critical thinking. Hence, I put myself through nursing school to go the flight RN/paramedic route. I've had this profession in mind since the age of 12. However, I have also always been fascinated with anesthesia (my father is a pediatric/cardiac anesthesiologist) and loved my rotation through the OR in paramedic school and shadowing. Prior to that experience, I always lightly considered anesthesia as my potential field but now am seriously looking at it as a valid plan. Now that I am nearing graduation, I am extremely torn on what I will do once I reach my two (ish) years in the CVICU (accepted position already) should I apply and get accepted. For reference, to fly I will need at LEAST 3-5 years of ICU time to even apply for a CCT position. Part of me fears giving up my dreams of flying and regretting not going for it. While on the other hand, I am intimidated by the concept of losing income/going back to school at age 30 for CRNA if i decide to fly first and wait to move forward with the CRNA route. Has anyone experienced a similar crossroads in their career? What did you do to gain confidence in your decision? Regrets? Thank you all!

Hey yall How did you prepare for the airmethods pre-hire critical care exam? Any good recourses or study guides I should use? Thanks in advance

Hi everybody I am looking to start applying for flight nurse positions, how long is the process to get hired? I currently live in Tennessee and am planning on applying in Arizona. My AZ license is currently pending. When should I start applying if we’re planning on moving there around January?

Surviving the ICU: Minimizing Delirium and Post Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS)

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How many of you have done this job while pregnant? Were you able to work up until the end of your pregnancy? Any tips/tricks?

I’m looking for some of your favorite phone apps for flight nursing, a weather app, a flight tracker app, and some medical references.

Thank you!

Hi everyone I just interviewed for flight RN in Texas. I don’t know how to gauge the overall safety of the service and its mechanical up keep of a helicopter. What are red flags I should look for or ask about? Sorry to bother about it but I don’t want to end up as an obit just yet.

Current Flight Nurse on the West Coast! I always had a lot of questions on the process and sometimes couldn’t find reliable/clear answers. Post here and I’m happy to help. ✌🏼

I'm a new grad RN with 10 years prehospital experience,1 year ER experience, and currently enrolled in my states PHRN program (about to test). My goal is to become a CFRN and start working at a base that's 10 minutes from my house.

I'm currently tailoring my experience to fit their needs over the next 3 years and one of the biggest challenges I've found is passing the CFRN test just to make myself stand out from other applicants, and not worry about it within the 2 years of starting. Anyone have recommendations for study material for CFRN? Any guidance is appreciated

I've been offered a flight RN position at one of the better companies in my geographic area. This will be my first flight position and they are offering me 12s with the 5-2-2-5 schedule; 5 on, 2 off, 2 on, 5 off. I could *eventually* move to 24's or cut to part-time to break up the 5 days on, but this is what I'm being offered, take it or leave it. The company typically staffs 4 RN/Medic crews 24/7, averaging 250 flights per month. I'm single, early 40's, and have a dog; my main concern is getting a dog walker for that long ass stretch. How brutal does this schedule sound?

Hey everybody, I am a newer nurse but I have had the long term goal of becoming a flight nurse for sometimes now. I am currently a MICU nurse at a lvl one trauma hospital in the Tampa region and am just trying to focus right now on learning as much as I can. My question though is am I to big to be a flight nurse? I am 6’6” and weigh around 215lbs. I have talked to a few people at my job about my desire to be a flight nurse and most of them have been very discouraging for a number of reason and one of the main ones is my height. Nun of them are actually flight nurses though so I figured I would ask some people who actually are and fly everyday. Thanks, appreciate your help.

Hey everybody, I am a newer nurse but I have had the long term goal of becoming a flight nurse for sometimes now. I am currently a MICU nurse at a lvl one trauma hospital in the Tampa region and am just trying to focus right now on learning as much as I can. My question though is am I to big to be a flight nurse? I am 6’6” and weigh around 215lbs. I have talked to a few people at my job about my desire to be a flight nurse and most of them have been very discouraging for a number of reason and one of the main ones is my height. Nun of them are actually flight nurses though so I figured I would ask some people who actually are and fly everyday. Thanks, appreciate your help.

Hi y’all,

I am an almost new grad nurse looking at ICU residencies. I applied to a large hospital system and have to choose which ICU to interview with. Ultimate goal is be a flight nurse after I get as much experience as I can. I have been doing EMS for about 10 years and with a fire department the last 5 or so. Would love input on which ICU to request- options are surgical, CCU, CVICU.

I know the learning curves are going to be steep across the board so would love to hear opinions on the best place to get experience. Thank you!!

Hi, I am an RN student on their last semester of nursing school. My dream job is flight nursing. However, I know it will be a journey to get there.

My first pressing problem is my hearing. I am hard of hearing in both ears (mild/moderate hearing loss). I do have hearing aids and I am able to hear with them. I have also worn those noise canceling earmuffs for the firing range w/o hearing aids (cancles out loud noises like wind and makes softer noises louder, like speech or a twig breaking) and can hear well with those too. So I can hear great with assistive devices, and I am also good at reading lips/ body language. Is there a hearing test I have to take w/o hearing aids that may prevent me from going into this specialty?

I am in a nursing group on reddit, and I have asked about flight nursing there. However, I have had more people kind of being discouraging or giving very vague advice. Right now, I am working on a resume to apply to the ER and hopefully find a good residency program. From my understanding, I need 3-5 years of experience between the ER and ICU to meet the qualifications to apply for a job. However, it is a very competitive field.

What else am I missing, or what would I need in addition to work experience? What could I do to make me a more viable candidate and would help me become an asset to my team if I were to get into this specialty?

Hey guys! I am a flight nurse and finally buying my own helmet (just have terrible company helmet right now). And am looking into buying a slightly used GENTEX HGU56/p. Honestly most helmets seem the same to me so any experience based input on this model would be great

Hi!

I hope y’all are doing well.

I’m a first year nursing student from De La Salle Medical and Health Sciences Institute and we’re actively looking for a flight nurse that would be available for a quick online interview and answer a few questions regarding your field of expertise.

The interview will be recorded and last about 15 minutes at the longest. We’re currently going over fields and opportunities in Nursing and would highly appreciate your participation if it’s not too much of a bother.

Please send me a DM or comment on this thread if anyone is available within this week or the next.

At what point will the FAA actually grow a pair and shut them down.

https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2024/01/21/medical-helicopter-crash-outside-okc-oklahoma-weatherford-hydro-leaves-three-dead-saturday-night/72303320007/

Been a flight medic for a while and retired as a firefighter medic. Anyone know of any remote jobs out there for EMS?

My spouse has been a flight nurse for ~7 years. Any gift ideas for FN that has been in the game for awhile?

Hello Flight Nurses,

I'm a BS nursing student nearing graduation. My ultimate goal is to be a flight nurse (I flew as an EMT for my job as a wilderness ranger and I fell in love with flying).

I'm aiming for ICU or ED New Grad / Nurse Residency positions in Arizona. In the event I don't get one of those, would you recommend other first-year nurse positions in which you feel I could gain critical skills that I'd later use as a flight nurse?

I feel Surgical Trauma Nurse is definitely applicable but I also wonder about Telemetry and Cardiac Nursing..... thank you :)

Cheese grater than have to listen to anymore of these boring ass FlightbridgeED CFRN lectures. How the hell is it possible to be this bad at lecturing? Courses are littered with errors, and the books are even worse. If you are prepping for CFRN/FPC avoid FlightbridgeED!

For further context, this patient was also receiving milrinone @0.75 mcg/kg/min, nitric @30 ppm, and viagra