What is flight nursing?
Flight Nursing is a very important part of the health care infrastructure of any country and the whole world in general. It is a field which provides essential medical and emergency services in case of such issues, but at a whole new level. Flight nursing is associated with the dealing of a patient in air. These nurses provide special pre-hospital or critical level care at the site of an accident or while transporting the patient from the site to the hospital or from one hospital to another. The flight nurses are also referred to as transport, aircraft or helicopter because they must receive special training to deal with emergencies in not so favourable conditions. Flight nurses must make a very important decision in life regarding their career path as a flight nurse. They could choose a military or a civilian career path, both of them of high importance and esteem but are very different career positions depending upon the field of operation. Although the job to be performed is usually similar, this decision would be impactful in their career. They also work alongside trained professionals like physicians or paramedics in case of emergencies. This results in them dealing with a large variety of patient populations.
How to do flight nursing?
As mentioned previously, a flight nurse would have two different career paths, either a civilian or a military. A civilian flight nurse must typically work for public or private hospitals or clinics. This means their job is mainly to assist in the movement of patients from one facility to another for better care or operations. This could be in case of severe emergency, mass accidents, organ transfers and so on. They are also the ones that are responsible for providing medical services on commercial airplanes, helicopters and others. A military flight nurse, on the other hand have a very different area of work and are enlisted to the Air Force. Their job is to provide emergency medical services in difficult terrains like war zones or other problematic areas. They might need to relocate injured soldiers and civilians from war zones to safer places for better treatment. Provide care for military personnel in case of any issue. They also work with military individuals with permanent injuries on any flight. This is what makes their job a lot different than civilian flight nurses. However, there are similarities as well. They must first check their respective aircrafts or helicopters for proper medication, equipment and health services. They usually work in a far smaller workspace with fewer resources as compared to regular nurses and thus need to be very proactive, calm and have the ability to think quickly.
How long does it take to do a flight nursing?
In order to become a flight nurse, it is essential to have a nursing degree at first. Being a registered nurse is the first step towards becoming a flight nurse. Earning the RN with a minimum degree in Bachelors of Science in Nursing or BSN is essential for this job. It is also important to clear the NCLEX-RN. The next most important step is to gain experience working in an ER or ICU. Typically having experience in both is recommended. The final step is to get a certification for a CFRN or Certified Flight Registered Nurse from the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing or BCEN. This would highlight the competency of a nurse and attract employers. Hence, there is a very clear roadmap that has been laid out for this. However, the competition is very high with only the very bests getting the opportunity. However, a CFRN nurse may continue practice at any regular hospital as well which is an added benefit. In order to have a better chance at obtaining an opportunity, a nurse may apply for a Master’s Degree course in nursing as well. Beyond that, degrees like the post-master’s certificate in leadership and management are also very beneficial for increasing the hiring chances. Other than that, having good promotions and raises in the nursing career is also very beneficial for getting the job.
What Are the Important Aspects in flight nursing?
The most important aspect of flight nursing is communication. The flight nurses have a tough job to carry out operations on flights or even reaching out to the people in the most difficult situations. In such cases maintaining decent and professional communication is extensively important. It is essential for the flight nurses to communicate their aim to the people they are approaching. The flight nurses are trained in such a way that they can handle the most difficult situations. In such cases, communicating and calming the people in need is essential.
Another important task of the flight nurses is consistency and empathy. Being empathetic to the people and their situation, and staying bias-free in their decision-making process are essential for them. Only knowledge and understanding of the work process are not enough for ensuring the capabilities of a flight nurse. They have to handle the most difficult situation which demands a proper understanding of the work process alongside being empathetic towards anyone they are providing services to.
Flight nurses are trained especially to handle trauma. They may have to go to extreme areas for helping the people out. They often have to fly in helicopters and land in the most unfavourable positions. Thus, stamina is one of the most important aspects of nurses. They should be fit and fine such that they can attend to the people in need. If they fall short in portraying their stamina to the people, then they shall fail to perform their duties. Here are some of the most important topics to be covered while considering flight nursing.
What Are the Important Topics in Flight Nursing?
Flight nursing training process.
How to become a flight nurse?
Flight nursing salary outlook.
Benefits of flight nursing.
The job role of flight nurses.
The role played by flight nurses in the Warfield.
