How To Become A Flight Nurse - Pacific College

The specific skills that flight nurses require will vary greatly depending on the type of nurse they want to become, where they will work, and so on.

Flight nurses have unique job requirements that many nurses do not. While both emergency nurses and flight nurses deal with the same types of patients, flight nurses face the added stress of emergency transportation situations.

Those who want to become flight nurses must also have the following skills and education:

• Advanced life support for children

• Advanced cardiopulmonary resuscitation

• Life support for prehospital trauma patients

• Experience with trauma and critical care

• Strong leadership is especially important in stressful situations

• Strong communication skills in a variety of settings

• Ability to work independently and with other team members in a confined space

• Advanced intensive care knowledge, including experience with ventilators

• Fitness ability for the physical demands of the job

• Ability to work a variety of shifts, including overtime and a 24-hour on-call rotation

• Provide immediate medical attention to patients who require air transport, including assessment, triage, and treatment.

• Maintain and organize patient charts and paperwork

• En route to the destination, provide first aid, insert IVs, perform resuscitation, and more

• Maintain aircraft supplies and equipment

• Assist in safely transporting patients into and out of aircraft

• Ascertain that the patient is securely secured onboard

Flight Nurse Job Outlook & Salary

Nursing, in general, is a very high in-demand profession. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the employment rate of registered nurses is projected to grow 9% during the next decade. It is estimated that more than 194,500 job openings will be generated for registered nurses each year, on average, over the decade.

When it comes to earnings, as of May 30, 2022, in the United States, the average annual pay for a flight nurse is $81,093 a year or $38.99 an hour.

The annual earnings of a flight nurse differ from state to state. The top five best-paying states for flight nurses are New York, New Hampshire, California, and Vermont.

Conclusion

Ultimately, flight nursing is a challenging and demanding yet very exciting career. It will definitely keep you on your toes at all times and allow you to express your passion for helping people in need. Flight nursing has a very bright future ahead and offers satisfactory earnings; therefore, if you're looking to enter the medical field, you should definitely consider this profession.