May 25, 2022
Registered nurses usually spend their days in care facilities. But, sometimes, your certifications can pull you way out of the doctor's office, hospital, or nursing home. You may be needed somewhere where your feet aren't even on the ground—as a flight nurse.
If you're ready for a change of pace, work well in critical situations, and don't mind taking care of patients while you're soaring through the skies, you may be intrigued to find out how to become a flight nurse. We've pulled together the details to give you a closer look at flight nurse jobs.
What Is a Flight Nurse?
A flight nurse, which may also be called a transport nurse, is a Registered Nurse (RN) that provides care to patients during a flight on some aircraft, such as a helicopter or rescue plane. The nurse usually works with a medical team during the flight, including physicians and flight medics. As a flight nurse, your role is to provide direct care to critically ill or injured patients during transportation to a care facility.
What does a flight nurse do?
When you take on a job as a flight nurse, you may have several roles and duties, such as:
- Providing emergency medical care during air transport
- Maintaining medical equipment and supplies on the aircraft
- Helping get patients onto and off the aircraft, as well as making sure the patient is safely secured
- Monitoring vital signs during the flight
- Working with a medical care team to offer comprehensive care
- Organizing and completing patient paperwork or medical charts
- Briefing awaiting medical staff on the patient's condition during or after the flight
The primary difference between a regular RN and a transport RN is the environment they provide care. However, the standard care scenarios can be different as well. The majority of flight nurses provide care to patients in critical or emergency health situations. Most patients that end up on a flight en route to a hospital care facility are in dire condition to warrant quicker air transport. Nevertheless, there can be exceptions.
Where does a flight nurse work?
Flight nurses work for different employees, both civilian and military-based and for private and public entities. Civilian employers for flight nurses may be hospitals, medical transportation companies, and rescue organizations, such as those that provide search and rescue for specific areas. Military flight nurses serve those on active duty, which may mean their career takes them to international locations as different operations require.
Typical Flight Nurse Salary
According to Payscale, the average flight nurse salary is between $55,000 and $99,000 annually, with an hourly rate of anywhere between $26 and $44 per hour. Of course, the average pay can vary depending on the specific responsibilities of the nurse, certification level, and even geographic location or employer.
Who Is the Best Candidate to Become a Flight Nurse?
The most apparent quality a flight nurse should possess is providing care and following medical procedure protocols in high-stress situations. The ideal person should also be prepared to spend a lot of their time on call.
Flight nurses can have less concrete schedules than standard nurses because they are usually on-call as needed. For this reason, it is not uncommon for these professionals to divide their time between a care facility and an aircraft. For example, a flight nurse may be stationed at a hospital but cares for patients in-flight when transported for care to another facility.
All nurses are expected to be exceptional at teamwork and communicating about patient care with others. However, flight nurse jobs take these attributes to a new level. You can expect to work with a team in very close quarters for the duration of a flight and communicate about patient care in an environment that may propose unique challenges, such as high noise levels and rapidly changing care providers.
How to Become a Flight Nurse
In general, flight nurses must have the same credentials as an RN, but there will likely be a few additional steps to take depending on your employer. Here is a quick look at how to become a flight nurse.
Education Requirements for Flight Nurse Jobs
Depending on the employer, flight nurse jobs may require either an ADN (Associate's Degree in Nursing) or a BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing). The nurse will need to be registered, so passing the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) and doing whatever is required on a state level to become a licensed nurse will be necessary.
Experience Preferred to Become a Flight Nurse
While not necessarily a requirement, employers prefer hiring flight nurses with critical care work experiences, such as in an intensive care unit or emergency room. Nurses with more experience, in general, are also given preference.
Other Flight Nurse Requirements
Several certifications may be needed, but this, too, can depend on your employer. A few examples include:
- Certified Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN)
- Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)
- Transport Professional Advanced Trauma Course (TPATC)
- Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
- Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN)
- Critical Care Nurse (CCRN)
What to Wear as a Flight Nurse
The standard scrub wear and uniform requirements in an aircraft setting may not be as stringent as expected in a clinical environment. However, professional attire is beneficial.
The best flight nurse scrubs are those that keep you comfortable, give you the ability to move freely, and offer plenty of pockets to keep items within reach. For example, a good pair of elastic-waist jogger pants with zippered pockets would be a good choice. You will no doubt need a good scrub jacket as well, as your day can involve being in and out of the elements.
Are you building your collection of air-friendly scrubs and accessories? Be sure to take a look at our collection at Scrubs & Beyond.
