A full-time flight nurse may work up to 10 24-hour shifts over four weeks, whereas a part-time flight nurse may only work three 24-hour shifts a month.
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Flight nursing is extremely stressful but extremely rewarding. Flight nurses may be expected to work all hours, every day of the week, on holidays, and for long shifts. Flight nurses also almost exclusively deal with emergency situations which can be draining.
How hard is it to become a flight nurse? Becoming a flight nurse takes 5-7 years. It also requires dedication to learning and practicing high-level nursing skills in critical care, resuscitation, trauma nursing, emergency nursing, etc.
Intubation is a vital skill performed by flight nurses and paramedics. Before flight training, nurses do not routinely intubate and must be trained in proper techniques.
“The flight nurse must be very comfortable in all areas, calm, and able to critically think quickly and safely. They work in a very small space in extreme conditions,” Holdren says. “We make sure they are completely ready before turning them loose on their own even if they come with flight experience.”
A flight nurse can work with a flight physician or work independently, depending on the aircraft personnel and the needs of the patient being transported. Services provided during the flight can vary based on the needs of the patient and each situation.
It depends. If the majority of your flight nursing shift involves providing direct patient care in a critical care setting, yes, you would qualify for admission. However, flight nursing would NOT qualify if you were providing critical care services in short durations or inconsistently.
Most employers require nurses to have at least three to five years of critical care or emergency experience before hiring them as flight nurses. It's also a good idea to know something about aviation and be comfortable traveling in a plane if you plan to become a flight nurse.
The job outlook for flight nurses is very positive, with the demand for their specialized skills and expertise projected to increase faster than the average for all occupations. The employment of registered nurses, including flight nurses, will grow by 6% from 2021 to 2031.