becoming a flight paramedic

[HNcorpsman]

alright, so right now i am a FMF corpsman in the US Navy, i am assigned to a marine corps unit and am taking care of marines... my ultimate goal right now is to eventually become a flight paramedic, in the civilian world... i realize that i cant just "become" a flight paramedic, but that i have to take steps... my plan right now is to get my pre reqs out of the way, then once i get back to the states (im in japan right now) i will try to get my AS in para-medicine... once i get there i want to work in a high call area, (chicago, new york, phoenix) for around 5 years... during the 5 years i will get all my certs PALS, PHTLS, ACLS, ILS, PPC... etc. then i will start looking for my flight paramedic job... is this a good plan or are there some more things i can think about NOW that will help me get my job later? what about flight paramedic requirments??? vision, tattoo policy? schooling? anything else?

 

[VentMedic]

Get a solid education to go with the alphabet soup. Applicants with a Paramedic cert and a bunch of weekend certs are a dime a dozen. They also may have the 5 years of field experience but are burnt out and believe Flight is much easier.

If you haven't already taken college level A&P (at least 2 semesters), Pharmacology, Microbiology and Pathophysiology, I would suggest getting that foundation established. The A.S. in Paramedicine is definitely a great idea. These classes will make the list below a lot easier.

Certs are impressive as long as you got something out of each class for the certification. Being able to pass a test is not good enough and the BS factor will be evident in the interview if you memorized and don't actually understand the material.

However, the cert you may need is the FP-C. The CCEMTP from UMBC is good also and there is a CCP-C exam in the works.

http://www.emtlife.com/showthread.php?t=13377&highlight=FP-C


If you plan on getting on with a Flight service that does IFT, you may need to know what these (listed below) are all about. However, if you do Flight with a FD that does just scene response HEMS, there may not be much extra you need to know and they may get you on the helicopter sooner since the training may be similar or the same for the ground crews. Essentially some of these helicopters are just a quicker means of transport and do not necessarily offer expanded skills such as RSI. They may also have just one Paramedic in the back.

Ventilators
IABP
LVAD and other VADs
12-lead ECG interpretation
Hemodynamics
Lab values
Various venous access devices
Arterial lines and PA catheters
Chest tubes
Formulas to anything from gas laws to gas exchange and acid-base correction

Suggested references:
References:
CAMTS book (These standards change often)
The Aeromedical Certification Examinations Self-Assessment Test (ACE SAT).
Dr. Bledsoe's Critical Care EMT-P textbook (Brady)
Certified Flight Paramedic (FP-C) Study Guide.
Air and Surface Patient Transport Principles and Practices 2nd or 3rd edition.



Tattoos are generally frowned upon if they are visible. Luckily for those who have tattoos, the Flight suits are generally long sleeved. However, if they can not be covered or are visible during the interview, you may go to the bottom of the stack of applicants.

 

[akflightmedic]

You have a great plan, stick to it.

1. Get your degree ( do not short cut this goal you have already set)

2. ACLS, BLS, PALS, PHTLS (You will/should get these during your paramedic class)

3. Read some threads on here about quantity versus quality Yes you want to diversify and not work in a completely rural area, but there are tons of smaller cities that have "high" call volume and a fair mix of both rural/urban...interstates, county roads...dont just shop for the big names as it really isnt all that impressive.

4. Work as a paramedic for 3-5 years and continue to learn and improve. Take the FP-C exam, take a CCEMT P course. Flightweb.com has info on both.

5. Explore flightweb.com now and read the threads on there. Read the topics and look at the education level of the intelligence level of discussions on there. This will give you great insight to things you should know or will be expected to know.

6. When you are ready to start looking for flight jobs, be very picky. But for now you dont have to worry about that.

Stick to the plan you have, do not deviate.

Have fun and good luck!!

 

[subliminal1284]

Dont know how it is in your area but on the helicopters here there are no Paramedics or EMT's on a flight for life chopper. They are staffed by an ER doctor, an ER Nurse and a Pilot. Id say if you want a chance youre going to to have to go a step above Paramedic and become an RN.

 

[VentMedic]

Dont know how it is in your area but on the helicopters here there are no Paramedics or EMT's on a flight for life chopper. They are staffed by an ER doctor, an ER Nurse and a Pilot. Id say if you want a chance youre going to to have to go a step above Paramedic and become an RN.

Where are you at that an ER doctor goes on every call? IFT and/or HEMS? Is this a teaching hospital? I only know of a handful of teams configured like that.

 

[akflightmedic]

Dont know how it is in your area but on the helicopters here there are no Paramedics or EMT's on a flight for life chopper. They are staffed by an ER doctor, an ER Nurse and a Pilot. Id say if you want a chance youre going to to have to go a step above Paramedic and become an RN.

What?? Where??

The majority of flight programs have paramedic/nurse configurations for scene responses, some are medic/medic, and some are nurse/respiratory therapist.

I personally do not know of any program where an ER doctor goes on EVERY flight, but evidently Vent is aware of some as you are, so I am sure she will share...regardless, this is the exception and not the rule.

 

[subliminal1284]

This is in the Milwaukee area.

 

[akflightmedic]

This is in the Milwaukee area.

Just one service or all of them...names?

 

[akflightmedic]

Flight for Life in Milwaukee

http://www.jsonline.com/news/waukesha/29299784.html

This was snipped from the article...care to cite any other inaccuracies?

"Flight for Life plans to sign a long-term lease with Waukesha County and build a 15,000-square-foot base of operations, at an estimated cost of $2 million. If all goes smoothly, the move could take place by early next summer. The facility will be staffed by 24 pilots, paramedics, dispatchers and other employees."

Flight for Life website...http://www.flightforlife.org/

No mention of doctors, only nurses and paramedics...

To the OP...stay on your goals and no worries.

I stand corrected...Doctors are mentioned at the bottom of page and they are on duty "when scheduled" and at the Waukesha/Milwaukee base only.

 

[VentMedic]

He was probably referring to Med Flight which is one that I did know.

https://www.emed.wisc.edu/emedicine/medflight/program_description.php

Another one, I believe in Pennsylvania used 3rd year residents.

I also want to say there is a MD/RN team in Chicago but I could be wrong or they may have changed.

Definitely not that many that fly MD/RN as a standard configuration.

 

[akflightmedic]

Yeh, I may get a little snippy from time to time but I do not like misinformation being put forth as fact or as fact for everything under that title. I usually do my best to research an answer to people's questions if I do not already know it and I tend to expect the same out of others.

He was discouraging a prospective medic with an excellent game plan by implying that medics do not fly often. He knows of one program and implies it is true for all the other 500+ programs in the US...bad morning, who knows. I am going fishing...

 

[subliminal1284]

Guess I stand corrected, I was told they only use RN's and Doctors.

 

[spisco85]

Lifestar in CT has nurse/rrt on it. The nurse has to be a medic with the alphabet suit and preference with a BSN. Experience requirements in CCUs, ERs and street paramedic. They do a mixture of HEMS and IFT. They also have a max weight of 200lb per crew member.

 

[VentMedic]

Lifestar in CT has nurse/rrt on it. The nurse has to be a medic with the alphabet suit and preference with a BSN. Experience requirements in CCUs, ERs and street paramedic. They do a mixture of HEMS and IFT. They also have a max weight of 200lb per crew member.

They do not need to be a street medic. They may do some ride alongs for experience.

Our RNs in Florida are also required to have a Paramedic cert if they do scene response but that is due to an old statute still on the books. Most will just challenge the state certification test. Some states want RNs to have proof of the training but don't require them to maintain a license as a Paramedic. Other states have a Trauma Nurse Specialist, PHRN or MICN training/credentialing which makes the Paramedic cert unnecessary. Connecticut also has a couple of RN to Paramedic transition programs which allows them to take what is necessary without going back through 10th grade anatomy or learning to start an IV the "paramedic way".

Also if you notice on LifeStar's requirements, Paramedic license is listed between the "certs".

Qualification Standards:

• Baccalaureate prepared Registered Nurse.
• Must have a minimum of three years of experience in critical care/emergency nursing, one of which must be in an ICU.
• Must hold current certification as a Certified Emergency Nurse or Certified Critical Care Nurse.
• Licensed as a Paramedic.
• Certified in Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, and Neonatal Advanced Life Support.

 

[timmy84]

He was probably referring to Med Flight which is one that I did know.

https://www.emed.wisc.edu/emedicine/medflight/program_description.php

Another one, I believe in Pennsylvania used 3rd year residents.

I also want to say there is a MD/RN team in Chicago but I could be wrong or they may have changed.

Definitely not that many that fly MD/RN as a standard configuration.

University of Chicago Aeromedical Network (UCAN) usually has a RN/MD/pilot configuration. They can also accommodate a third crew member if needed (RT, another RN/MD, or paramedic).

 

[VentMedic]

Thank you for the Chicago info. It's hard to keep track of all of them.

There are a few things one should know about Flight services now is some do change owners frequently as well as starting up and disappearing quickly. That is not to discourage anyone but to make them more aware of the importance of finding a reputable service.

If the only question they ask you in an interview is your uniform size, that may not be the best run service.

 

[timmy84]

If the only question they ask you in an interview is your uniform size, that may not be the best run service.

LOL... that is exactly what they asked me when I had my interview at McDonald's in high school. Even at 15 I thought that was peculiar.

 

[HNcorpsman]

yeah, i realize that some organizations have paramedics on the bird and some dont, but it wont discourage me...

 

[usafmedic45]

Perhaps the risk (comparable to, if not arguably higher than military MEDEVAC and CASEVAC operations because of lax regulations and more or less non-existent enforcement) associated with minimal to no benefit to the patient (unlike in combat settings) will give you pause. Is your life really worth putting at great risk simply for the rush of helicopter operations and the profit of your employer?

That's a question you really need to ask yourself. Ask your wife/girlfriend and/or mother if she thinks that's a fair trade. Ask whether they will think the chance for them to find themselves standing over a grave containing your battered, broken and quite likely charred body is a fair trade so that some ground provider didn't miss the last 10 minutes of Daisy of Love or so that some kid from a car accident can be discharged shortly after arrival from a trauma center instead of the local hospital?

We laud our dead and speak of them in dulcent tones and the few of us who bring up the pointless and tragic waste of lives of good colleagues in these helicopter crashes on senseless and indefensible flights are told that we should remain silent so as not to disparage the memory of the fallen. I take exactly the opposite view- after losing multiple friends- saying that we should not use their loss as an impetus to change and improvement is as disrespectful to their memory as saying a soldier was a hero because he did not know fear. Of course they know fear- anyone who does not is crazy so to say otherwise is about the highest insult you can pay a soldier or Marine- and of course we should not simply continue on blindly in endeavours that have killed in the past and continue to decimate our ranks if for nothing other than to prevent another wife, child or mother from having to mourn needlessly.

 

[HNcorpsman]

maybe im stupid but your response didn't make a whole lot of sense, because i have no idea what you are talking about... really im lost... are you saying that there is a higher risk associated with civilian air evac operations than military ones? i hope not, because if you are you are severely mistaken... were/are you in the air force? PJ? anyways im sorry for your losses, i recently lost a good friend of mine, who died in Afghanistan... but i would not say that his death was "pointless" that is an insult upon him and all of those who serve this great country... he died for what he believed in and he died defending me and you and everyone else. but what does this have to do with the topic anyways? and whoo said that i was in it for the rush of the helicopter, and for profit from the employer? im in it because i care for people, and i love medicine.