Can any flight medics share anything interesting?

[djarmpit]

Just want to know who here is a flight medic and how they like their job. Is it more fun than a regular rig? Does it get old? Anything important I should know before going down this path?

 

[Sublime]

Just want to know who here is a flight medic and how they like their job. Is it more fun than a regular rig? Does it get old? Anything important I should know before going down this path?

I'm not flight (havn't been a medic long enough to even try), but it's something that has been an interest of mine since I started in ems.

I did a flight ride out with my company a few weeks ago and loved it. It's a lot like 911 on a truck but you're just in a helicopter. You'll do a lot of transfers along with scene responses most likely.

You'll get more experience with critical and sick patients for sure, but they're not all like that. The scene we responded to was an mvc that probably could of gone by ground.

Things to know when considering this path... its dangerous. Google HEMS crashes and you'll find people are dying every year in this profession.

There is not a lot of room in most HEMS helicopters, it's not nearly as comfortable as being in a truck.

It's very competitive. Expect to be at the top of your game and have 5 years experience to have a chance.

 

[takl23]

One great resource is EMS Flight Crew. I follow them on facebook and they have a website. You can get lots of info there. Hope it helps!

 

[MSDeltaFlt]

Just want to know who here is a flight medic and how they like their job. Is it more fun than a regular rig? Does it get old? Anything important I should know before going down this path?

As far as the "getting old" bit goes, it depends on your area. Yes it is very competitive. Nearly every medic wants to be a flight medic so having all of the alphabet soup certs is a given. So you'll need to prove to the HEMS company why you're the best one for the job.

The companies themselves are very competitive between each other. And it is a very :censored::censored::censored::censored:hroat business. Some have very active marketing plans. For some you'll do more than your fair share of PR flights for patient flight generation. Some/others may be active on outreach education (my personal favorite PR or only favorite PR).

You will be the face of the company. So you'll need to be nice... always.

No matter the aircraft, there will be at most half the room of a van ambulance. And dangerous. "Lawn dart" is above my avatar for a reason. And it doesn't matter which air frame your company uses. Even those with all the bells and whistles that look good will look just as good continuing their flight into terrain.

I quit. Not because of the crash but because of the culture. Some are premadonnas who have forgotten that their @#$& still stinks. Which pretty much nauseates me.

However, if you truly enjoy the critical care nature of the ICU and can fully wrap your brain around PA lines, advanced ventilation, multiple drips (vasopressors running vasodilators) at multiple rates for very spexific reasons, multiple organ systems going wrong, and your patient doing his/her damnest to die on you then flight will be the place for you.

 

[MagicTyler]

I think it depends a lot on the company you work for... Their ratio of scene calls to transfers. I know a few medics who went to flight only to return to ground, because ground was much more exciting. A lot of flight companies do mostly IFT.

 

[mcdonl]

I am not a flight medic but I used one for a funny one liner over the weekend....

I was giving my report to the triage nurse, when a life flight medic walked by and acted like he was pushing the button on my LP12 and said "Shock Adviced"... and I said "Hey, I dont go messing around with the stuff in your helicopter do I?" .... he chuckled and walked away... I turned to the nurse and said "I would if it were not for that stupid restraining order they put on me..."

The nurse blew snot out her nose when she laughed. :rofl:

It was good. I was cool h34r:

 

[Carlos Danger]

Just want to know who here is a flight medic and how they like their job. Is it more fun than a regular rig? Does it get old?

I am a flight paramedic and flight nurse of about 12 years. Currently taking a break from flying for grad school.

Is it more fun than ground? Depends. I liked it A LOT more than ground. But not everyone does. It is very different. A lot more work in some ways, a lot less work in others. If you work for a good program, it is more responsibility, for sure - you are definitely held to a higher standard.

Does it get old? I got bored at a few points, but still really enjoy it after 12 years. I've been fortunate to work for really good programs. I've know very few people who left the industry because they didn't like the work.

The fact is that, like any other field, how good your job is / what types of calls you take / how safe the program is depends largely on who you work for.

Anything important I should know before going down this path?

What type of critical care experience do you have?

It is a complicated industry, but in many ways mirrors ground EMS.

• Like ground EMS, there is GREAT variation from HEMS program to HEMS program in terms of the quality of the people they hire, the equipment, protocols, training, etc, and most importantly, the safety culture.
  
  
• Like ground EMS, you can have an incredibly good experience if you get into the right program, BUT, there are lots of lousy HEMS programs out there. And the problem is, as an industry outsider you have no idea which is which.
  
  
• The big difference between HEMS and GEMS is that in HEMS, the stakes are much higher. The consequences of poorly maintained vehicles, poorly qualified pilots or medical crew, lack of training, and a poor safely culture may very well be fatal to you. They have been for many folks.
  
  Also, you are expected to be able to manage very complex patients, so lack of knowledge and skill on your part will become apparent quickly. It really is a different level. If you aren't on top of things, then at best, you'll look bad; at worst, you can easily kill a patient. The problem here is that you don't know what you don't know.

As a paramedic, positions with the good programs are extremely competitive; you can be a great paramedic and not even get an interview because there are just so many applicants. It helps a lot to know someone.

Positions with the not-so-great programs are still competitive but a little easier to get.

For nurses, the competition is still stiff but not nearly as bad as it is for paramedics.

Really do you homework on the programs you are interested in, and BE SELECTIVE about where you try to work. Have the self-discipline and self-respect to only work for a top-notch program, even if it means it takes you a lot longer to find a position. In the end you will be very glad you took the road less traveled.

I know this is an unpopular thing to say on this forum but honestly, the best advice I can give to someone who wants to fly is to become RN and get some ICU experience while also continuing to work in EMS. As an ICU nurse / paramedic, you will have a much easier time finding a good job, you'll make significantly more money, and you'll find a lot more career options available to you, meaning that you are more likely to be selective and make good choices about where you work.

Again, it is a longer road but well worth it, IMO.

 

[Handsome Robb]

Awesome post Halothane thank you.

I'm actively working towards a career in HEMS since the military won't take me with my medical history. Thank you for the advice.

 

[Carlos Danger]

Awesome post Halothane thank you.

I'm actively working towards a career in HEMS since the military won't take me with my medical history. Thank you for the advice.

No problem. PM me anytime if you want.

 

[Devilz311]

As a paramedic, positions with the good programs are extremely competitive; you can be a great paramedic and not even get an interview because there are just so many applicants. It helps a lot to know someone.

This is very true. I had applied for the flight job I have now probably like 4 or 5 times over 3 years, and didn't even get a "thanks but no thanks" letter. Now, I strongly dislike nepotism and similar for friends, but for jobs like these it helps to know people. It wasn't until I had several letters of recomendation that I was even granted an interview.

 

[zgreenfield]

Just want to know who here is a flight medic and how they like their job. Is it more fun than a regular rig? Does it get old? Anything important I should know before going down this path?

Get to know someone in a flight program. I don't think you need to go crazy and get your FP-C, but having some knowledge of CCT stuff definitely helps in the event you get that interview (Vent, drips, etc) And remember, a big part of getting the job is how you will fit within the company, anyone can be trained on a high level, but having a personality that works well within a team isn't always trainable!