Landing the Dream Job

So, I’ve been job searching over the past few months.  I’ve submitted so many applications and resumes and had several interviews.  In the end, I was actually offered two amazing opportunities.  After much consideration, I decided to accept an opportunity to be a flight nurse at a new base for a large national air medical company.  This base is about 15 minutes from my home, which is truly amazing in the air medical world.  Many people drive hours from their homes to work as a flight nurse or flight medic, so I consider myself to be extremely lucky in this respect.

Several people have asked how I prepared to become a flight nurse.  Honestly, I feel like my entire career has led to this moment.  I began as an EMT in a busy 911 system, and then completed my associate degree as a paramedic two years later.  I worked in EMS for a total of seven years, including urban, suburban, and rural EMS systems, as well as both hospital-based and private systems.  Then I returned to school and completed my associate degree in nursing and began working in an ER.  While continuing to work full time as a RN, I completed my bachelor degree in nursing. I also gained experience working in the ICU environment and eventually transferred to a busier ER.  I also continued to maintain my EMS licenses and certifications, and also became a licensed instructor for EMS courses in my state. I continued to seek out opportunities for continuing education and continued my formal education by starting a masters program in nursing with a specialization in family practice.  I also read constantly and ensure that I am up to date on my area of clinical practice by reading journal articles.

Perhaps most important is that I have maintained friendships and professional relationships with my previous employers and others in my area.  Simply having a personal connection to someone on the interview panel can be a huge help when you are seeking a new job.  Maintaining a good professional reputation may be the most important factor to landing an interview in the air medical world.

Another thing that you can do is to obtain certification such as Certified Emergency Nurse or Critical Care Registered Nurse.  Most air medical companies require either the Certified Flight Registered Nurse certification or another similar certification within 1-2 years of hire and it definitely helps if you’re ahead of the game in this respect.  Teaching experience is also very helpful as many air medical companies do a lot of training in the community.   Good customer service skills are also highly desired. Every air medical company requires at least three years of experience and will not consider your application if you don’t meet this requirement.  

I hope this helps as others forge their own path towards the air medical world.