RN, Registered Nurse Flight Nurse Senior - Air Transport

Description

Summary:

The Flight Registered Nurse Senior extends the healing ministry of Jesus Christ by caring for critically ill and injured persons in the air medical transport environment. Practice is carried out with a high degree of independence in challenging and sometimes austere environments. This necessitates excellent critical thinking skills, good judgment, and the mindset of a lifelong learner. A strong public relations and diplomacy skill set is essential, as this role has significant responsibility for coordinating with a wide range of healthcare and public safety professionals in stressful situations. The role also requires subject matter management skills and independent work on projects to support Air Transport Program operations outside of active transports.

The associate must demonstrate excellence in the Flight Nurse job description, as well as be trusted by the medical director, program leadership, and peers to mentor junior crewmembers.

Responsibilities:

• Meets expectations of the applicable OneCHRISTUS Competencies: Leader of Self, Leader of Others, or Leader of Leaders.
• Consistently responds to transport requests safely and urgently, working to reach the patient/customers and complete transport in a safe and timely manner. Maintains a state of readiness to immediately respond to transport requests. Participates in daily shift duties such as continuing education, training exercises, cleaning the ambulance/aircraft/base, and obtaining appropriate rest as needed for extended shifts. Carefully tracks and cares for blood products if applicable and controlled medications; ensures supplies and equipment are inventoried each shift and restocked after each transport. Maintains operational readiness by completing transports efficiently and minimizing out of service time.
• Consistently renders the highest quality patient care in a professional, expedient, and safe manner, under little or no supervision. Requires excellent communication skills to coordinate patient care with their transport partner and other health care agencies. Documents patient care in a thorough and accurate manner that complies with departmental policy and state-required rules.
• Becomes credentialed and maintains proficiency in all advanced procedures within their specialties’ Scope of Practice (e.g. radial artery cannulation and sampling, arterial line management, blood product administration, needle thoracentesis, chest tube placement, digital blocks, ECMO transport, passive/active cooling, umbilical line placement, escharotomy, external pacemakers, fetal monitoring, JADA insertion, hemodynamic monitoring, high flow nasal cannula, IABP use, ICP monitoring, Impella transport, Nitric Oxide delivery, pericardiocentesis, surgical cricothyroidotomy, ultrasound use, etc.)
• Maintains excellence in airway management for neonatal, pediatric, and adult patients through frequent self-directed practice, cadaver lab, high-fidelity simulation, hospital rotations, video review, and quarterly mandatory intubations if applicable.
• Analyzes/interprets laboratory values, ECGs, and radiology studies; collects a thorough history; performs detailed physical exam. Integrates all assessments into a holistic picture to prioritize and coordinate care.
• Competent in adapting care for patients throughout the lifespan, including in-utero, neonatal, and pediatric patients.
• Can operate and troubleshoot all provided biomedical equipment without supervision, including infusion pumps, mechanical ventilators, IABP, etc.
• Initiates and titrates the wide range of medications and procedures in the Flight program’s scope of practice based on standing orders. Engages online medical control appropriately when there are conflicting orders, medications or procedures outside scope, or complex cases that could benefit from physician perspective.
• Practices rigorous safety practices and monitors safety practices of partners and personnel near aircraft/patient. Maintains a thorough working knowledge of aviation safety, radio communications, and emergency procedures. Assists the Pilot in Command (PIC) as trained/directed. Responds to in-flight emergencies by assisting the PIC as trained; prepared to survive in an austere environment until help arrives while rendering aid to patients and/or crew members as needed.
• Participates in all assigned continuing education, simulation labs, and maintains competency in all procedures as required for the Flight program and accrediting bodies. Maintains all licenses and certifications and maintains a personal record of continuing education. Actively participates in continuous quality improvement (CQI) processes, both submitting and responding to feedback in a positive, proactive manner. Completes all requirements and advances the clinical ladder levels. Stays current with advances in pre-hospital and critical care medicine through ongoing training and education to maintain their skills and knowledge.
• Promotes a positive image of CHRISTUS Health by representing the CHRISTUS Health system in a diplomatic and professional manner, maintaining a professional appearance, and by providing excellent customer service in all aspects of care and operations. Serves as a resource person to the community and customers through public relations events, outreach education, patient follow-ups, and timely responses.
• This role may require staying past the scheduled shift end time as required to complete transport-related duties, such as documentation or a delay in returning to base to resolve pilot duty-time issues. Other on-shift and off-shift duties not covered in this job description may be assigned.

Requirements:

Education/Skills

• Associate degree in nursing required 

Experience

• 3 years of experience as a CHRISTUS flight Nurse required
• 5 years of experience working in the respective specialty unit, as stated in the position, is required 

Licenses, Registrations, or Certifications

• RN licensure in the state of practice is required
• ACLS or ACLS Instructor required upon hire
• PALS or PALS Instructor required upon hire
• BLS or BLS Instructor required upon hire
• Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) required upon hire
• STABLE required upon hire
• Driver’s license required upon hire

Work Schedule:

24 HOURS

Work Type:

Full Time