Flight Nurse - Hope, AR

Flight Nurse - Hope, AR

The Flight Nurse is a registered nurse and critical care transport clinician who provides safe, autonomous, evidence-based care to critically ill or injured patients across the lifespan. As part of an interdisciplinary transport team, the Flight Nurse assesses, stabilizes, treats, monitors, and transports patients by rotor-wing aircraft, fixed-wing aircraft when assigned, and ground critical care ambulance. Care is provided within applicable law, nursing licensure, Pafford Medical Services, Inc.

policies and clinical guidelines, the program's scope of care, and medical direction.

Essential Functions

• Review transport requests and available records; receive a complete handoff; independently assess the patient; identify transport risks; and develop an individualized plan of care.
• Stabilize, prepare, and safely transport adult, pediatric, neonatal, obstetric, medical, and trauma patients consistent with the program's approved scope of care.
• Continuously monitor the patient, recognize deterioration, anticipate complications, and initiate timely interventions or medical control consultation as required.
• Manage advanced airways and mechanical ventilation, hemodynamic monitoring, infusion therapy, vasoactive and sedative medications, blood products, drains, tubes, and other authorized critical care therapies.
• Maintain continuity of care from acceptance through bedside handoff and provide clear, compassionate communication to patients, families, and referring and receiving teams.

• Participate in mission briefings, risk assessment, crew resource management, and debriefing; promptly identify and communicate safety concerns.
• Follow aviation and ground safety procedures, instructions of the pilot in command, applicable FAA requirements, and program policies. This clinical role does not exercise aviation operational control.
• Perform equipment, medication, oxygen, battery, and supply checks; secure the patient and equipment; and maintain mission readiness.
• Coordinate effectively with pilots, communications personnel, EMS, fire and law enforcement agencies, referring and receiving facilities, and specialty teams.
• Complete missions initiated during the assigned shift when clinically and operationally appropriate, recognizing that mission completion may extend beyond scheduled hours and remains subject to fatigue-management and safety requirements.

• Complete accurate and timely patient care records, medication and controlled-substance documentation, equipment records, and required operational reports.
• Participate in quality management, case review, peer review, safety reporting, performance improvement, clinical investigation, and research activities as assigned.
• Inspect, clean, restock, and maintain equipment, medications, supplies, and transport work areas; promptly report deficiencies and remove unsafe equipment from service.
• Protect patient privacy and comply with documentation, billing, regulatory, and accreditation requirements.
• Participate in education, simulation, community outreach, committees, and other activities supporting clinical quality, safety, and service readiness.

• Successfully complete initial orientation, clinical validation, transport safety training, and competency requirements before independent assignment.
• Maintain required licenses, certifications, continuing education, clinical currency, skills validation, and annual competencies for assigned patient populations and interventions.
• Demonstrate sound judgment, professional conduct, teamwork, cultural sensitivity, and respectful communication in routine and high-stress situations.
• Serve as a clinical resource or preceptor when qualified and assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Current, unrestricted registered nurse license in each state required for assignment and patient transport; additional state licensure must be obtained within the timeframe established by Pafford Medical Services, Inc.
• At least three years and a minimum of 4,000 hours of recent critical care experience in an intensive care unit or emergency department relevant to the program's scope of care and patient populations.
• Current American Heart Association BLS and ACLS…