Flight Nurse Average Salary: All You Need to Know
Being a nurse is an exciting and challenging job at the same time. It is exciting because of the sense of urgency it entails and it can be challenging for the same reason somehow. Having to deal with real problems that concern people is not easy and providing them with solutions can be even harder. Still, one can feel very rewarded after completing a task that helped someone get through a health concern.
Flight nurses are part of this large group of nurses, but their job is quite peculiar: flight nurses take care of patients when they are getting transported in an aircraft. They usually work with other professionals, making sure the patient is well taken care of. In this article, we will address some of the most asked questions regarding this profession. In addition to providing information about the education and skills needed to become a flight nurse and the workplace possibilities, we will focus on their salary. If you are already a nurse and you would like a change, becoming a flight nurse may be your path to follow.
What Is a Flight Nurse?
A flight nurse is a registered nurse (RN) that takes care of patients when they are getting transported in an aircraft for further and better care. They usually get called when the patient’s condition is critical, and they make sure that they reach the destination safely and hopefully without further damage.
Flight nurses provide medical care as an intervention unit for emergencies and during transportation. For example, usually, when a helicopter is called to an accident scene, it is almost certain that the situation is most likely critical. That’s why flight nurses must be highly skilled and able to intervene in the most severe situations.
Skills
The skills required to become a flight nurse are similar to those of regular nurses. But, there is more to this. Flight nurses should be very good at multitasking as they might have patients that need treatment in multiple areas. Also, they should have high-mobility skills as they will be on the move most of the time. Having great knowledge on how to treat people for a wide range of conditions and concerns is also highly required considering that in most situations when flight nurses are intervening, the patient’s condition is critical.
In addition, one of the most important skills that a flight nurse should master is stress and time management. Knowing what to do, how to do it, and doing it at the right time is a must. This comes together with the fact that they have a short time to execute most actions and do it while the aircraft is moving, which provides very limited space and extreme conditions.
Education requirements
In order to become a flight nurse, you will have to become a registered nurse together with some additional steps. Let’s lay them out!
1. Become a registered nurse
Normally, to become a nurse you need to complete an accredited program. Most job offerings require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree to become eligible for application. Also, you need to pass the NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses).
Interested in pursuing an RN degree in California?
Fill out the form and get all the detailed information you need regarding your chosen program.
2. Gain experience in the ICU or ER
Flight nurses should accumulate experience working in the ICU or ER as they will intervene in very critical situations and their critical thinking skills play a very important part in the success of an intervention.
3. Get certified
In order to become a flight nurse you should get certified as a CFRN (Certified Flight Registered Nurse) from the BCEN (Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing). This will show high competency for your further possibilities of employment.
In addition to these steps, flight nurses should have basic flight and navigating skills.
Where Do Flight Nurses Work?
Flight nurses can work in many institutions that provide emergency services with aircrafts. Most states in the U.S., Europe, and Australia provide these kind of services. Also, flight nurses can find jobs teaching at university hospitals.
Aside from that flight nurses can work at:
Fire stations
Search and rescue centers
Government agencies
Military, etc.
How Much Do Flight Nurses Make?
We’re finally addressing the key topic: What is the flight nurse average salary? According to Salary.com, flight nurses make about $89,410 on average. However, the salary will depend on factors such as certifications, level of education, years of experience, or the job provider.
Flight nurse average salary based on experience
Based on the years of experience flight nurses’ salary varies. Below we will show the average hourly wages for flight nurses with different years of experience.
Flight nurses with less than 1 year of experience get paid $27.76.
Flight nurses with 1 to 4 years of experience get paid $32.06.
Flight nurses with 5 to 9 years of experience get paid $33,19.
Flight nurses with 10 to 19 years of experience get paid $37,62.
Flight nurses with more than 20 years of experience get paid $38,00.
Best-paying states for flight nurses
Normally, a flight nurse’s salary also depends on the state they work in, as in most jobs. According to Nurse.org, New York leads the list of the highest-paying states in the U.S. with an annual income of $96,578, followed by New Hampshire with $93,784, and then Wyoming with $86,081. And the list of the top ten continues as such:
4. West Virginia - $83,907
5. Massachusetts - $82,881
6. Pennsylvania - $82,486
7. Montana - $81,184
8. Hawaii - $81,023
9. Arizona - $80,349
10. Washington - $79,937
How Can You Increase Your Salary as a Flight Nurse?
The salary of a flight nurse, as we mentioned before, depends on many factors. The hard work over the years will finally pay off as you gain more and more experience, and if you have the ability to move and would like a change, moving to a higher-paying state will also help will your income. Still, there are other factors that can help with increasing the wages of a flight nurse.
Furthering your education in the field is one way to increase your salary. This factor also impacts significantly your possibilities for getting a position in that job. Completing higher levels education make you more professional, competent, credible, and reliable.
In the same line, certifications also make for a great addition to the income of a flight nurse. Different job offers come along with slight variations on job requirements, so the more certifications you gain, the better for your job and your income.
Another strategic way to earn more is by working in the weekends or taking night shifts. Usually, weekend or night shifts are paid better than regular hours. But bear in mind that this job is very demanding and stressful; if you consider doing this in addition to your regular hours, this may put some strain on your health. Read this article on tips for preventing burn out.
Conclusion
Are you still considering whether becoming a flight nurse is worth it? Well, it is not easy to make that assessment, but what we know for sure is that it is a very rewarding as well as sacrificial job. It requires dedication and a great capacity to work under pressure. And the salary? With an average salary of $89,410, this amount stands well above the general average income in the United States. This should allow most individual to cover their daily life expenses comfortably.