Flight Nurse

Jobtailor; Tucson (AZ); On-site; USD 85,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Air Methods is seeking an experienced Flight Nurse to deliver high-quality critical care during transport. You will assess, triage, and treat patients per Medical Director guidelines, ensuring safe, timely handoffs to receiving facilities.

The role requires RN licensure, 3+ years in critical care or emergency nursing, and current BLS/ACLS/PALS certifications. Aircraft medical equipment handling, on-call flexibility, and strong documentation are essential.

Qualifications

• Graduate of an accredited School of Nursing.
• Minimum 3 years critical care/emergency nursing experience within the last five years.
• Current RN license(s) for states of practice.
• EMS or MICN certification/licensure as required by state regulations.
• Current Healthcare Provider BLS/CPR, ACLS, PALS or equivalent certifications.
• TPATC/TNCC/ITLS/PHTLS advanced provider certification if required by state or county.
• Specialty certification (CFRN or CEN) required within 24 months of hire.
• One approved advanced trauma course certification before completion of third-rider training.
• NRP certification before completion of third-rider orientation.
• NIMS IS 100, 200, 700, 800, and HazMat training before completion of third-rider training.
• Maintain weight not exceeding 225 pounds including an empty flight suit and boots.
• Nursing skills within assigned state scope of practice and advanced practice skills defined by Medical Director(s) and Medical Standards.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including overtime and 24/7 on-call rotation.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Dependable and self-motivated in a frequently changing environment.
• Pre-hospital experience preferred.
• Flight experience is not required but is a plus.
• Bachelor’s degree in a health-related field preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-quality critical care, including assessment, triage, and treatment, according to Air Methods CBS standards and Medical Director guidelines.
• Assess illness or injury and prioritize care for safe transport of critical patients to appropriate facilities.
• Provide nursing care from initial patient contact until handoff to the accepting medical facility, maintaining thorough documentation.
• Maintain clinical competency through laboratory and clinical experiences and continuing education.
• Use and maintain aircraft medical equipment and supplies; report equipment failures and keep the aircraft clean and orderly.
• Attend pre-mission briefings and debriefings, complete documentation, assist with liftoff checklists, and support the pilot with radio, navigation, and visual observation activities.
• Conduct aircraft safety briefings and protect the safety of patients, crew, personnel, and equipment.
• Serve as a flight resource for neonatal and pediatric specialty transports and perform approved advanced procedures.
• Participate in patient and referring-institution follow-up, outreach marketing, and education activities.
• Precept and orient new employees and students as assigned.
• Participate in meetings, activities, projects, committees, research, and publishing opportunities.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Critical care nursing

Patient assessment

Triage

Documentation

Aircraft medical equipment maintenance

Communication skills

On-call duties

Pre-hospital experience

Education

RN license (state), accredited nursing program

Bachelor’s degree in health field

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft Outlook

Job description

• Provide high-quality critical care, including assessment, triage, and treatment, according to Air Methods CBS standards and Medical Director guidelines
• Assess illness or injury and prioritize care for safe transport of critical patients to appropriate facilities
• Provide nursing care from initial patient contact until handoff to the accepting medical facility, maintaining thorough documentation
• Maintain clinical competency through laboratory and clinical experiences and continuing education
• Use and maintain aircraft medical equipment and supplies; report equipment failures and keep the aircraft clean and orderly
• Attend pre-mission briefings and debriefings, complete documentation, assist with liftoff checklists, and support the pilot with radio, navigation, and visual observation activities
• Conduct aircraft safety briefings and protect the safety of patients, crew, personnel, and equipment
• Serve as a flight resource for neonatal and pediatric specialty transports and perform approved advanced procedures
• Participate in patient and referring-institution follow-up, outreach marketing, and education activities
• Precept and orient new employees and students as assigned
• Participate in meetings, activities, projects, committees, research, and publishing opportunities
• Perform other duties as assigned

Requirements

• Graduate of an accredited School of Nursing
• Minimum three (3) years of recent critical care/emergency nursing experience within the last five years or as required by state/local EMS regulations
• Current RN license(s) for states of practice
• EMS or MICN certification/licensure as required by state regulations
• Current Healthcare Provider BLS/CPR, ACLS, PALS or equivalent certifications as required by state or county
• TPATC/TNCC/ITLS/PHTLS advanced provider certification if required by state or county
• Specialty certification (CFRN or CEN) required within 24 months of hire
• One approved advanced trauma course certification (TPATC, TNCC, ATCN, TNATC, or CAMTS-approved course) before completion of third-rider training
• NRP certification before completion of third-rider orientation
• NIMS IS 100, 200, 700, 800, and HazMat training before completion of third-rider training
• Maintain weight not exceeding 225 pounds including an empty flight suit and boots
• Nursing skills within assigned state scope of practice and advanced practice skills defined by Medical Director(s) and Medical Standards
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including overtime and 24/7 on-call rotation
• Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
• Dependable and self-motivated in a frequently changing environment
• Pre-hospital experience preferred
• Flight experience is not required but is a plus
• Bachelor’s degree in a health-related field preferred but not required

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in critical care nursing, including assessment, triage, and treatment, while maintaining clinical competency through ongoing education and certification. Proficient in using aircraft medical equipment and ensuring patient safety during transport.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Critical Care Nursing Experience
• Current RN License
• BLS/CPR, ACLS, PALS Certifications
• CFRN or CEN Specialty Certification
• Advanced Trauma Course Certification

ATS Optimization Keywords

Hard Skills

• Patient Assessment
• Triage
• Documentation
• Advanced Practice Skills
• Aircraft Medical Equipment Maintenance

Soft Skills

• Excellent Communication Skills
• Self-Motivated
• Dependable

Certifications & Qualifications

• RN License
• BLS Certification
• ACLS Certification
• PALS Certification
• CFRN Certification
• CEN Certification
• TPATC Certification
• TNCC Certification
• ITLS Certification
• PHTLS Certification

Industry Keywords

• Critical Care
• Emergency Nursing
• Pre-Hospital Experience
• Flight Resource
• Neonatal Transport
• Pediatric Transport
• Medical Standards
• EMS Regulations

Tools & Technologies

• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Outlook