Registered Nurse (RN) MedCenter Air Clinical Transport

Advocate Health and Hospitals Corporation • Concord, NC

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The Registered Nurse provides advanced critical-care transport for patients by ambulance, helicopter, and airplane. The role requires operational knowledge of multiple transportation modes and training to meet FAA Part 135 requirements for flight crew members, including use of night vision goggles. The nurse works autonomously in dynamic and often resource-limited environments, including accident scenes and other locations outside traditional healthcare settings, making critical decisions based on patients’ changing conditions.

The nurse assesses patients, identifies care needs and expected outcomes, develops and implements individualized care plans, coordinates care, and evaluates outcomes. The role includes advanced procedures and management of airway support, ventilation, pharmacological agents, and specialized devices and therapies, including ECMO, VADs, Impella, intra-aortic balloon pumps, pacing, and ventriculostomy. The nurse may respond to hazardous conditions, disasters, and extended deployments.

This position requires the physical ability to transport and care for patients, handle equipment, and work in confined or poorly lit spaces and varied weather conditions. The teammate must meet department fitness and flight-weight standards, travel and work at multiple locations as needed, and maintain required certifications and specialty training. The role serves patients across ages, cultures, developmental stages, and special needs.

Requirements

• Graduate of an accredited school of nursing.
• Current RN license or temporary RN license in the state where the teammate works, subject to the stated National License Compact requirements.
• At least three years of clinical nursing experience in an Emergency Department and/or Intensive Care Unit.
• Experience as outlined in the Professional Nurse Clinical Advancement Program and compliance with its Clinical Nurse requirements.
• Demonstrate proficiency in advanced procedures and skills upon completion of orientation and biannually.
• EMT certification upon hire or by the end of orientation.
• Paramedic certification within one year of completing orientation; applicable state EMT-P, South Carolina EMT-P, and National Registry credentials must be acquired and maintained.
• Approved trauma certification within one year of hire, maintained throughout employment.
• BLS, ACLS, PALS, NRP, and S.T.A.B.L.E. certifications upon completion of orientation, maintained throughout employment.
• Maintain an advanced certification such as CFRN, CTRN, CEN, CCRN, or another equivalent certification approved under applicable medical transport accreditation standards.
• Maintain annual education compliance related to the specialty area and/or primary base location.
• Ability to meet the flight-weight limit of less than 240 pounds and maintain it while employed, except when the department has ground-position needs.
• Ability to ride, drive, and provide patient care in transport vehicles without a physical, emotional, or mental impairment that prevents these duties.
• Ability to perform heavy lifting with a partner to load and unload patients and carry equipment; maintain stamina, endurance, and fitness standards under Policy 2.210 (Fit for Duty).
• Intact sight, hearing, smell, and touch; finger dexterity, motor skills, and eye-hand coordination.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to speak understandable English.
• Ability to work in cramped and potentially poorly lit spaces, around moderate noise, and in conditions involving infectious disease, biohazards, contaminated materials, inclement weather, and other unpleasant exposures.
• Ability to work in and around emergency vehicles and use required hearing protection around hot aircraft.

Nice To Haves

• BSN.
• Previous transport or pre-hospital experience.

Responsibilities

• Collect and analyze patient assessment data to identify diagnoses or issues, establish expected outcomes, and develop individualized care plans.
• Implement care plans, coordinate care delivery, promote health and safety, and evaluate progress toward outcomes.
• Practice ethically, delegate appropriate elements of care, and contribute to shared governance and facility decision-making activities.
• Maintain nursing knowledge and competence, integrate evidence and research findings into practice, and contribute to quality nursing practice.
• Communicate effectively across practice settings and evaluate personal nursing practice against professional standards, guidelines, statutes, rules, and regulations.
• Use appropriate resources to provide safe, effective, and financially responsible nursing services, and practice in an environmentally safe and healthy manner.
• Model Advocate Health’s mission, vision, values, standards of excellence, and goals, and support its patient-centered care philosophy.
• Operate in multiple transport modes, including ambulances, helicopters, and airplanes, and meet flight-crew requirements, including use of night vision goggles.
• Independently perform advanced procedures, including drug-assisted intubation, video laryngoscopy, needle chest decompression, chest tube insertion, vascular and intraosseous access, pacing, and cricothyroidotomy.
• Initiate intubation, set up ventilation equipment, and operate, assess, and manage airway support, ventilator settings, and related equipment.
• Transport and monitor patients requiring ECMO, VADs, Impella, intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation, pacing, ventriculostomy, and point-of-care care; manage equipment challenges and failures without internal hospital support.
• Manage patients and make critical decisions in autonomous, dynamic, and resource-limited environments, including accident scenes outside traditional healthcare settings.
• Respond to accident scenes and disasters, work in hazardous conditions, and potentially deploy for extended periods.
• Drive and work in ambulances in all weather conditions and travel to multiple locations across applicable states and South Carolina as staffing needs require.
• Complete and maintain required specialty education, certifications, and annual training, including simulation, ventilator management, vehicle operations, air medical resource management, night vision, survival, and transport vehicle safety.

Benefits

• Paid Time Off programs.
• Medical, dental, vision, life, and short- and long-term disability benefits.
• Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses.
• Adoption assistance and paid parental leave.
• Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs.
• Educational Assistance Program.
• Competitive compensation, premium pay such as shift and on-call pay, incentive pay for select positions, and potential annual performance-based increases.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level