Skip to content Skip to Live Chat

HEALTHCARE CAREER GUIDES

Flight Nurse Career

OVERVIEW

What is a Flight Nurse?


 

Registered nurses who are looking for a unique and exciting environment may find a passion for becoming a flight nurse. Sometimes called an aircraft, helicopter, or transport nurse, flight nurses have many of the same responsibilities as registered nurses, but take it to a new level as they deal with offbeat and interesting patients from the air.

Different types of flight nursing job tend to be similar, but there is one important decision flight nurses need to make in regards to their career. Flight nurses have the option to choose a civilian or military career path, and those type of career positions are considerably different.

Civilian flight nurses typically work for public or private hospitals or clinics. They often are part of Life Flight and other transport operations to move patients to a better facility for their care. This can involve transporting newborn babies to a different hospital, moving patients from emergency situations to a hospital, transferring patients to a new location, working with organ donation, and more.

Military flight nursing involves nurses who are enlisted in the Air Force. Their role is to give nursing care to military members while transporting them to a different location. This may be transporting them away from a dangerous situation to a field hospital, transferring them to a new location that is better equipped to care for them, and more. Military flight nurses Work specifically with military members who often have battle injuries, and the care they give is vastly different than civilian flight nurses.

RESPONSIBILITIES

What Does a Flight Nurse Do?

Flight nurses take the responsibilities of an RN to new heights—literally. They are the ones on board the jet or helicopter, taking care of patients as they fly. Flight nurses are responsible for checking vitals, keeping records, administering medication, performing medical procedures, and more. Often aircrafts will have flight physicians that nurses assist in caring for patients, but in the event that there is no flight physician on board, a flight nurse takes charge. Flight paramedics may help flight nurses in their work in caring for patients while they are on the aircraft.

Flight nurses are also in charge of working with the medical crews on the ground so that everyone is on the same page when it comes to care. They are usually in constant communication with the ground crews to ensure that when they land, the patient can be immediately transferred to their care. Flight nurses also have to ensure that there is proper medical equipment ready to take care of the patient onboard the plane or helicopter. Flight nurses are responsible for many of the same things that emergency nurses are responsible for, but there is an added factor of increased time pressure, more emergent situations, and air travel involved for a flight nurse.

EDUCATION & BEST DEGREES

How Do I Become a Flight Nurse?

The educational requirements for flight nurses begin with becoming an RN. WGU offers a prelicensure nursing degree that gives students the chance to get their RN and BSN at the same time. Becoming an RN is the crucial first step to becoming a flight nurse, as flight nurses require licensure in order to qualify for flight jobs.

While you don’t have to get a degree to do this, most hospitals are hoping to get magnet status which involves having nurses that are licensed AND have a bachelor’s degree. Getting a bachelor’s degree in nursing is a great way to make yourself more competitive for nursing jobs in a hospital. Similarly, a master’s degree in nursing can give you that additional edge over competition, and help you be qualified and credentialed for raises and promotions in a hospital or clinic. Beyond a master's degree, a post-master's certificate in leadership & management can be beneficial. Flight nurse hopefuls may find that a bachelor’s or master’s degree helps them be more qualified and competitive for transport nursing positions.

Best Degrees for a Flight Nurse

Nursing (Prelicensure) – B.S.

A one-of-a-kind nursing program that prepares you to be an RN and a...

A one-of-a-kind nursing program that prepares you to be an RN and a baccalaureate-prepared nurse:

  • Locations: Due to in-person clinical requirements, students must be full time residents of FL, ID, IN, IA, KS, KY, NV, NM, NC, OH, OK, SC, TN, TX, UT to enroll in this program. The coursework in this program is offered online, but there are in-person requirements.
  • Tuition: $6,430 per 6-month term for the first 4 terms of pre-nursing coursework and $8,755 per 6-month term for the remaining 4 terms of clinical nursing coursework.
  • Time: This program has a set pace and an expected completion time of 4 years. Certain coursework may be accelerated to finish faster.
  • WGU offers the prelicensure program in areas where we have partnerships with healthcare employers to provide practice sites and clinical coaches to help teach you and inspire you on your path to becoming a nurse.
  • If you don't live in one of our prelicensure states or don't qualify to apply, consider getting our Bachelor's in Health and Human Services instead. This degree allows you to work inside the healthcare industry, while also working directly with patients who need help.

Skills for your résumé that you will learn in this program:

  • Community Health
  • Women's and Children's Nursing
  • Pathology
  • Physiology
  • Research

Nursing (RN-to-BSN Online) – B.S.

An online BSN degree program for registered nurses (RNs) seeking the added...

An online BSN degree program for registered nurses (RNs) seeking the added theoretical depth, employability, and respect that a bachelor's degree brings:

  • Time: 61% of graduates finish within 20 months.
  • Tuition: $4,685 per 6-month term.
  • Courses: 23 total courses in this program.
  • Transfers: Students can transfer up to 90 credits.

Skills for your résumé that you will learn in this program:

  • Healthcare Policy and Economics
  • Information Technology in Nursing Practice
  • Anatomy and Physiology
  • Applied Healthcare Statistics

If you don't currently have an RN and don't qualify for your nursing prelicensure program, consider getting our Bachelor's in Health and Human Services instead. This degree allows you to work inside the healthcare industry in a unique way.

Nursing – Leadership & Management (RN-to-MSN) – M.S.

This program for RNs includes a BSN component and is a substantial leap...

This program for RNs includes a BSN component and is a substantial leap toward becoming a nurse leader.

  • Time: 62% of RN-to-MSN grads finish within 37 months.
  • Tuition: $4,685 per 6-month term during undergraduate portion and $4,795 per 6-month term during graduate portion.
  • Courses: 32 total courses in this program.

Skills for your résumé you will learn in this program:

  • Quality Outcomes in a Culture of Value-Based Nursing Care
  • Nursing Leadership and Management
  • Advanced Pathopharmacological Foundations
  • Informatics for Transforming Nursing Care

If you're driven to lead, this online nursing degree will provide you everything needed to make that career a reality. This program is ideal for current RNs who are interested in earning both their BSn and MSN in an accelerated program.

Compare degrees

This program is not the only degree WGU offers designed to create leaders in the field of healthcare. Compare our health leadership degrees.

Nursing – Leadership & Management (BSN-to-MSN) – M.S.

For registered nurses with a bachelor's degree who are ready for...

For registered nurses with a bachelor's degree who are ready for additional career opportunities.

  • Time: 61% of grads finish within 23 months
  • Tuition: $4,795 per 6-month term
  • Courses: 15 total courses in this program

This program is ideal for current RNs who have a BSN and are ready for the next step in their education.

Skills for your résumé you will learn in this program:

  • Quality Outcomes in a Culture of Value-Based Nursing Care
  • Nursing Leadership and Management
  • Advanced Pathopharmacological Foundations
  • Informatics for Transforming Nursing Care

Compare degrees

This program is not the only degree WGU offers designed to create leaders in the field of healthcare. Compare our health leadership degrees.

Nursing Leadership and Management – Post-Master's Certificate

A certificate for registered nurses with a master's degree in nursing who...

A certificate for registered nurses with a master's degree in nursing who are ready for greater responsibility in a leadership and management role.

  • Time: Students typically finish this program in 12 months.
  • Tuition: $4,795 per 6-month term. The cost to sit for the NAHQ Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ) exam is included in tuition.
  • Courses: 8 total courses in this program.

Skills for your résumé that you will learn in this program:

  • Strategic Planning
  • Resource Management
  • Business Case Analysis
  • Evaluating Healthcare Improvements

How Much Does a Flight Nurse Make?

$117,000

Flight nurses make an average annual salary of $117,000 per year. This salary level vary greatly based on the location where you work, the kind of flight nurse you are, and the level of education that you have. If you have a bachelor’s or master’s degree, you may be eligible for promotions and raises in the flight nursing field, upping your salary and giving you more options in the field. 

What Is the Projected Job Growth?

6%

From 2022 to 2032, employment for registered nurses is expected to grow 6%. Flight nursing is expected to rise as part of that outlook as well. Hospitals, clinics, and other medical facilities are all needing more registered nurses to care for patients in a productive and efficient way. If you’re considering becoming a flight nurse, now is a great time to get started on the path.

SKILLS

What Skills Does a Flight Nurse Need?

The exact skills that flight nurses need will vary largely on the type of nurse they want to become, where they will work, etc. There are additional skills and educational requirements for those who want to become flight nurses including:

  • Neonatal resuscitation
  • Pediatric advanced life support
  • Advanced cardiac life support
  • Prehospital trauma life support
  • Ventilator training
  • Experience with overnight and on-call rotations
  • Trauma and critical care experience
  • Strong leadership particularly in stressful situations
  • Strong communication in all types of environments
  • Flight experience can be beneficial

Our Online University Degree Programs Start on the First of Every Month, All Year Long

No need to wait for spring or fall semester. It's back-to-school time at WGU year-round. Get started by talking to an Enrollment Counselor today, and you'll be on your way to realizing your dream of a bachelor's or master's degree—sooner than you might think!

Next Start Date
{{startdate}}

Interested in Becoming a Flight Nurse?

Learn more about degree programs that can prepare you for this meaningful career.