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For nurses seeking a change in their career, the demand for flight nurses is growing along with an aging population, as more people with medically sensitive conditions join the travelling public. More people are in need of direct nursing when they travel for a variety of conditions that make it inadvisable for them to travel alone or without a trained medical professional. RNs and BSNs can add a sought-after certification to their resume and travel the world at the same time.

What is a CFRN?

A flight nurse is a nurse trained to undertake nursing duties either in a helicopter or in a fixed-wing aircraft. Any RN with an unrestricted license can take the exam, though it is recommended that they have two years of flight nurse experience. A BSN is not required, any RN with a nursing diploma can qualify. Most employers want nurses to have at least a few years of experience in emergency medicine and a Basic Life Support certification, as well as certifications in the following:

• Certified Emergency Nurse or Certified Critical Care Nurse

• Transport Professional Advanced Trauma Course

• Advanced Pediatric Life Support

• Advanced Cardiac Life Support

Most people do not expect to find a Certified Flight Registered Nurse outside of the military, or life-flight and air ambulance services, but demand has been growing for some time for civilian care on commercial airlines and private aircraft. Flight nurses travel with people who need their services whether young or old. For instance, a flight nurse may accompany a senior with Parkinson’s disease to see family in another country, or accompany a family bringing their child to a hospital for a transplant.

In both cases, the patients need more care than their families, or the airline, is capable of providing. Flight nurses are responsible for monitoring the patient, administering medicines and care as needed while enroute to their destination.

Do You Have what It Takes?

Good nurses can go anywhere, and that’s one of the perks that makes nursing so appealing. As you can see from the above information, experienced nurses are preferred. This makes it ideal for military nurses leaving the service, or for nurses with specialties in critical care, pediatric trauma, and emergency room experience. The next phase of your nursing career could be taking off! Find out more about becoming a flight nurse, and apply to work with the best!

If you’re disabled, traveling may seem almost impossible. When you have special health concerns and limitations, finding the accommodations you need to enjoy touring even nearby locations can be difficult. It can be helpful to have a partner along to advocate for your needs, as well as to prepare in advance. Here are some helpful hints for how to get the most out of travel despite disabilities.

Let Go of Your Pride

It can be embarrassing to admit to certain disabilities, but if you require assistance, it won’t be to your benefit to keep these details to yourself. Need to wear an assistive device? Need translation services or other help understanding directions or safety instructions? Speak up, and make sure that you’re heard by the people who will be serving you during your trip.

Keep Everything Within Reach

If you have prescriptions you take daily or even more regularly, keep them on-hand when boarding the plane, boat or other modes of transportation. Be certain you have a list of drug names, dosages and prescribing physician’s contact information along as well, in case another party unfamiliar with your routine must assist you with dosing.

Look for the Help You Need

When your plane lands or your boat docks, you may be very excited to move on to sightseeing. Be certain to wait until you can see the assistive devices, though, to make sure you’ll have the help you need in departing the vessel. If it isn’t there when you make it to the exit, you could be injured or hold up the rest of the passengers in a way that might become a fire hazard.

Know Your Limits

It pays to know exactly what you are and are not comfortably capable of. This is especially true when traveling, as you will need to alert the staff of airlines, hotels and other relevant services of your need for accommodations as soon as possible.

Never Travel Alone

If you have special needs, either physical or medical, it is wise to bring a travel companion along for your journey. A second party can help with everything from pushing your wheelchair to opening doors and holding elevators. If you need medical assistance, you can book a nurse travel companion from companies like Flying Nurses International. They staff only qualified nursing professionals, who are ready to accommodate you to any location you choose.

You can enjoy traveling, regardless of your disabilities. Need a little extra help? Contact us today, and see what our nurse travel companions can help you see and do!

Life’s adventures don’t have to end when your youth does. With a few extra precautions and a family member, friend or hired travel companion for seniors, you may continue to enjoy exotic locations and experiences well into your golden years. Here are a few tips on staying safe and enjoying the ride.

Get Your Vaccinations

It is of chief importance when you are traveling abroad that you ensure that you are up to date on all necessary vaccinations. Depending on where you will be traveling, you may need special doses that your insurance may not cover, but don’t let that discourage you from seeking them. Without proper vaccinations, you may not be permitted to travel to your destination. Factor the cost of all preliminary health care into your travel expenses.

Bring Your Medications

The last thing you want during your travels is to be stranded in a country or location where you can’t fill your prescriptions. If you will be away for an extended period, consult with your doctor and pharmacists about larger quantity fill of your usual scripts. If you’ll only be gone for a short period, be certain to bring all of your medications along in a travel-safe container. You may also wish to bring dosing instructions, just in case your travel companion or other personnel needs to dispense your medication to you.

Be Proactive and Preventative

It is an unfortunate fact that injury and illness are leading causes of preventable death in travelers. Minimize the possibility of getting sick or hurt by acting judiciously and taking precautions for your safety and health. Travel in reputable vehicles, and always wear your seat belt. Avoid nighttime travel, especially on dangerous or poorly-lit roads. Consider purchasing travel insurance—and if you are going to an island area or location where natural disasters are possible, consider also paying for evacuation insurance.

Don’t Go It Alone

Above all, senior travelers should bring along a companion to assist with personal and medical care and general mobility. Whether you have disabilities and major medical conditions or not, it’s always a good idea to have a travel companion for seniors. If you do not have a friend or family member who can make the trip with you, consider hiring one from a service like Flying Nurses International. This way, you can be certain your travel buddy is medically experienced and ready for anything that your journey might throw at you.

So, go on. Explore the world. With the right preparations and a little planning, there’s nothing stopping you!

Hiring an international medical escort makes travel easier for elderly patients and their families. Here’s why you should consider hiring one:

Patchwork of solutions

In the past, if you had to travel with a senior loved one, you would need to do research on the logistics of how to carry specialized equipment like oxygen tanks on board a flight, says the Huffington Post. That would mean contacting the airline and hotel. You would need to review airline and hotel policies too. And just in case something happens, you’ll need to know where the nearest hospital is and note their emergency numbers. By hiring a medically trained escort from a nursing assistance company, you can rest easy knowing the company can take care of all these needs for you and your senior loved one.

Better focus and care

With a medical assistance firm providing you with much needed help as you deal with the logistics of bringing along a wheelchair or oxygen tank, you can focus more on alleviating the anxiety or confusion your elderly loved one feels. For many senior travelers, being in an airport can be a massive assault on their senses. With a medical escort to take care of the small details, you can provide your loved one with better care throughout the process so s/he won’t feel overwhelmed and stressed any further.

Ease and convenience

By hiring a medical assistance company, you can count on them to make the travel so much easier and much more convenient for you and your loved one. Instead of you trying to handle luggage and medical devices by yourself while your loved one is left to his own devices, you have someone to look after your elderly traveler. There’s zero risk of your loved one getting lost in the crowd while you’re busy talking to the airport officials.

Emergency help

In many cases, an international medical escort has the training and qualifications to administer medical services or help in emergency situations. If a wound breaks open, for instance, your medical escort will know what measures to take to keep the patient calm and comfortable while dealing with the emergency. You can rest easy during the flight, knowing that when you close your eyes, someone is still going to be there to offer your loved one support and to assist him whether he wants to go to the bathroom, needs medication dispensed, or would like to enjoy a snack.

Need a medical escort today? Reach out to us at Flying Nurses International for more details.

If your loved one has a medical condition, hiring a critical care flight nurse is a wise decision. Here’s how to know if you’re getting the right one for the job:

Trustworthiness

Look for a company that offers medical escort services. Choose one that has a solid reputation in the industry for providing excellent and outstanding care and assistance during transport. Look for online reviews and feedback. These are typically indicative of the experience that past clients have had with the company and its crew. If they’re satisfied and pleased with the level of service they’ve received, chances are you will be too. That’s the kind of medical escort service you’ll want to mind your loved one’s care.

Dedication

Choose a company that employs RN flight coordinators who are committed to taking charge of all the details in your loved one’s travel plan. This kind of assistance will prove invaluable in your situation. After all, if you’re dealing with all the other minutiae that inevitably come with taking care of a sick loved one, you’ll have your hands already full. A flight coordinator can take care of all the issues so you can focus on other aspects pertaining to the medical care of your parent or relative.

Customized solution

Cookie-cutter travel plans are out of the question. Your loved one has specific needs— in regard to the level of medical assistance needed to medication management aid—and finding a company that offers a travel plan that’s the same for all its customers isn’t going to suffice. Instead, look for a service that offers travel escort assistance that factors in what you and your loved one need. With a customized solution, you and your loved one can count on receiving the best care and help possible.

A word of advice

While hiring a critical care flight nurse with these qualities is a wise move, making the effort to ensure your loved one travels with family at all times can be even better. Competent travel escorts can look after your loved one’s health and well-being, but you being there will help them feel safe. This will also effectively lessen the confusion and anxiety they’ll feel about traveling with a stranger. If they’re well enough to travel on their own or have a medical condition, ensuring seniors travel with family is a good piece of advice, confirms The Points Guy, one you should take to heart.

Need help while you travel with your senior loved ones? Contact us.