How To Be A Transport Nurse: A Complete Guide

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If you are looking for a really challenging and fast-paced career, transport nursing is a specialty you should totally consider. Nurses working as a transport nurse are responsible for providing on-scene nursing care in situations where patients urgently need to be taken from one place to another.

Because they are responsible for providing life-saving care on the go, they need to be highly skilled and trained to do the job. And if you are seriously thinking of becoming one, it’s important that you know exactly what you’ll be getting yourself into.

Before we share with you the things you need to acquire or do to become a transport nurse, below is a brief overview of the job.

What Does A Transport Nurse Do?

The main responsibility of a transport nurse is to make sure that his patients are able to reach their destinations safely and quickly.

While transporting a patient, you may need to do a variety of non-emergency and emergency medical procedures to stabilize the patient. That can include performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation, tracheotomies, and intubation in medical emergencies.

You may also need to be present during routine patient transfers. This typically happens when patients need to be transferred to another facility that’s more capable of providing the type of care the patient requires.

During the trip, you will be responsible for monitoring the patients’ vital signs and administering medications. And once you’ve arrived at your destination, you’ll need to transfer the patients’ records and update the receiving medical team.

Where Can You Work?

You can work in a variety of settings, like hospitals and clinics. There are also private medical transport organizations that hire transport nurses. You can also look for work in the various branches of the military.

What Skills Do You Need?

You need to be efficient and accurate if you want to be a successful transport nurse. Those two things are important since you need to provide the right medication and care to your patient even during stressful and difficult conditions. You need to be able to work properly even under extreme pressure.

Transport nurses also need to possess great communication skills as they need to act as liaisons between the awaiting medical crews and themselves. They need to know everything about the patients’ medical condition, including the treatment they received before, during, and after transport so that they can communicate them to the receiving team.

Additionally, you need to possess a warm and empathic personality. Remember, you’ll be caring for patients who are in shock, severe pain or distress. With that, you have to make sure that you’re able to provide care in a soothing and supportive manner.

Becoming A Transport nurse

Before you can become a transport nurse, you need to be a registered nurse first. This involves getting a nursing degree and passing the NCLEX-RN.

Additionally, you need to have the right experience. You can get that by working in trauma centers, emergency rooms, and intensive care units. And to make sure that you’re able to meet the demands of the job, you need to undergo additional training and attend educational seminars. They can help you stay updated with the recent trends and development in critical care.

Take note that the requirements for the job don’t end with certificates and seminars. For you to be effective in your job, you need to be physically fit. You have to be agile and you need to possess great stamina. Being in a good physical shape can help you meet the demands of the job.

How Much Does A Transport Nurse Earn?

As of 2018, transport or flight transport nurses earn $82,980 on average. That number can vary based on your education, additional skills, certifications, and your experience. The number of years you’ve spent in this specialty can affect the salary you get, too.

Aside from the high salary, the career outlook for transport nurses is great. With the increase in the aging population, you can expect to have an increase in the demand for nurses.

Watch This Video

See a real life transport nurse in action.

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