Get hired: flight nurse and flight paramedic
Both roles fly together, and both have clear paths in. Here is what programs usually ask for. Always check the specific posting.
Flight nurse (RN)
- RN license in the states the program serves. A compact license helps.
- Usually 3–5 years of ICU or ED experience
- BLS, ACLS, PALS, NRP, plus a trauma course (TNCC, TPATC, or ATCN)
- CFRN (BCEN) is often required within about 2 years of hire. CTRN, CCRN, and CEN are also valued.
- EMS or prehospital experience is a plus. Some states require EMT certification.
Flight paramedic
- State paramedic license. National Registry is often preferred.
- Usually 3–5 years in a busy 911 or critical care transport system
- BLS, ACLS, PALS, NRP, plus PHTLS or ITLS
- FP-C (IBSC) is often required within about 2 years of hire. CCP-C is also valued.
- ICU, ED, or interfacility CCT experience helps.
New to this? Read How to Become a Flight Nurse (a paramedic guide is coming soon). See Basic Requirements for the CAMTS baseline for flight RNs and flight paramedics, side by side.
Certification prep (CFRN, FP-C, CCP-C)
Crews often name these resources: the ASTNA Patient Transport: Principles & Practice textbook, the official BCEN and IBSC practice exams, review courses like Impact EMS and FlightBridgeED, and question-bank apps like Pocket Prep. The CFRN and FP-C cover a lot of the same material: vents, hemodynamics, pressors, gas laws, labs, trauma, and flight physiology.
Some of these may later be affiliate links. We'll always label them.
Interview tips
- Ask about a ride-along. It's the best way to learn what a program wants.
- Expect clinical scenarios and skills stations.
- Starting at a rural base and transferring later is a common path.