captainflyingtoaster

[captainflyingtoaster]

Inching forward

In January, Air Care started a critical care ground ambulance service. The primary purpose was to transport patients between hospitals when they couldn't be flown (bad weather, too much equipment, helicopters too busy, etc.) The secondary purpose is to serve as a proving ground for folks who want to be on the flight team to show that they can do the job, just closer to the ground.

I've been pickup up shifts on the ground team a little less than once a week and have been loving it so far. The work is interesting, the coworkers are fantastic, and I know it's bringing me closer to joining the flight team.

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Last Thursday at around 2:30, I got a call from the chief flight nurse. She started by asking about the bonuses I should get credit for for shifts I'd picked up. This was odd, because those conversations are usually handled over email.

Then, she said she'd heard (correctly) that I had proposed taking the two part-time nursing positions they were considering opening and smooshing them into one, full-time position. That position could, perhaps, be filled by a certain bald, grey-eyed nurse/paramedic.

She asked if I was serious about this, and I told her, "Deadly." She asked if night shift was okay, and I told her, "Yes."

She said she would "ponder" and "talk to some people."

This all sounded very positive, and I was quite excited.

That day, at around 4:00, she sent an email out to all of the ground transport (CCT) personnel. One of two night shift nurses was, "no longer with the organization."

This is even positiver, and I am even more excited!

[captainflyingtoaster]

I'm a Paramedic!!!!

Six weeks

Eight exams

Three specialty certifications

Two EMS licenses

I am not only fully qualified for the flight team, but I have several additional merit badges to make me a more attractive candidate.

Next step: waiting for a position to open and apply.

[captainflyingtoaster]

Where was this GIF when I started this process?

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My challenge is over the last couple of weeks have been about 30% studying, 20% actually taking tests, and 50% trying to get HR to put my new certifications in my file!

[captainflyingtoaster]

Not wasting any time

It took less than an hour from the time I was notified that my national EMT certification was complete for me to fill out, submit and pay for my state EMT certification application.

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They're like Infinity Stones

Or Pokémon. I have an obsessive need to Catch 'Em All:

[captainflyingtoaster]

Apparently, vigorously shaking the mannikins and yelling, "Live, damnit, live!" is not what the airway course instructors expect from us after seven hours of instruction.

[captainflyingtoaster]

I have slogged through the online version of the Air Medical Crew Course in advance of my skills day and written exam on the 10th.

While this provider's approach to asynchronous learning was more rigorous than usual, the content itself was rather dated, sometimes embarrassingly so...

[captainflyingtoaster]

I read someone referring to air ambulances as, "Boo-Boo Birds," and, henceforth, will call them nothing else.

[captainflyingtoaster]

Blasts From The Past

The text for my Air Medical Crew Course is from 2004, which. by medical standards, is ANCIENT. But this video I have to watch for the course.. I think if you freeze frame it, you can see one of The Apostles in the background...

[captainflyingtoaster]

For those playing along at home:

Here's my calendar so far:

10 Jan: Air Crew Medical Course written and skills tests (tentative)

10 Jan: Pediatric Advanced Life Support skills test

10 Jan: NREMT Skills Test

11 Jan: Certified Emergency Nurse written exam

11 Jan: Certified Flight RN written exam

16 Jan: Newborn Resuscitation Program written and skills tests

25 or 26 Jan: Air Medical Crew Course written and skills tests (alternate)

31 Jan: Emergency Nursing Pediatric Course

There are other tasks that I can't calendar yet, because they're dependent on other things.

Finalize application for NREMT (dependent on EMT skills test)

Submit application for State EMT (dependent on NREMT certification)

Submit application for State Paramedic (dependent on State EMT certification)

Schedule and pass Paramedic written exam (dependent on getting the go-ahead from the state)

Finalize Paramedic application (depending on the paramedic written exam)

So, you know, that's all. Even with bureaucratic delays, I don't think this will take longer than 4-6 weeks.

[captainflyingtoaster]

As if I didn't have enough on my plate

I took the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN) practice exams for emergency and flight nursing certifications, and passed them both handily without studying.

Since those certifications will make excellent resume candy for when I apply to flight, I've scheduled those exams for next Thursday, 11 Jan...