Aeromed Team | Tampa General Hospital

Aeromed Team

FLIGHT NURSE/PARAMEDIC

The role of a flight nurse/paramedic is to provide nursing management, critical care, and ensure patient safety during air transport. All Aeromed flight nurses/paramedics have critical care experience and comprehensive training to transport the most complex critical care and pre-hospital patients in the air medical environment

FLIGHT PARAMEDIC

The role of the flight paramedic is to provide pre-hospital care, treatment, and ensure patient safety during air transport. All Aeromed flight paramedics have significant pre-hospital experience and training to transport the most complex critical care and pre-hospital patients in the air medical environment. It is the combination of critical care trained flight nurse/paramedics and pre-hospital trained flight paramedics that forms a cohesive team to provide the highest quality patient care and treatment for patients of all ages, illnesses, and injuries.

COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST

The role of a communications specialist is to receive, process, and coordinate all Aeromedical transport requests from EMS agencies, the TGH Transfer center, and other referring facilities. Aeromed communications specialists are responsible for monitoring and tracking all aircraft activity, maintaining constant communication with inbound and outbound aircraft, and communicating with the vendor operational control center.  Additionally, communications specialists receive, process and transfer all communication regarding patients being transported to TGH by ground.

EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PILOT

Aeromed pilots are responsible for the technical preparation of flights, including route planning, fuel check and inspection of the helicopter. Pilots have extensive flight experience in helicopter aviation. Their duty is to safely transport themselves, their crew and the patient on board to the hospital during emergency situations.

FLIGHT CREW CONFIGURATIONS

The standard Aeromed medical crew configuration consists of a flight RN/paramedic and flight paramedic or flight RN/paramedic and flight RN/paramedic.  TGH perfusionists will be included in configuration for transportation of ventricular assist device (VAD) patients.  Neonatal patient transportation will include the addition of the TGH Neonatal Transport Team.  TGH physicians may request a resident or attending physician accompany an Aeromed Transport Team.

AEROMED CREW TRAINING

TGH Aeromed crew members receive continuous training and education including the following:

  • Advanced airway training

  • Competency-based equipment and procedural training

  • Safety and operational training specific to air medical environment

  • Quarterly training in aviation safety, operations and FAA regulations

  • Test-based monthly educational modules and protocol review

  • Bi-annual advanced training competency assessment, including:

  • Scenario-based simulation training

  • Advanced procedure training – central line and chest tube insertion and surgical airway

  • Specialized critical care training – IABP, VADs, pacemakers, pulmonary artery and arterial line catheter and ventriculostomy

*Air transport services provided by Metro Aviation, Inc.