AEROMEDICAL EVACUATION
It ’ s a 24-hours-a-day , 365-days-a-year operation , covering thousands of miles in a single mission . You will be part of a complex patient pathway , involving specially chartered aircraft and dedicated teams of specialist nurses , physicians , surgeons , GPs and anaesthetists .
A single mission can last up to 40 hours and cross a number of international borders en route . You will be assessing risks , monitoring treatment and briefing colleagues . Evacuations need to be managed quickly , but without compromising patient care . You could be treating a soldier suffering from a tropical disease , or a critical casualty from across the world .
Conditions can be difficult – you will be working at high altitudes with limited space and equipment . The vibrations and heat of the aircraft and the physiological challenges of working in-flight make this the ultimate medical challenge .
As a member of the Princess Mary ’ s Royal Air Force Nursing Service ( PMRAFNS ) you will receive training in looking after patients in the air , as well as support and guidance on your initial missions to understand the clinical and logistical challenges it can entail .
Once trained in Aeromedical Evacuations you can then look to specialise this skill further gaining qualifications in specialised areas such as the Medical Emergency Response Team ( MERT ), Critical Care Air Support Team ( CCAST ) and the Air Transportable Isolator ( ATI ).
Image above : MERT Mission
Image above : ATI training exercise in Romania with coalition forces .
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