Ms Maree Cummins1,2, Mr Hayden Wilson1,2 , Frank Townrown1
1Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section), Brisbane, Australia , 2Flight Nurses Australia , Sydney, Australia
Abstract:
Nurse Practitioner Aeromedical Trial and Research
In May 2023 RFDS (Qld Section) commenced a 2- year trial with Nurse Practitioners to service aeromedical retrieval requests that fall in between patient transfers suitable for Flight Nurse only and Flight Nurse plus Medical Officer. The Nurse Practitioner provides clinical support for RFDS Flight Nurses when the full scope of a Medical Officer is not necessarily required, allowing them to respond to the most critical cases.
Three Nurse Practitioners (NP) are engaged in the trial; and are also able to support RFDS flight nurses with or without midwifery.
Purpose/Objective:
To improved efficiencies across the aeromedical retrieval network, through better use of Medical Officer time, specifically:
- Reduce the need to task Medical Officers when the task is out of scope for a Flight Nurse, but the Medical Officer’s skillset is not required.
- Reduce the need to task the rotary wing Medical Officer when their skill set is not required, but the fixed wing Medical Officer is on another task.
- Improve response times using fixed wing planes when the fixed wing Medical Officer is on another task.
The Nurse Practitioner model will also enable two additional nursing positions within the current RFDS nursing career path: Nurse Practitioner and non-Midwife Flight Nurse.
This presentation will provide an overview of the trial, including enablers and barriers, for Flight Nurse/Nurse Practitioner crews undertaking aeromedical retrievals over the last 18 months.
Biographies:
Maree Cummins RN, RM, BAppSc (Nursing), Critical Care Certificate, Grad Cert (Aviation Nursing), Master Nurse Practitioner
Maree joined RFDS Qld Section in 1991, employed at Mount Isa as a Flight Nurse and Primary Health Care Nurse. When operations commenced at the RFDS Brisbane Base Maree was appointed as Senior Flight Nurse/Nurse Manager. Later Maree was moved to a statewide role as Nurse Manager – Aeromedical Training and Clinical Resources
In 2019, after completing the University of Qld Master of Nurse Practitioner Studies program, Maree became the first RFDS Qld Section Nurse Practitioner to undertake aeromedical retrievals as part of in a Nurse Practitioner/Flight Nurse crew. In 2023, when the the 2 year Nurse Practitioner trial commenced, Maree moved to a new position as Nurse Practitioner – Aeromedical
Hayden Wilson (MNP, BMid, GCertEMNurs, BN, DipN)
Initially from Norfolk Island, and after 10 years of shaping his career toward retrievals, Hayden joined RFDS Rockhampton base in 2018. He was privileged to receive an RFDS scholarship to complete his Master of Nurse Practitioner in 2022. He is one of the three Aeromedical NP’s undertaking this new and innovative trial, based out of Rockhampton.
His previous experience includes tertiary emergency and trauma care, nurse education, clinical trials and midwifery. Hayden is also the current Vice President of Flight Nurses Australia, helping to represent and promote the speciality.
Both Maree and Hayden look forward to presenting the evaluation findings and promoting the NP role further.