If you receive serious injuries in a motor vehicle accident that are beyond the capabilities of a smaller hospital to treat, you may require transportation to a larger facility via Nightingale helicopter. According to 3WTKR, the trip via ambulance could take 40 minutes to an hour, while in a Nightingale, the average time in transit is a fraction of that, lasting only 20 minutes. This is important when you have a serious injury and every second counts.
Before your Nightingale trip, a crew of flight nurses and flight paramedics will work to stabilize your condition. This is a crucial step because they must remain safely belted in during transit. The interior of the helicopter contains advanced equipment rivaling that of the intensive care units in smaller hospitals. The flight crew has designed the interior so that everything is within easy reach and the use of the limited space is as efficient as possible.
Nurses and paramedics who serve on the Nightingale flight crew are fully fluent in both medicine and aviation. They receive extensive training for six to eight months before becoming part of the flight crew. Within a 24-hour period, the program typically receives four to five calls for an airlift. In 2018, there were a total of 722 airlift flights.
Nightingale is a not-for-profit organization that provides air transportation for patients who need advanced treatment quickly. It can be less than 10 minutes between the time that the flight crew receives the call and the time that the Nightingale takes off. This includes a weather check by the pilot.
