Critical Care Flight Nurses' role within secondary aeromedical services and the inter-hospital transfer of patients with acute spinal cord impairment

Abstract

Aim: To highlight the role of secondary aeromedical services and required knowledge of Critical Care Flight Nurses (CCFN), in facilitating the safe inter-hospital transfer of patients with acute Spinal Cord Impairment (SCI) from a Major Trauma Centre (MTC) to a specialist SCI centre. Method: Literature search. Results: There is significant demand for secondary aeromedical services in order for patients with acute SCI to be transferred to a SCI centre within 24 h of injury. CCFN play an important role in triaging patients, coordinating patient care, arranging logistics of transport as well as providing direct clinical care inflight. CCFN must have knowledge regarding the pathophysiology of acute SCI, altitude physiology and interventions to manage stressors of flight in the aeromedical environment. Specific clinical challenges encountered by CCFN include the prevention of hypobaric hypoxic hypoxia and achieving appropriate immobilisation of the spine. Conclusion: Mitigating the increased risk associated with transporting critically unwell patients with SCI in the aeromedical environment, relies on aeromedical clinicians with education and training within the clinical specialty of aeromedical retrieval. The availability of secondary aeromedical services to undertake urgent inter-hospital retrieval of patients with acute SCI will be promoted by the continued development of Retrieval Nurse Practitioner (RNP) roles.