Flight Nursing Program

Currently, the flight certificate program is designed to introduce advanced critical care to nurses at the advanced practice level who will be practicing in the critical care transport setting. The program is part of the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing's Master of Science in Nursing as a subspecialty of the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program.

In addition to your work in the classroom, you will experience frequent simulation scenarios in the nation's first medical helicopter simulator. This high-fidelity simulator mimics the sounds, vibrations and movements of a helicopter while you manage critically ill or injured patients.

In the past, FPB has also offered and hosted an international critical care transport conference, which enhances the flight nursing curriculum with advanced training directed toward those pursuing or working in critical care transport. The program is comprised of advanced didactic lectures, lab-based skill stations, and simulations.

Physical Requirements

Students must meet the physical ability requirements of our clinical agencies, including the air medical services providers, to be able to provide care while ensuring the safety of students, crew members and the public in unstructured environments.

Learn more about Dorothy Ebersbach, an alumna and flight nursing pioneer who made FPB's flight nursing program possible through her philanthropy.

Nation’s First Critical-care Transport Helicopter Simulator for Flight Nurse Training

Acute care nurse practitioner (ACNP) students, specializing in flight nursing at Case Western Reserve University, will train in the nation’s first state-of-the-art simulator built in an actual helicopter. The simulator creates the sense of treating critically injured patients from takeoff to landing.

The helicopter simulator is located in the Sheila and Eric Samson Pavilion on the Heath Education Campus and is used for the Dorothy Ebersbach Academic Center for Flight Nursing Program and Critical Care Transport training.

The helicopter features some of the most advanced medical equipment with authentic aerial views projected within the windows and movement that mimics changing altitudes and weather conditions throughout the flight.

Read The Daily article from December 2014 on the flight center's opening.