First Transport Solo

We have been incredibly busy at work! Having 40 babies and only 12 nurses makes for some very busy not so much fun days at work! And this is supposed to be our "slow" time! What is it going to be like when it gets busy? Crazy!

This weekend was my first weekend of being on transport call! I finished my orientation, so it was time to fly solo. Literally! We normally only have call when we are at work. We leave and someone picks up our babies until we get back. Well, I got through the weekend without being called out anywhere. Then I got called by the night charge nurse Sunday night asking if I could take transport call Monday, so their assignments wouldn't be so bad if we had to leave and get a transport. Since it was President's Day, and Ky gets to enjoy all of the cheesy bank holidays off, I told her I could. I went to bed Sunday night really excited about getting to sleep in for once! Ky was going to take Rylan to school so I could sleep.

Well, the moment Ky walked out the door, my phone rang and it was dispatch telling me we were getting a baby from Clovis. I jumped up and started getting ready! Somehow, I was dispatched at 8:08 and was out the door by 8:20! Fully make-uped and everything! Crazy what adrenaline can do for you! My biggest fear was going by helicopter. We don't get to train on the helicopter, because there is not enough room to carry an extra passenger with our gigantic isolette we have for the baby. When Ky walked back into the house, he knew I had been called out. I immediately asked him if it was foggy outside, because then I knew we wouldn't travel by helicopter if it was. He said that it was completely clear and the sun was shining. Bummer! I knew what that meant! I would be enjoying my first helicopter ride!

I got to the hospital and got all my supplies around, got into a flight suit which was huge on me! The crotch was down to my knees and I had to roll up the sleeves! I looked pretty silly. We walked to the ER and the helicopter was waiting for us. We put on our helmets and had to load the isolette hot, which means while the helicopter is running! I went with a great experienced RT, respiratory therapist, and the AeroCare pilot and flight nurse were so nice! I survived and it was a great experience!

I was very surprised how loud the helicopter is! All the time!! You have to talk through a microphone on your helmet just to hear each other! I was also surprised how low to the ground we flew! All I had to compare it to was regular commercial flights and going on a transport by fixed wing which is a little airplane we fly in.

I ended up surviving and got the baby back to UMC safe and sound! It was a great experience and makes me so glad I decided to join the transport team!

Here is a link to a video of the AeroCare helicopter and fixed wing. It is kind of long, but I thought you might enjoy watching part of it and seeing how we travel on a transport when we aren't in an ambulance.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UTOSVhW0iI