1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:03,240 Speaker 1: Oddly enough, and this is gonna sound so funny, I 2 00:00:03,279 --> 00:00:07,480 Speaker 1: am a baseball field person, like I look for a 3 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:09,280 Speaker 1: baseball field every time we take off. 4 00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:10,720 Speaker 2: Oh look there's a baseball field. 5 00:00:11,119 --> 00:00:13,800 Speaker 1: Maybe it's the softball player in me, but I love 6 00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 1: to see them from up high. 7 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:20,640 Speaker 3: That's Asia B. She's thirty years old, lives in Maryland, 8 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 3: and technically speaking, she's a critical care transport nurse at 9 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:29,360 Speaker 3: a large pediatric hospital in Philadelphia. But Asia's version of 10 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:33,920 Speaker 3: critical care transport nursing is quite unique because she's what's 11 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:36,920 Speaker 3: referred to in her line of work as a flight nurse. 12 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:38,160 Speaker 2: Yeah. 13 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:41,479 Speaker 1: So, a flight nurse is someone who essentially goes and 14 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 1: picks up patients in aircraft that can either be a helicopter, 15 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:47,800 Speaker 1: it could be a fixed wing, or any of those 16 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:49,640 Speaker 1: kind of vehicles that fly. 17 00:00:53,080 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 3: In honor of International Nurses Day, I spoke with Asia 18 00:00:56,800 --> 00:00:59,680 Speaker 3: about her job as a flight nurse, why she fell 19 00:00:59,720 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 3: in love with such a risky career, and how she 20 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:06,400 Speaker 3: balances the demands of such an intense job with motherhood 21 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:10,200 Speaker 3: and everything else she's got going on in life. And 22 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:13,160 Speaker 3: if you've never heard of flight nursing, you're not alone. 23 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:18,000 Speaker 3: Because prior to taking this job. Neither had Asia, but 24 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:21,600 Speaker 3: as an experienced er nurse and a self described thrill seeker, 25 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:24,600 Speaker 3: Asia knew the moment she heard that you could take 26 00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:27,480 Speaker 3: care of patients while soaring through the air that she'd 27 00:01:27,520 --> 00:01:32,240 Speaker 3: found the job for her. There was only one little issue. 28 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:40,119 Speaker 3: She'd never been in a helicopter before. Tell me about 29 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:42,760 Speaker 3: that first flight you took. Were you nervous? 30 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:45,319 Speaker 1: So we got a page and they send you an 31 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:48,559 Speaker 1: alert saying this is dispatch, this is the patient and. 32 00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:49,920 Speaker 2: They're like, yeah, you guys are going to go up 33 00:01:49,920 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 2: for a flight today. And I was like what. 34 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:55,160 Speaker 1: They're like, yeah, you're going to go up in the 35 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:56,680 Speaker 1: helicopter today. 36 00:01:56,880 --> 00:02:00,320 Speaker 3: And then, as she explained it, things started getting really 37 00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 3: She and her team take the elevator to the top 38 00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:06,480 Speaker 3: floor of the hospital and then walk out to the helipad. 39 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:11,160 Speaker 3: It's cold and it's windy, and her adrenaline is pumping. 40 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:14,080 Speaker 1: And then the nurse who had came with that crew 41 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:15,920 Speaker 1: is like, oh, is this your first flight. 42 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:16,680 Speaker 2: I'm like, yup. 43 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:18,919 Speaker 1: She was like oh okay, Like here's the you know, I'm 44 00:02:18,919 --> 00:02:20,800 Speaker 1: gonna show you the parts of the helicopter. Stay in 45 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:22,360 Speaker 1: the front, don't walk towards the back. 46 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:24,320 Speaker 2: It's kind of like when you're having a baby. They're 47 00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:24,960 Speaker 2: telling you all. 48 00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:27,800 Speaker 1: These things and you're like, I can't focus, like and 49 00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:29,320 Speaker 1: then I must have got too far away. 50 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:31,079 Speaker 2: She was like, stay close, member. I was like, oh god, 51 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:32,720 Speaker 2: I forgot already. 52 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:40,520 Speaker 3: Fortunately for Asia, the first flight was to bring her 53 00:02:40,560 --> 00:02:43,480 Speaker 3: out to a patient that they were picking up for transport, 54 00:02:43,840 --> 00:02:47,079 Speaker 3: so she could focus on the flight itself, get over 55 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 3: those first flight jitters, which for her immediately faded the 56 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:53,120 Speaker 3: minute the helicopter took off. 57 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:55,800 Speaker 2: I thought it was gonna be a lot more bumpy, 58 00:02:55,880 --> 00:02:58,040 Speaker 2: but it was very smooth. It was. It was amazing. 59 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:00,040 Speaker 2: It was just amazing being like that high up. 60 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:04,480 Speaker 3: As you can imagine. Being a nurse and a helicopter 61 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 3: is a heck of a lot different from nursing in 62 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:10,400 Speaker 3: a hospital. For one thing, it's really tightened here. 63 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:13,120 Speaker 2: So a helicopter is definitely a confined space. 64 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:16,080 Speaker 1: It is so small, even though I'm only five feet, 65 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 1: can't even like stand up inside of it, that's how 66 00:03:18,360 --> 00:03:18,920 Speaker 1: small it is. 67 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:22,520 Speaker 3: And unlike a hospital that has a well stocked supply 68 00:03:22,639 --> 00:03:25,239 Speaker 3: room and all the machines and monitors and nurse could 69 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:29,280 Speaker 3: need the limited space of a helicopter means Asia and 70 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:33,160 Speaker 3: her team need to pack wisely and bring only the essentials. 71 00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:37,840 Speaker 1: Our resources are pretty much what you bring in your pocket. 72 00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:40,440 Speaker 1: So we wear something called a flight suit and it 73 00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:43,480 Speaker 1: has about like twelve bockets on it and you can 74 00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:44,320 Speaker 1: stick things in it. 75 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:45,640 Speaker 2: I have like flushes. 76 00:03:45,840 --> 00:03:48,480 Speaker 1: I am like my alcohol swaps because there's not a 77 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:50,360 Speaker 1: lot of moving, Like you can't go reaching in a 78 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:52,640 Speaker 1: bunch of bags and doing a bunch of moving around. 79 00:03:53,160 --> 00:03:56,120 Speaker 3: Not to mention, they're up there flying through the air. 80 00:03:56,600 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 3: It's just her a partner and the pilot doesn't know 81 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:03,640 Speaker 3: how to do something. She can't page someone on another 82 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 3: floor to come help. So this means that a flight 83 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 3: nurse like Asia has to be on top of their game. 84 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:12,960 Speaker 1: One of the things that I always tell new nurses 85 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:15,720 Speaker 1: in the moment, it'll come to you. 86 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:19,680 Speaker 3: And that trust Asia has in her skills, that confidence 87 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:23,560 Speaker 3: in herself to rise to the moment stems from her 88 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:25,560 Speaker 3: training as an athlete. 89 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 2: I played softball in high school. 90 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:29,680 Speaker 1: I used to get on the dirt and I used 91 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:31,440 Speaker 1: to be like, I hope a ball doesn't come to 92 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:33,200 Speaker 1: me right, because you don't want to make a mistake. 93 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:35,360 Speaker 1: You don't want an error. You're worried about these things. 94 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:37,200 Speaker 1: I'm like, I hope a ball doesn't come to me. 95 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:39,719 Speaker 1: And my softball coach, she said, if you're on this 96 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 1: field and you hope the ball doesn't come to you, 97 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:43,240 Speaker 1: then we have an issue. 98 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:44,960 Speaker 2: And it's kind of the same thing in nursing. 99 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:47,000 Speaker 1: When you first start out and you're a new nurse, 100 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:49,760 Speaker 1: you're like, I hope I don't get a hard patient. 101 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:51,680 Speaker 2: I hope I don't get an IVY today. 102 00:04:51,839 --> 00:04:53,920 Speaker 1: You know, it's one of those things where that that 103 00:04:54,080 --> 00:04:56,760 Speaker 1: is a notice that you need to step your skills up, 104 00:04:56,839 --> 00:04:58,799 Speaker 1: because when you go to work, you should be saying, 105 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:01,360 Speaker 1: no matter what comes in that door today, I know 106 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:02,880 Speaker 1: that I'm going to be able to handle. 107 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:04,200 Speaker 2: It, especially as a flight nurse. 108 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:07,080 Speaker 1: No matter what page we get that day, I know 109 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:09,520 Speaker 1: that when I get up in that helicopter, I'm going 110 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:10,360 Speaker 1: to be able to do this. 111 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:13,560 Speaker 3: If you can hear a sense of conviction in Asia's 112 00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:16,960 Speaker 3: voice when she talks about nursing, there's a reason for 113 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:21,000 Speaker 3: that because nursing has always been Asia's goal. 114 00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:24,479 Speaker 1: Yeah, this is one hundred percent plan A for me. 115 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:27,479 Speaker 1: I always wanted to be a nurse. I went to 116 00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:29,800 Speaker 1: a high school that was called a vocational high school, 117 00:05:29,839 --> 00:05:32,719 Speaker 1: so they let you study some type of vocation, and 118 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 1: my vocation was practical nursing, which you got to graduate 119 00:05:36,040 --> 00:05:37,080 Speaker 1: with your LPN. 120 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:39,920 Speaker 2: From high school. So I did that program and I 121 00:05:40,120 --> 00:05:41,839 Speaker 2: was like, yeah, this is it, and then. 122 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:45,560 Speaker 1: From there I went straight to college and got my 123 00:05:45,720 --> 00:05:46,359 Speaker 1: four year. 124 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 2: Degree right away and it the rest's history. 125 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:52,839 Speaker 1: I one hundred percent once I started in it, just 126 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:54,720 Speaker 1: even that first day, I was like, this is what 127 00:05:54,760 --> 00:05:55,200 Speaker 1: I want to do. 128 00:05:55,279 --> 00:05:56,400 Speaker 2: This is definitely my calling. 129 00:05:59,120 --> 00:06:02,039 Speaker 3: So no, this isn't one of those stories about a 130 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:05,200 Speaker 3: wayward soul trying out a bunch of different jobs before 131 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:09,400 Speaker 3: finding the one that suited them. This is the story 132 00:06:09,440 --> 00:06:12,919 Speaker 3: of a woman who knew deep down exactly what she 133 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:16,240 Speaker 3: wanted to do in this life and then committed herself 134 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 3: holy to turning that dream into a reality. So when 135 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:23,559 Speaker 3: Asia shows up to work, she's not hoping to pass 136 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:27,599 Speaker 3: the time playing on her phone. She's there because she 137 00:06:27,680 --> 00:06:30,320 Speaker 3: has a job to do, her dream job. 138 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 1: We have this thing in nursing, which is kind of 139 00:06:32,520 --> 00:06:33,400 Speaker 1: I think all nursing. 140 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:33,920 Speaker 2: It's called a. 141 00:06:33,839 --> 00:06:36,920 Speaker 1: Superstition where you don't say it's quiet in here or 142 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:40,159 Speaker 1: on board, because when you say those things, things commit 143 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:42,360 Speaker 1: and I'm the one that's gonna walk in like, guys, 144 00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:46,880 Speaker 1: it's so quiet in here, because I'm like, we're doing this, 145 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:49,120 Speaker 1: We're gonna turn this up in here today. 146 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:51,200 Speaker 2: And people are like, Asia, why did you say that? 147 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:54,280 Speaker 1: I'm like, because we're just sitting here bored, like we 148 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:56,800 Speaker 1: need things to do. And so I am one hundred 149 00:06:56,839 --> 00:06:57,680 Speaker 1: percent the person. 150 00:06:57,520 --> 00:07:00,919 Speaker 2: Like I hope we get a flight today. 151 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:05,320 Speaker 3: When we come back from the break. Asia's pager goes off. 152 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 2: A strong work ethic, takes pride in a job well done. 153 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:21,720 Speaker 3: This is the kind of person you need. Express Employment 154 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:25,040 Speaker 3: Professionals can help because in good times or bad, we 155 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:28,000 Speaker 3: understand how critical it is to manage your business for 156 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 3: today with the right workforce. 157 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:34,200 Speaker 2: We offer hiring solutions to fit changing demands. 158 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 3: Express knows Jobs. 159 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:40,040 Speaker 1: Get to know Express go to expresspros dot com to 160 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:41,360 Speaker 1: find a location near you. 161 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:47,280 Speaker 3: We're back with Asia B, who shows up at her 162 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:51,080 Speaker 3: dream job as a critical care transport nurse, not knowing 163 00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:54,360 Speaker 3: exactly what that day is going to look like. One 164 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:57,080 Speaker 3: minute she might be working in the hospital and the 165 00:07:57,160 --> 00:07:59,440 Speaker 3: next she's speeding down I ninety five in the back 166 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:02,480 Speaker 3: of an ambul or putting a stint in a patient 167 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:05,680 Speaker 3: while soaring over Washington, d C. And a medical helicopter. 168 00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:10,320 Speaker 3: And for Asia, that uncertainty, that big question mark at 169 00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:13,080 Speaker 3: the beginning of each day is one of the best 170 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:17,640 Speaker 3: parts of the job. But it's a job not without risks. 171 00:08:17,880 --> 00:08:18,960 Speaker 3: Do you have a son, right? 172 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:22,239 Speaker 2: I do. He's a five year old and my son's 173 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:23,000 Speaker 2: name is Tate. 174 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:27,200 Speaker 3: Does your son worry about you going up in the helicopter? 175 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:31,800 Speaker 1: He's My son is five, so I don't know if 176 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:34,880 Speaker 1: he actually has grasped the idea that I am like 177 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:37,880 Speaker 1: that it's so dangerous in his mind. You know, when 178 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:40,280 Speaker 1: you're that young, Oh the beauty of innocence. You just 179 00:08:40,280 --> 00:08:44,480 Speaker 1: don't understand. This is dangerous. Mommy's job is dangerous. 180 00:08:46,679 --> 00:08:51,840 Speaker 3: Medical flights often occur in poor conditions and challenging locations, 181 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:55,200 Speaker 3: and while the industry has taken measures to increase the 182 00:08:55,240 --> 00:09:01,040 Speaker 3: safety of their work, risks still abound. In fact, just 183 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:05,080 Speaker 3: days before I interviewed Asia, a medical helicopter went down 184 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:10,560 Speaker 3: in Nevada, killing everyone aboard. And then when I was 185 00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:15,040 Speaker 3: editing this piece, a few weeks later, another medical helicopter 186 00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:20,040 Speaker 3: went down in Alabama. Asia is not ambivalent to the 187 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:23,520 Speaker 3: risk of her job. She knows that every time you 188 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:29,000 Speaker 3: go up there is that chance. But she also knows 189 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:31,880 Speaker 3: that it's part of the job, a job that she 190 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:33,400 Speaker 3: feels destined to do. 191 00:09:34,200 --> 00:09:37,080 Speaker 1: I think that one of the things for nurses, most nurses, 192 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:40,840 Speaker 1: nurses who care, are they're just so like selfless, right 193 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:43,320 Speaker 1: because the reality is we're here to help people, and 194 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:46,280 Speaker 1: so in our mind that's always our like, that's always 195 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:48,400 Speaker 1: at the forefront, So we don't really you can't really 196 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 1: think of anything else in those moments. 197 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:55,360 Speaker 3: As a mom herself, Asia knows the stakes. She knows 198 00:09:55,440 --> 00:09:59,880 Speaker 3: that oftentimes she's seeing families in their absolute worst moments, 199 00:10:00,760 --> 00:10:05,480 Speaker 3: seeing mothers and fathers in the midst of a living nightmare. 200 00:10:05,720 --> 00:10:08,680 Speaker 1: The thing about and they're saying that kind of fascinates me, 201 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:11,280 Speaker 1: I think is that you are literally taking care. 202 00:10:11,120 --> 00:10:12,880 Speaker 2: Of someone at their most vulnerable time. 203 00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:16,920 Speaker 1: You have the power to kind of be the difference 204 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:20,320 Speaker 1: between a good experience how they deal with this like 205 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:23,200 Speaker 1: most stressful time in their life, or adding more stress 206 00:10:23,240 --> 00:10:25,719 Speaker 1: and making it terrible for them, right, and especially I 207 00:10:25,760 --> 00:10:31,080 Speaker 1: think being a pediatric nurse, this is your most prized possession, 208 00:10:31,200 --> 00:10:34,320 Speaker 1: right and now you are literally as a mom, feeling 209 00:10:34,440 --> 00:10:37,320 Speaker 1: so helpless in this situation and you have no idea 210 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:39,360 Speaker 1: what to do, and I hear I come, and I'm like, 211 00:10:39,520 --> 00:10:41,400 Speaker 1: I know more than you about your kid. Right, No 212 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:44,000 Speaker 1: one likes to hear that, But I think in those 213 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:46,960 Speaker 1: moments like empowering parents and being able to be there 214 00:10:46,960 --> 00:10:50,599 Speaker 1: for them in their toughest time is probably like the best. 215 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:54,000 Speaker 1: If my patient leaves and doesn't feel like I've helped 216 00:10:54,040 --> 00:10:56,959 Speaker 1: them or held their hand through this, what was the point? 217 00:10:57,040 --> 00:10:58,760 Speaker 2: Then there's just really no point. 218 00:11:05,240 --> 00:11:09,599 Speaker 3: So here's the thing. Well, this episode is about Asia, 219 00:11:09,720 --> 00:11:14,160 Speaker 3: It's also about nurses everywhere. It's about those millions of 220 00:11:14,200 --> 00:11:16,800 Speaker 3: men and women who put on their nurses scrupts each 221 00:11:16,920 --> 00:11:20,080 Speaker 3: day and do their jobs, no matter how difficult or 222 00:11:20,160 --> 00:11:24,480 Speaker 3: exhausting or downright dangerous it might be. At the height 223 00:11:24,520 --> 00:11:28,320 Speaker 3: of the pandemic, entire cities came to a standstill as 224 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:32,200 Speaker 3: people banked pots and pans and screamed in praise of 225 00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:36,440 Speaker 3: nurses and doctors and other frontline workers. Maybe you were 226 00:11:36,480 --> 00:11:39,319 Speaker 3: one of those people who, at seven o'clock every night 227 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:42,679 Speaker 3: shouted out your window or stomped up and down on 228 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:47,080 Speaker 3: your fire escape in praise of our frontline workers, in 229 00:11:47,200 --> 00:11:51,440 Speaker 3: praise of our heroes. And as things returned to a 230 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:55,760 Speaker 3: sense of normalcy. I'm wondering if we can't find some 231 00:11:55,960 --> 00:12:01,080 Speaker 3: way to continue thinking those people, people like Asia, who 232 00:12:01,080 --> 00:12:09,960 Speaker 3: we turned to in our times of need. If you'd 233 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:12,320 Speaker 3: like to thank Asia, you can check her out on 234 00:12:12,360 --> 00:12:18,480 Speaker 3: our website Motheringdemama dot com. For on the job, I'm 235 00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:19,320 Speaker 3: Avery Thompson.