ABSTRACT
Few topics in aeromedical transport circles excite more passion and debate than the optimal configuration of medical flight crew. Flight teams are both selected and limited by factors such as patient type, patient mix, aircraft capabilities, finances, local resources, marketing, and cultural considerations. Homogenous crews (in which both members of the crew are of the same professional group) provide for an absolute understanding between team members of the capabilities and limitations of each other. In the United states, the paramedic/nurse combination is widely used. The paramedic has expertise, training, and experience in handling the uncontrolled scene and the unstabilized, unpackaged patient, whereas the critical care flight nurse has experience in caring for unstable patients with multiple advanced monitoring and treatment modalities. The in-depth knowledge, education, and advanced skills of the flight physician represent a positive addition which compliments the experienced paramedic or nurse who offer a dimension to patient care overlooked in medical school education.
