Letter from the Editor
The current climate for overseas travel, and especially for airlines, is not looking healthy. Soaring fuel prices mean that already this year, several airlines have ceased business. At the time of writing, Excel are the latest victim with thousands of holidaymakers stranded abroad and there are fears for further airlines in the near future.
As flight nurses, we are even more acutely aware of this climate as it has an effect on our working environment. Over the time I have been flying, there have been many changes in airlines such as increased numbers of low cost carriers, new start-up airlines with less experience of carrying unwell passengers and the more obvious changes in carriage of stretcher patients.
Yet, flight nurses are adaptable and will continue to work within this environment to ensure the best care for our patients despite all the current changes. Patient safety is key and part of this is knowledge that their oxygen needs in flight will be appropriate. Dr Terry Martin writes in detail on this subject for us.
Alongside this is aircraft safety and many of you will have heard of the decompression incident on the Qantas flight. You may even have been on that flight, or known someone who was. There was a happy ending, with the flight landing safely in Manila. However it does bring home how, not only do you have to contend with all the other logistics of a repatriation, but also the unexpected. Luckily, air travel is still the safest way to fly, and on page seven is a link to a website which shows each airline’s safety records.
On a lighter note
We had another successful study day in July. We had one of the highest numbers of in-flight nurses and associated parties attending and final numbers were in the 60s. Many of you commented that it was the best yet which is a great achievement!
We will also have a presence at the ITIC conference in Budapest in November, having specifically been requested by the organisers to speak on a flight nurse/repatriation related issue.
Forums are changing and Alan Steward talks about this in his letter. We are still a small (but loud!) forum and intend to continue to be your voice within the RCN.
There is lots more in this newsletter, so please enjoy, and as always, if you have any comments, I would love to hear from you.
Rita Mody