|
|
Nightingale Regional Air Ambulance
Sentara Nightingale marked its 23nd anniversary in 2005, having flown more than 16,000 accident-free missions since she her maiden flight in 1982. Today, it is one of the signature services that sets Sentara Healthcare apart as the premier provider of hospital and health care services in this region. The nation’s 38th air medical program and the regions first air ambulance, Sentara Nightingale has transported thousands of critically ill patients, primarily from Hampton Roads, to the helping hands of trained medical professionals all over Virginia.
Many patients and families have benefitted from the Sentara Nightingale service. If you wish to donate to Sentara Nightingale, you can do so through the Sentara Health Foundation. Print out the form below and mail it in with your donation. Be sure to check the box that reads "Most pressing need" and write "Nightingale" in the blank.
 Foundation Donation Form (PDF File)
You can also call (757) 455-7976 and donate by phone with a credit card.
From her home base at (Sentara Norfolk General Hospital), the area’s only Level I Trauma Center, Sentara Nightingale flies a 125-mile radius handling mostly trauma patients from car accidents, falls, burns or gunshot wounds. From Washington, DC to Ocracoke Island, and the Eastern Shore to Charlottesville, Sentara Nightingale flies more than 600 missions per year.
Sentara Nightingale provides rapid transport of the critically ill or injured, transporting patients from the scene of an accident, or from one medical facility to another. Sentara Nightingale is called into service when time is critical to the patient's survival and air transportation is the best method. She is often able to reach areas with limited access or assist communities where long transports would tie up limited EMS resources.
Sentara Nightingale is typically requested for three types of flights:
• Scene operations
• Interfacility
• Mutual aid flights
Scene requests comprise about 48% of Sentara Nightingale’s flights. They involve the treatment and transfer of patients directly from the scene of an incident or medical emergency. Scene operations are generally very quick, striving to reduce ground time to a minimum.
Interfacility requests are patient transfers from one medical facility to another and require direct physician-to-physician contact. Interfacility requests constitute about 52% of Sentara Sentara Nightingale’s flights annually.
Mutual aid request are relatively infrequent, comprising less than 1% of Sentara Nightingale’s total flight volume. Mutual aid requests usually involve illumination and/or search operations in the water or over land, and very rarely will involve the transport of equipment/personnel. Sentara Nightingale does not perform rescue operations, because the crew and aircraft are not equipped for this type of situation. The crew will assist in the search and help direct appropriate personnel and equipment to the area. Mutual aid missions are typically aborted when a patient transport is received.
Service area:
Sentara Nightingale’s coverage area is a 125 nautical mile radius from its base at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.
Sentara Nightingale Facts:
Sentara Nightingale’s first fight in 1982 began the nation’s 38th air medical program.
2007 will mark Sentara Nightingale’s 25th Anniversary.
Sentara Nightingale flies approximately 500 missions per year, and so far has flown more than 16,000 safe missions.
Sentara Nightingale is based at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, the regions only Level I Trauma Center. She services a 125-mile radius and flies as far north as Washington, D.C., south to Ocracoke Island; east to the Eastern Shore; and west to Charlottesville.
Each mission involves a three-person crew: certified pilot, flight nurse, and flight paramedic.
About 52% of Sentara Nightingale’s missions involve transporting a patient directly from the scene of the accident or medical injury, 48% involve moving a patient from one hospital or clinic to another, and 1% involve assisting state and local agencies in aerial searches, etc.
Sentara Nightingale is typically requested for three types of flights: Scene operations, Inter-facility, Mutual aid flights.
|
|