Michel Hall-Wofford began her flight nursing career in 1981 with the Spirit of St. Joseph Life Flight program in Kansas City.  Having spent five years as a nurse at St. Joseph Hospital, in ICU and other departments, Michel had an opportunity to attend a presentation of the new Life Flight program and knew she wanted to be a flight nurse some day. “Back then the flight nurse and pilot made up the flight crew,” says Michel.  “There were no flight paramedic partners.”

Michel was with the Life Flight program until 1995, working as a flight nurse and also in the roles of education coordinator and flight nurse coordinator.  She then was hired at the Research Eagle program in 1996, which merged with the Life Flight program later that year.

“It was great to have friendships in both programs at the time of the merger,” says Michel.  “I felt lucky to have been with both programs.”

A Kansas City native, Michel went to Raytown High School and then earned a degree in history and philosophy from William Woods College in Fulton, Missouri.  She later became a nurse’s aide and realized she had what it took to become a nurse.  Completing her associate’s degree in nursing, she then moved on to Avila College in Kansas City to earn her BSN degree.  Later Michel earned her Master’s Degree in Human Resources and Organizational Development.

Michel has flown thousands of flights since her early days with the Life Flight program.  Today she is the education coordinator for LifeFlight Eagle, spending 24 hours a week on duty as a flight nurse and an additional 12 – 16 hours per week managing continuing education and training for veteran crew members as well as new hires.

Michel has seen a lot of air ambulance progress during her career, from the type of aircraft flown to significant approaches to safety, technological advances and protocols.  Michel teaches nationally with the Transport Nurse Advanced Trauma Course (TNATC) and is deeply involved as well with LifeFlight Eagle’s accreditation process issued by The Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS), a peer review organization which develops standards, education and services for the improvement of patient care and transport safety.

Michel says she tries to treat each transport as if it were her first flight.

 

“It’s almost always the patient’s first flight, so it’s really important not to become desensitized to that,” says Michel.  “No matter the level of care needed, many patients just need a hand to hold or someone to talk them through the ordeal.  I want to do everything I can so they have the best transport experience possible.”

 

Michel says the key ingredients for being a flight nurse are the ability to think outside the box, to be creative, have critical thinking skills and to be comfortable with your own judgment and decision making.

“The right attitude is really important,” Michel says.  “Flight nursing takes place in a non-traditional setting.  Beyond training, a lot of it comes down to personality.  You have to be willing to be hot or cold, wet, hungry, or without sleep in a lot of scenarios.

“There’s always something to learn in this career,” says Michel. “You never know it all, and what promotes learning is being with an organization like LifeFlight Eagle.  We’re headed in a really great direction. The people I work with are terrific – very helpful and supportive. “

LifeFlight Eagle thanks Michel Hall-Wofford for her continued dedication to the program!