On Friday, Feb. 25, Sentara Healthcare marked the 40th anniversary of its air medical program and the first flight of the first of four aircraft to fly under its “Nightingale” designation.
For the military veterans flying the air ambulance which marked 40 years serving Hampton Roads this week the mission is different. But the level of concentration required is just as high.
A decade ago, Scott Nance was flying OH-58 Kiowa helicopters barely 200 feet over Afghanistan, concentrating on finding hostile fighters on the ground. Now, as one of the military veterans flying Sentara Norfolk General Hospital’s Nightingale air ambulance, he says “I’m doing graduate-level flying.”
Sentara s Nightingale helicopter crew created new safety protocols for COVID-19 patients
The crew was the first in the region to transport COVID-positive patients by air. Social distancing? It s not an option for them. Author: Dana Smith Updated: 6:18 PM EST February 24, 2021
NORFOLK, Va. We’re all social distancing to stay safe during the pandemic, but for the flight crew on Sentara’s Nightingale helicopter, staying six feet apart is impossible.
They’ve transported COVID-19 patients since the start of the pandemic, last March, and in February 2021, they were still doing things a little differently to keep everyone safe.
Denise Baylous, a Nightingale flight nurse and manager, said her crew was the first in the region to transport COVID-19 positive patients by air.