Course Breakdown:  1 Hour Self-Paced Course
Credit Awarded:  1 Hour
Credit Type: Advanced
Accredited: CAPCE (F3-Distributive), CE Broker (FL, KY, TN), Pennsylvania Bureau of EMS*, and Virginia Office of EMS(Pending)
Enrollment Period:  One year or until completed, whichever comes first
Topics: Flight Physiology

*PA Bureau of EMS reporting is by Regional Endorsement.

This self-paced course provides an in-depth exploration of flight physiology tailored to EMS providers transitioning into air medical transport roles. It begins with foundational knowledge about atmospheric composition and structure, introducing the physiologic zones of the atmosphere and their implications for oxygen availability and patient care at altitude.

  • Participants learn about the critical gas laws—Boyle’s, Charles’s, Dalton’s, Fick’s, Henry’s, Gay-Lussac’s, Graham’s, and the Universal Gas Law—and how each influences patient physiology and equipment performance during flight.
  • Emphasizes the importance of understanding barometric pressure changes and their effects on oxygen diffusion, gas expansion, and device functionality.
  • Details contraindications to flight, such as recent myocardial infarction, specific surgical histories, and certain chronic conditions, emphasizing risk assessment in patient selection.
  • Addresses primary flight stressors including hypoxia, vibration, noise, humidity, fatigue, spatial disorientation, and G-forces. These stressors are discussed in the context of their impact on both patients and crew. Special attention is given to altitude-related illnesses like barotitis media, barosinusitis, barodontalgia, and decompression sickness.
  • Explores various types of hypoxia—hypoxic, histotoxic, stagnant, and hypemic—along with the stages of hypoxia and critical concepts like Effective Performance Time (EPT) and Time of Useful Consciousness (TUC). Regulatory guidance on oxygen use is reviewed under FAA regulations (FAR Part 135.89 and Part 91).
  • Includes human factors affecting flight readiness, summarized in the IMSAFE mnemonic, covering illness, medications, stress, alcohol, fatigue, emotion, tobacco use, and hypoglycemia.

By the end of the course, EMS providers will be equipped with the physiological understanding necessary to anticipate, recognize, and manage the unique challenges of the flight environment—ensuring both crew safety and optimal patient care during air transport.