McCoy Named Chief Flight Nurse at Humboldt Base

For Immediate Release
Contact:
Jerry Jones
Public Affairs Manager
Vanderbilt LifeFlight
Jerry.Jones@vumc.org
615-343-6086
Photo: Rita McCoy

Rita McCoy, R.N, EMT, a veteran flight nurse from the West Tennessee area, has been named base manager and chief flight nurse for Vanderbilt LifeFlight’s Gibson County base in Humboldt, Tennessee.

“I am so excited to be able to provide leadership to this great team,” McCoy said. “For almost 35 years Vanderbilt has been committed to providing great care via LifeFlight and I’m proud to be a part of that tradition.

I’m excited to let our area EMS, Police, Fire and other emergency responders know that we are a true local community asset, we are committed to offering education and other training to our colleagues. Last year we trained more than 3,900 emergency professionals.”

McCoy, who joined Vanderbilt LifeFlight in 2017, was previously a base manager with Hospital Wing. She is a Jackson, Tennessee resident and has deep roots in the West Tennessee region. As base manager she will oversee 10 medical flight crew members. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from Capella University, and has been a practicing nurse since 1988.

Vanderbilt LifeFlight opened the Gibson County base in February, 2018. The base is located at the Humboldt Airport, 4655 E Main St, Humboldt, TN 38343. A twin-engine Airbus Helicopter EC145 is positioned at the base. The aircraft can fly at speeds faster than 150 mph. It is one of the few aircraft in the area that provides flight nurses 360-degree access to the patient, and the ability to fly under instrument flight rules (IFR). The aircraft is also equipped with air conditioning, state-of-the-art navigation, a communications and avionics package that includes night vision goggles, and a terrain avoidance warning system.

From Humboldt, the helicopter covers a 120-mile response area and transports patients who require advanced medical and surgical care. LifeFlight also performs hospital-to-hospital transports in the region so that patients can be treated at tertiary care centers located across West Tennessee, including Jackson and Memphis.

“We are so excited to have Rita at the helm leading our Gibson County base,” said Sheldon Dreaddy, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, EMT, LifeFlight air medical transport manager. “She brings with her more than 30 years of nursing experience and 18 years of flight experience, along with a wealth of knowledge about the local community.”

Advanced Procedures Performed by LifeFlight in the Field

Vanderbilt LifeFlight’s nurses and paramedics are experienced in providing advanced medical procedures in flight, including the ability to perform laboratory blood work, insert chest tubes, and implement surgical airways. Every helicopter carries two units of Type O negative blood, and crews administer blood on more than ten percent of trauma patients transported.

The orientation period for all new LifeFlight medical crew members is more than eight months. Training includes gathering experience in all clinical care areas at VUMC and Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, including the Adult and Pediatric Emergency Departments, Coronary Care Unit, Trauma Center, Regional Burn Center, Neurology/Neurosurgery ICU, Pediatric ICU, Emergency Obstetrics and Respiratory Care. Training includes a quarterly surgical skills lab where invasive procedures such as chest tube placement, cricothryroidotomy, pericardiocentesis and femoral line insertion are taught.

Since 1984 Vanderbilt LifeFlight, accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Trauma Systems (CAMTS), has flown more than 40,000 patients.

All air operations are provided by Air Methods Corporation. All medical services are provided by Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

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