A local critical care nurse has been flying high for more than three decades. At the end of May, Lori Smith, RN, EMT-P, CFRN, will take off for the last time with Ascension St. Mary’s FlightCare. She plans to retire when she lands for the last time on May 31 and venture out on new experiences.
Smith saw her first air medical helicopter when she worked in Ohio as an intensive care nurse. She was fascinated by the helicopter and the life-saving work they do. After moving back to her hometown of Bad Axe, she applied for a nursing position with Ascension St. Mary’s Hospital in Saginaw and joined FlightCare in 1989. With 34 years of service, she is one of the most tenured members of FlightCare and is the longest serving flight nurse among air medical transport programs in Michigan.
“I love my job, and when you enjoy something that much, the time flies quickly. It’s truly humbling to have been able to help people all these years,” says Smith. “I am so proud to have been part of the Ascension St. Mary’s FlightCare team. They are amazing people who dedicate their lives to saving the lives of others.”
Established in 1987, FlightCare transports patients throughout Michigan’s lower peninsula, providing quality patient care to critically ill or injured individuals from accident scenes and interhospital transport. The team of pilots, flight nurses, flight paramedics and mechanics have transported more than 12,000 patients in their 36 years of service.
“Lori’s contributions to FlightCare will never be duplicated,” says Mary Jo Stephen, RN, MSN, CMTE, EMT-P, director of Critical Care, Trauma, FlightCare, Emergency Services and Orthopedics at Ascension St. Mary’s Hospital. “I worked alongside Lori for many years and witnessed her compassion for people at their most vulnerable time. She has taken part in thousands of flights and has changed the lives of thousands of people.”
Flight nurses are highly trained, requiring at least three years as a registered nurse with intensive, critical care experience. They must also be a licensed paramedic and participate in continual education and safety training including night vision goggle training and more. Smith is the first and only dual-certified staff member at FlightCare, earning both her Flight Paramedic and Flight Registered Nurse certifications.
“It takes a special kind of person to be a flight nurse and a really special person to do it for more than three decades.” says Lucas Summers, RN, EMT-P, CFRN, clinical supervisor and flight nurse paramedic. “Lori has been climbing in and out of a helicopter since shortly after the program’s inception. She has the kindest soul and has a way of building rapport with people instantly. Some people call her every year on their ‘incident anniversaries’ to thank her for the care and compassion she gave to them.”
Outside of work, Smith has completed three medical missions to Mexico with Operation Smile, a non-profit organization that provides care to people living with cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial and dental conditions. She also teamed up with Christian Emergency Relief Teams International on a mission trip to Romania. In retirement, she plans to spend more time with family and travel.
