Vickie Fortin is a clinical respiratory care advisor and neonatal transport specialist, as well as a flight respiratory therapist at Airmedic’s critical care transport base in Saint-Hubert.
We spoke with her about her role at Airmedic, the education and training that led her there, and a typical day in her position.
How long have you been working for Airmedic?
I have been working at Airmedic since November 2013. I started with the neonatal on-call team. Then, in 2016, with the arrival of the adult and pediatric critical care team, I officially started working part-time. I’ve been working full-time for a year now.
What is your current role?
I am a flight respiratory therapist and also a clinical advisor for respiratory therapists and the neonatal team.
What was your career path before joining Airmedic?
During my studies, I was an extern in respiratory therapy at Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital. I discovered a great passion during my neonatal intensive care internship at Sainte-Justine thanks to an outstanding respiratory therapist, Carole. After completing my studies, I went to work at Sainte-Justine. In 2009, I started with the neonatal transport team. I then taught the neonatal and pediatric course to respiratory therapy students at Ellis College for two years. Starting in 2013, I was juggling three jobs: CHU Sainte-Justine, the college, and Airmedic. In the meantime, I added another string to my bow by becoming a neonatal resuscitation instructor. This allowed me to teach a few times at the University of Montreal’s Faculty of Medicine. In 2018, I made a big decision to leave Sainte-Justine to devote myself entirely to Airmedic.
What attracted you to an organization like Airmedic?
I love traveling, so I love airplanes, and I love my job, so it was a combination of my two passions. Few private companies offer this type of service in Quebec. I saw it as a great opportunity to get involved in a rapidly growing company.
What does a typical workday look like for you as a clinical respiratory therapy consultant?
My days vary depending on whether I’m on call or in the office. Since I love flying, it was important for me to continue flying while working full-time at Airmedic. Depending on my schedule, I have days on call in case of a mission or days in the office doing more administrative tasks to help the medical teams.
When on call, I go to the base when a mission is triggered and prepare the equipment. Once at the hospital, we take charge of the patient and get them settled in the plane. During the flight, I ensure their safety while monitoring their vital signs. Each case is different; we can have anything from newborns to elderly people. Their health conditions also vary from one case to another. We transport the patient to the hospital where they are expected, then return to the hangar to prepare the aircraft for the next mission. I can be called at any time to transport a patient to provinces other than Quebec and even to other countries.
When I’m at the office, I manage my teams to support them, and I provide training to ensure they are always up to date with new procedures or equipment that has been implemented. Every day is different! I also provide 24-hour support if they have questions about specific cases related to my specialty.
What should the public know about your work?
The work of a respiratory therapist is very important at Airmedic. The role of a respiratory therapist is to manage airway stabilization and lung ventilation in the most critical cases. We also contribute to cardiopulmonary resuscitation and patient stabilization. Our expertise in analgesia is also used for pain management and medication preparation. It’s a great team effort with the nursing staff and the doctor, whether remotely or on board. We pool all our knowledge for the well-being of the patient and work together to complement each other’s skills. With everyone on board for every mission, we are ready for any eventuality and can take care of the sickest patients no matter where we are in Quebec or even in other provinces.
What is your best memory since you started working at Airmedic?
I have many wonderful memories at Airmedic, each one as wonderful as the next. Every day is different. In flight, the sunsets and sunrises are wonderful—it’s the most beautiful office in the world. But my best experience was when I went to pick up a baby in the Far North. He was very unstable, and we managed to stabilize him. Also, since we are sometimes more comfortable with certain types of clients, this allows us to pass on our knowledge to other teams in the North. Since we provide critical care services for all ages, this gave him access to highly specialized care. Having helped save his life greatly enhances my role as a respiratory therapist at Airmedic.
Oh yes! I also found love at Airmedic, but that’s another story!
