Jonathan Polak, an East Carolina University (ECU) alumnus, didn’t initially envision himself soaring through the skies as a critical care flight nurse. Growing up in Pittsboro, North Carolina, his early dreams were grounded in baseball fields, with aspirations of playing at the collegiate level. After pursuing this passion at North Greenville University in South Carolina, Polak reconsidered his initial plans for medical or physical therapy school, seeking a path that resonated more deeply with his evolving interests.
A period of exploration led him to nursing, a profession that offered a blend of hands-on care and intellectual challenge. “I got my LPN (licensed practical nurse) in 2013 and I went on to work three years of long-term care, acute rehab and hospice care as well,” Polak recounts. While he found this work fulfilling, a pivotal moment reshaped his career trajectory.
Alt text: Flight nurse Jonathan Polak, ECU nursing graduate, checks medical equipment in air ambulance.
An eye-opening ride-along on a Duke University Medical Center Life Flight air ambulance exposed Polak to the high-stakes world of emergency medical aviation. He witnessed firsthand the critical skills required of a flight nurse, who acts as an airborne intensive care paramedic, directing life-saving interventions in the confined space of a helicopter and coordinating with hospital-based medical teams for seamless patient transfer. This experience ignited a new ambition: to become a highly skilled flight nurse, capable of providing intensive care in the most challenging pre-hospital environments.
To achieve this demanding career goal, Polak recognized the need for advanced education and specialized training. He took a strategic step by working at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center in Fayetteville as an LPN while simultaneously pursuing his Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN). This ADN qualification marked a crucial milestone, enabling him to become a registered nurse (RN) and opening the door to the world of flight nursing. His dedication and hard work paid off as he gained invaluable experience in Duke’s Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit and with their critical care transport teams, paving his way into his current role as an air ambulance nurse based in the Sandhills region.
For Polak, continuous professional growth was paramount. He chose the online ADN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at East Carolina University’s College of Nursing to further enhance his expertise. “[The online program] was exactly what I needed to get to get to where I am now,” Polak stated, highlighting the program’s accessibility and relevance to his career aspirations. He believes the rigorous education he received through ECU’s online platform significantly strengthened his application for the acute care nurse practitioner degree program he is currently pursuing, demonstrating the program’s credibility and the value universities place on ECU nursing graduates.
“My bachelor’s degree helped make that process a lot easier. Universities recognize ECU’s nursing programs as being excellent,” Polak affirmed, underscoring the academic reputation of his alma mater.
Polak emphasizes the unique atmosphere at ECU, describing it as a place with “a spirit and passion that is unmatched by other universities,” qualities that solidified his identity as a “Pirate through and through.”
Mark Hand, a clinical professor of nursing and faculty advisor for ECU’s chapter of the American Association of Men in Nursing, recognizes Polak as an exemplary figure for aspiring male nurses. “Jonathan was determined to continue his education to be the best trauma and emergency care nurse,” Hand said, praising Polak’s dedication and drive. “As a male nurse, Jonathan has been a role model to current male nursing students and demonstrates a high level of intellectual curiosity, independence and self-motivation.” Hand’s words highlight Polak’s commitment to excellence and his role in inspiring future generations of nurses.
The Crucial Need for Men in the Intensive Care Nursing Field
Despite progress in recent decades, men remain underrepresented in nursing. An April 2023 analysis by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, based on Census Bureau data, revealed that the percentage of men in nursing has plateaued at approximately 13% in recent years. This lack of gender diversity in nursing is a concern, especially in demanding fields like intensive care and emergency medical services, where a range of skills and perspectives are invaluable.
Alt text: Flight nurse Jonathan Polak with daughter inside air ambulance, demonstrating family life balance in intensive care paramedic career.
Polak advocates for greater male representation within the predominantly female nursing profession. While he notes a more balanced gender distribution in flight nursing, he suggests that the high-pressure environments of emergency medicine might particularly attract and suit men. He points out that air ambulances often employ a paramedic-nurse model, a synergistic partnership that combines the distinct yet complementary expertise of both professions.
“Paramedics understand the flow of that environment; how to manage patients in that rapidly changing pre-hospital environment,” Polak explains. He contrasts this with the intensive care unit (ICU) setting, stating, “When you are an ICU nurse, your expectations and how you perceive patient care is way different, and that’s really a good thing.” This difference in perspective and training enriches the patient care provided in emergency situations.
Polak emphasizes the stark contrast between patient management in a controlled hospital ICU and the dynamic, challenging environment of an air ambulance, even for routine hospital transfers. “Being a flight nurse is a very autonomous job and the expectations are extremely high.” He shares the demanding expectations set by medical directors: “I’m going treat you like a third-year resident. That’s the expectation we’re going to have of you.” This highlights the advanced skill set and critical decision-making abilities required of flight nurses, functioning as highly trained mobile intensive care paramedics. Polak firmly believes that “at the end of the day the skills, practices, knowledge and understanding of how to take care of critically ill patients come from the bachelor’s degree.”
The unique challenges of air ambulance transport, such as turbulence and vibration, necessitate adjustments in patient care. “If I’m taking a patient out of a hospital in a calm ICU setting, throwing them into a helicopter, and now there’s all the shaking, vibration and turbulence, sedation is going to have to be different. How I manage their hemodynamics is going to be different,” Polak elaborates, illustrating the specialized knowledge required for this demanding role.
Research supports the benefits of diversity in healthcare teams, demonstrating improved patient outcomes when teams are more representative of the patient population. Given that only around 12% of nurses are men, male patients may encounter a lack of representation in their nursing care, potentially affecting their comfort and care experience. Polak notes that male nurses can bring unique strengths to patient care, particularly in managing combative or aggressive patients, offering a different approach, not necessarily better, but distinct.
“A lot of patients would prefer, for privacy reasons, a male nurse because they may feel uncomfortable with a woman having to touch them to do a procedure,” Polak adds, highlighting another dimension of patient preference and the importance of a diverse nursing workforce.
For Polak, nursing embodies a balance of empathy and resilience. He encourages men considering nursing to cultivate their innate compassion, essential for navigating the emotional and physical demands of the profession. “Men are full of compassion and love,” Polak asserts. “However, we men, by nature, show it differently. It doesn’t matter how masculine you may be. I’ve personally seen the most masculine of male figures provide exceptionally passionate and robust care.”
Reflecting on his experience in hospice care, Polak recalls tapping into his deep well of compassion, finding profound personal and professional fulfillment in supporting patients and families through challenging times. He describes the profound meaning in “being there for somebody when they need your help or your love the most,” emphasizing that “men can be some of the best at that. Just being there; just having a presence.” While he valued his time in hospice care, his passion for critical care medicine ultimately drew him back to the fast-paced, high-intensity environment of emergency and flight nursing, where his intensive care paramedic skills are constantly put to the test and where he continues to make a significant impact on patients’ lives.
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