The role of a Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section) (RFDS) flight nurse is unlike any other. With around 80% of our taskings being managed by a single flight nurse and pilot, the team are highly skilled and prepared for anything.
Thanks to support from the Dalara Foundation and Maureen Stevenson, the RFDS offers midwifery scholarships to registered nurses with a background in critical care to help them gain the qualifications they need to become a flight nurse.
The midwifery scholarship is highly sought after, offering not only financial assistance for further study but also a pathway to a flight nurse position with RFDS in Queensland on completion.
Diana Burke has recently completed the midwifery scholarship and is set to join the RFDS Mount Isa team later this year.
As an experienced rural critical care nurse, Diana has worked in a variety of places before finding her calling in Mount Isa.
“I was having a bit of a think about what I wanted to do next with my nursing, and I really enjoy working here in this community, so I looked at what it took to join the RFDS,” Diana said.
“The opportunity to do a job that involves critical care nursing and going to even more remote locations to support families seems like something that would be fun and rewarding.”
Going back to study while working is never easy, but for Diana, the motivation was clear.
“Knowing that you had a job at the end of finishing the midwifery was really exciting and provided a bit of extra motivation,” she said.
“After completing my midwifery, it just feels like such an additional valuable skill, and I feel much better prepared for the role because of it.
“I can’t wait to not walk into a hospital every day and support remote communities in this region.”
Diana isn’t the only new face preparing to take flight.
Originally from Western Australia, Jacob is eager to experience a new chapter in Queensland by joining the RFDS Rockhampton team.
“I’m excited to explore all of Queensland and gain a different perspective on healthcare,” Jacob said.
Balancing study with his emergency nursing role was challenging, but the experience has been invaluable.
“I’ve learnt so much from the extra study and I’m super stoked to have had the opportunity to do it,” he said.
“The RFDS is a pretty amazing service, the work is so dynamic, and there is not really any other job like it.”
When Diana and Jacob join the team in December, they’ll undertake five weeks of comprehensive training and orientation, including aviation training, ground-based learning, and supernumerary flying shifts. This onboarding phase helps new flight nurses build the confidence and skills needed for their unique environment before heading to their base.
They will be mentored by experienced flight nurses, ensuring a strong support network as they take on this exciting role.
Jacinta Jones, State Manager of Aeromedical Nursing, is eager to welcome both nurses and assist them in their transition from hospital to aircraft-based care.
“The learning curve from hospital-based nursing to nursing in an aircraft is steep for our new flight nurses; however, we support them to quickly develop the skills and confidence to deliver critical care prehospital and in the air with our orientation program and ongoing support,” Jacinta said.
Applications for the 2026 RFDS midwifery scholarship are now open. If you are an experienced critical care nurse looking for a change or the next step in your career, we’d love to hear from you.
Learn more and apply now here.
