USU's Graduate School of Nursing Launches First-of-its-Kind Aeromedical Clinical Nurse Specialist Program

The new program will prepare nurses to provide advanced care in complex environments, enhancing the military's global patient movement mission.

September 2, 2025 by Christy Mitchell, Maj, USAF NC, DNP, APRN, AGCNS-BC, CNOR, RNC-OB; Kristen Barby, Lt Col, USAF, NC, SFN; Tamara (Tami AB) Averett-Brauer, PhD(c), MN, RN, FAsMA; Sarah Huffman, Col, PhD, USAF, NC & Laura A. Taylor, PhD, RN, CNE, ANEF, FAAN

In a new initiative to expand the specialty of Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist (AGCNS) education, two Uniformed Services University (USU) faculty members have laid the groundwork for a first-of-its-kind aeromedical focus. Dr. Laura Taylor, the program director for the AGCNS program, and Assistant Professor Air Force Lt. Col.-select Christy Mitchell recently visited Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, to establish a new aeromedical specialization within the program. This innovative effort aligns with the Graduate School of Nursing's (GSN) strategic readiness mission and aims to prepare graduates for operational settings by incorporating advanced aeromedical concepts into their clinical education.

The initiative centers on the Aeromedical Evacuation Clinical Nurse Specialist (AE CNS)-the Air Force's clinical and operational authority on patient movement by air. These highly skilled nurses integrate advanced nursing practice with expertise in altitude physiology, the stresses of flight, and AE-specific equipment. Their foremost responsibility is to deliver safe, effective care to patients during aeromedical transport-anywhere in the world, at any time.

In this role, the AE CNS develops and implements evidence-based policies, drives quality improvement, and addresses performance and capability gaps. They mentor and educate nurses and technicians, promote collaboration across the AE enterprise, and ensure clinical teams remain fully mission-ready. In short, the AE CNS connects front-line patient care with strategic leadership, safeguarding patient outcomes while strengthening the Air Force's global patient movement mission.

The development of this groundbreaking program began in direct response to a request from Col. Francine Nichols, Chief Nurse, Career Management Branch, and Gen. Gwendolyn Foster, the Chief Nurse of the Air Force. To establish the program of study within the GSN curriculum, Taylor and Mitchell consulted with leaders from the 711th Human Performance Wing, the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, the 88th Medical Group, the 445th AE Squadron, and other subject matter experts.

A key part of their visit was establishing an open line of communication with Lt. Col. Kristen Barby, Chief Nurse and AE CNS at the 375th AE Training Squadron. These discussions ensured the new curriculum aligns with current operational requirements, including field-based training, patient movement coordination, and the integration of emerging technologies. The program will welcome its first two students in May 2026, who will complete nearly 2,000 hours of clinical training focused on developing and implementing evidence-based care delivery solutions across the Military Health System.

The need for this specialized training is growing. While there are currently a limited number of AE CNS billets, opportunities for utilization are increasing as the program expands. This demand is reflected in the strategic placement of AE CNSs in key operational, training, and leadership positions across the Air Force. Graduate assignments may include active-duty squadrons at bases such as Travis Air Force Base, Kadena Air Base, and Ramstein Air Base, as well as schoolhouses or headquarters.

Preparing for future conflicts requires medical leaders who can apply evidence-based practices to improve patient outcomes in challenging environments. The AE CNS is uniquely equipped to identify and address system-level gaps and enhance policy and practice standards, capabilities that are critical for solving problems that may arise in future distributed, denied, or contested environments. Mitchell explained that this specialization will prepare aeromedical teams "to think and act strategically in complex environments."

She added that the program reflects a shift from past missions, which emphasized rapid evacuation to the next medical care role. "The lessons learned from past wars and the conflict in Ukraine have shown how quickly patient care requirements have changed in these settings," Mitchell said. "Building on that knowledge and recognizing that large-scale combat operations may result in more severely injured patients, limited resources, and delayed or denied air evacuation, AE CNSs will be ready to apply current evidence-based practices and guidelines, explore innovative solutions, and collaborate with teams to safely improvise when traditional systems fail."

Mitchell shared her vision for the inaugural cohort, stating, "Our vision for the first cohort is that they will bring evidence-based solutions to improve patient outcomes while using their advanced practice expertise as clinical nurse specialists to minimize gaps in care under the most challenging conditions." The launch of the AGCNS with an AE focus in 2026 represents a pivotal step for military nursing, preparing future AE CNSs to deliver trusted, evidence-based care that enhances both clinical outcomes and operational readiness.