U-M Survival Flight nurse receives AAMS Crew Member of the Year award

ANN ARBOR, MI – Paul Mazurek, RN, flight nurse specialist with the University of Michigan Health System’s Survival Flight team, has been named the 2007 Crew Member of the Year by the Association of Air Medical Services.

Each year, the AAMS recognizes excellence and leadership in emergency medical transport through a variety of notable national awards. The Crew Member of the Year award recognizes an individual that has made significant contributions to enhance the development or promotion of improved patient care in the emergency medical transport community.

Mazurek was selected to receive this award for his on-going commitment to excellent in patient care, his expert clinical skills and education initiatives within critical care, and his leadership and teamwork at the U-M Health System.

“We are very proud that Paul’s extraordinary work with Survival Flight is being recognized by the Association of Air Medical Services,” says Denise Landis, RN, manager for critical care transport. “Consistently at the forefront of organization, medical education and patient care, Paul is most deserving of such a special honor.”

Continues Mark J. Lowell, M.D., medical director of Survival Flight: “Whether called upon to transport a 20-week-old preemie or an elderly person, one can count on Paul to deliver excellent, compassionate care. Paul is a role model as a flight nurse and as an individual. It is truly an honor to have him as part of Survival Flight.”
After a tour as a Machinist Mate in the United States Navy aboard the USS George C. Marshall submarine, Mazurek decided to pursue a career in nursing. Upon completion of his degree in nursing, he immediately undertook the task of completing the qualifications required to become a Survival Flight team member.

Mazurek became a flight nurse with Survival Flight in 2003. In addition to his duties as a flight nurse, Mazurek works with the Specialized Workforce for Acute Transport (SWAT), the UMHS in-house critical care transport system.

Additionally, Mazurek serves as the chair for the Survival Flight Educational Professional Practice Committee. Under his leadership, he has secured education grants to obtain advanced patient simulator training models. His goal is to initiate a state-wide rural training program utilizing the portable simulators based in the ambulance.

To learn more about Survival Flight, the UMHS air medical transport service, visit www.survivalflight.com. For more information about AAMS, visit www.aams.org.

Written by: Krista Hopson