Nancy Runkle, RN, CEN, CFRN, Paramedic

I have been in EMS for 20 years and an RN for almost 15 years. I started out as an EMT in 2003 and worked as an EMT while attending Paramedic School. I attended Dalton Stated College for both my EMT and Paramedic diplomas. I started my career at Gordon EMS in early 2004 as an EMT. I started out as PRN then took a full time position in May of 2004 at Whitfield EMS in Dalton, GA , where I still pick up shifts to this date. I became a Paramedic in 2005. I worked as a Paramedic through nursing school and graduated nursing school in 2010. I worked at Gordon Hospital as an RN and then move to Hamilton Medical Center as an RN for more experience. I branched out at this time and began working at Floyd as a Paramedic while working at Hamilton as an RN. I began helping with advanced stroke life support classes at this time. I worked in the ER for a couple of years and then moved to the MICU at Hamilton for more experience. I attended a conference in Marietta and was able to obtain my Instructor's license in Georgia Stroke Curriculum and began teaching stroke classes with the ER and EMS at Hamilton Medical Center with the Stroke Coordinator and Neurologist. At this time, I was also attending critical care classes and working on self study for flight nursing. I began my flight journey at Phoenix Air in Cartersville, GA as a Flight Paramedic PRN and took my first flight in 2014. My time at Phoenix Air was spent flying US and International flights. I learned to adjust quickly as equipment and medications are not the same in other countries. I also helped with the infectious disease training. While at Phoenix Air, I transitioned from a Flight Paramedic to a Flight Nurse position. Later that year, I left Hamilton as an RN and went to Air Evac in Snellville, GA as a flight RN full time. 6 months later, I went to Life Force Air Medical in Chattanooga as it was closer to home and serviced North Georgia area. It was also associated with a Level 1 trauma center (Erlanger) with higher skills training, more procedures, and higher level of care. At this time, I still worked as a Paramedic and would help teach multiple classes including ACLS, BLS, PALS, PHTLS, EPC, and others. I worked at Life Force for 8 years and left there as a Base Educator. I helped teach multiple classes there including landing zone classes and assisted with Paramedic Refreshers around the region. I work for Hamilton Medical Center at this time. I work in the ER as an RN but also help with Clinical Education and new nurse residency. I was able to get my TNCC Instructor license and help teach trauma to the new nurses. I also brought Emergency Nurse Pediatric courses to Hamilton and we have gained 4 new instructors and will be bringing that class to Hamilton in 2025. I still work on the ambulance from time to time as a Paramedic and am currently pursuing my Bachelor's in Nursing online.

• Certified Flight Nurse
• Certified Emergency Nurse
• Transport Professional Advanced Trauma Course
• Trauma Nurse Core Curriculum
• Emergency Nurse Pediatric Course
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support- Experienced Provider
• Prehospital Trauma Life Support
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support
• Advanced Medical Life Support
• Emergency Pediatric Course
• BLS

Instructor's Certifications:

• Prehospital Trauma Life Support Instructor
• Georgia Stroke Curriculum Instructor
• PHTLS Instructor
• ACLS Instructor
• ACLS Experienced Provider Instructor
• TNCC Instructor
• ENPC Instructor
• Taught numerous classes around the region previously such as EPC, Paramedic Refresher classes, PHTLS, Georgia Stroke Curriculum, Advanced Stroke Life Support
• Advanced Stroke Life Support

Paramedic for 20 years and still currently work shifts on the ambulance. I also work as an RN/educator at Hamilton Medical Center. I have taught multiple classes over the region in the last 20 years and held multiple instructors license. I started my flight career in 2014 at Phoenix Air as a Flight Paramedic and ended my flight career in 2023 at Life Force Air Medical as a Flight RN. I still teach around the region and help assist Hamilton with clinical education to include the ER staff and new nurse residency.