US-based Boston MedFlight nurses and paramedics, represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA), have ratified a contract to help ensure quality transport care.

The three-year contract includes economic enhancements aimed at supporting high-acuity care for patients throughout the region.

The agreement includes competitive pay increases. Nurses will receive a 15.5% increase in their salaries, in addition to the current step increases on the wage scale.

For paramedics, it signifies a 20% boost in new funding, guaranteeing that their remuneration accurately represents their skills and experience.

When factoring in the existing step increases on the wage scale, paramedics will see an overall increase of up to 32% over three years, while nurses will enjoy a total rise of up to 27.5% over the same period.

The percentage increase between steps on the wage scale will rise from 4% to 4.5%.

The contract also offers extra time off. It specifies an additional three days of leave time, recognising the significant pressures associated with critical care transport roles and promoting recovery and rest for front-line personnel.

MNA Bargaining Committee member James Boomhower said: “This contract reflects the critical and highly specialised work that our nurses and paramedics perform every day.

“From providing specialty care to critically ill newborns, to giving life-saving care to medically and traumatically injured patients, our team members deliver intensive care in the air and on the ground.

“These improvements in our MNA contract will help ensure we can continue to attract and retain the highly skilled healthcare professionals needed to provide this lifesaving care.”

Boston MedFlight is a non-profit air and ground critical care transport provider delivering ICU-level resources to patients, with crews managing cardiac events, neonatal and paediatric care, respiratory failure, sepsis, stroke and trauma.

The MNA, founded in 1903, represents 25,000 registered nurses in Massachusetts.