NREMT practical exam

This morning I will be spending my time taking the practical portion of the test to get my EMT license.  I will be going through 6 different stations to prove my aptitude in different patient care categories.  To say that I am nervous would be an understatement!  I am freaking out!

I am trying to trust myself and I keep reminding myself that I know this information.  I just need to be able to perform in a very high stress situation.  Which, is not unlike what EMTs are called to do every day.  But for some reason, I feel more comfortable actually helping a patient than talking my way through a scenario with an evaluator.

I have been reciting the registry checklists in my head.  I go over them in the shower, while I'm driving to work, during down time at work, before I go to bed.  I'll go over them on my drive to the testing site. 

I am trying to put together a plan (hello, Type A!), but it is difficult because I don't know which station I'm going to have to do first.  I don't know how much time I will have between stations.  I don't know when I will be done with the exams.  It is very difficult for me.

Just remember....one thing at a time.  That will be my mantra for the day.

And, as soon as I get done, I can meet Tim and head to Madison for the race expo and enjoy the running part of my weekend.

Worrier

I am going to share something with you that has never happened to me before.  I can't decide what to worry about more.

I have my National Registry exam on May 29th.  This is the practical exam culminating everything I have learned in my EMT class.  There are 6 different stations where I will have to demonstrate competency in everything ranging from splinting a shoulder to treating a trauma patient.  It will be me and the evaluator and my bundle of nerves.

The next day, on May 30th, is my half marathon in Madison.  I feel like I have been working so hard leading up to this race.  It is definitely my 'A' race (as if I am that good) for the spring.  I'm trying to think ahead to make sure that I remember to take along everything that I will need: the right shoes, fully loaded ipod, GU, sunscreen, correct running attire (depending on the weather), etc.  I am excited to finally complete a half marathon, but I also have a goal of doing it in under 2:15.

Then there is the logistics of the entire weekend.  I have to find my way to the evaluation site in Wisconsin Rapids on Saturday morning.  I have to make sure that I bring enough food with me to get me through the day and also to load up on carbs so that I will have energy for the race.  Tim has to meet me in Wisconsin Rapids when he gets done with work so that we can drive to Madison.  We have to stop at the race expo so that I can pick up my packet and check out the expo.  Then we will head to my aunt's house for a fantastic dinner and hope that she isn't mad at me for announcing my vegetarianism and potentially putting a damper on her dinner plans.  I am hoping that I can get enough sleep Saturday night so that I can wake up rested and ready on race day.   I need to plan out where we are going to park before the race and where Tim and Sharon should plan to stage along the race course to get pictures and give me encouragement and water.

So, you can see my dilemma.  When I think about my National Registry Exam I start to get nervous about whether I will be properly prepared.  But, then I remember that my half marathon is the next day and then I start to get nervous about that.

When I think about the half marathon, I worry that I will be properly rested and fueled.  But, then I remember that my National Registry Exam is the day before and I get nervous about that.

What is a girl to do?  This morning I found myself reciting my trauma assessment sheet in the shower!

Provisions

Yippee!!!  I just have to wait for the results to be certified, but I passed!!!!  I'm so excited and relieved.  I feel like all the schooling and studying was worth it.  I just hope that my interview this morning was as successful.  I left feeling very unsure of things.  It was just a tough situation to get a read on.  I guess all I can do is wait and see if I hear back from them.  In the meantime, I am going to celebrate this victory by running an 8K tomorrow (probably in the rain).

I hope you are all enjoying your Friday!

Test anxiety

Ok, so I have this HUGE test to take tomorrow.  It is my certification exam to be a certified medical assistant.  I wasn't nervous about it until I heard that a friend of mine from school didn't pass.  I just jumped on the American Association of Medical Assistant's website and took two practice exams.  I passed both of them, but it isn't making me feel any more confident.  I am VERY nervous.

On top of that, I have a second interview tomorrow morning.  This is with the same department I met with on my birthday.  I enjoyed the first interview and I am really looking forward to meeting the physician tomorrow and hopefully solidifying my ability to serve in the department.  I really want the interview to go well, because I think this would be a really good fit for me. 

What do you guys do to deal with your nerves?

hunger pangs

Running 9 miles makes me sleepy and hungry.  And I was both all day long.  I tried to take a short nap this afternoon before Tim picked Jaden up from daycare.  It didn't really happen.

All night at my EMT class I was fighting to stay awake.  And it wasn't a good night to be off my game.  We were testing out on two stations.  The first one I did was the CombiTube.  I failed the first time because I didn't insert the tube deep enough into the esophagus.  I hate failing.

The second station was a cardiac/AED situation.  I passed, but only barely.  I was very scatterbrained and not thinking clearly.  I was so glad it was a mannequin and not an actual patient. 

Then I went back to the CombiTube station again.  This time I was much calmer and everything just fell into place.  I felt very confident and I passed with flying colors!!

Even though Tim and I had a very good dinner of pork chops and spanish rice, I was still starving at school.  I took the rest of my dried mango slices and finished those and then I headed to the vending machine and found a granola bar that satisfied my chocolate cravings.

I have never seen these before, but they are SO good.  It is definitely something that I would eat again.

Tomorrow I have to get some fasting labs drawn.  I am not looking forward to starting my day without my coffee.  :-(

Half day

So, today was my first day of work.  I went to the Marshfield clinic in Wausau for training.  The manager of the Occ. Health Dept, Jan, is great.  She is really upbeat and funny and always smiling.  We had a hard time finding a place for me to do my computer training.  It seemed that everywhere we went, there were computer problems.  Finally, we just went up to the classroom on the third floor and she set me up.  I went through all the videos and simulations and reading material pretty quickly...there was a lot of HIPAA and confidentiality and all that stuff.  She let me know that I was only going to be there for the morning (yippee!) and that tomorrow I would be reporting to Occ. Health in Marshfield for more computer training and on the floor training.  While I was going through the training, I ate my lunch...banana, some honey nut Cheerios and a  granola bar.  I stopped for a cappuccino on the way home.

I was ecstatic to be done early because it meant that I could come home and run.  i had a 7 mile run scheduled today, but cut it down to 6 miles to save my legs for Saturday's 5 mile race. 

After my run, I ate a bunch more of those horribly addicting dried mango strips.  Seriously, I need to stop eating those.  They are FANTASTIC.

I have my EMT class tonight.  I am secretly hoping that we get out early, but I know that I need to practice the Registry check lists.  I don't feel very confident in any of them.

While I was at the clinic, I posted an Operation Beautiful note.

What to do next?

As graduation looms ahead of me (tomorrow) I am pondering my next move.  I feel like I am part of some cosmic chess game.  My next move could have ramifications years from now.  I know that I really want to go to school to be a Physician's Assistant.  But I just don't see how the Husband will ever be okay with us moving so that I can go to school.  I don't think he understands my need to continue to better myself.  And the more I learn about medicine and how to care for people, the more I feel called to help people.  Granted, I wish I had been this driven 10 years ago, but God had another plan for that part of my life.  And His plan for this part of my life is to continue in my schooling and be a tool that He can use for healing.

I met with an admissions counselor at NTC today and discussed the options that are available to me.  I am sadly and very reluctantly putting my dreams of being a Physician's Assistant away.  :-(  I had the counselor put me on the waiting list for the nursing program.  It is about a 2 year wait, which I hate, but it will give me some time to find a job as an MA and hopefully save up some money to pay for the next set of classes without having to ask for help from my dad.

I'm also looking at taking the EMT Basic class.  That way I could work alongside the paramedics and really get some hands-on experience.  I don't relish the idea of being jolted from a sound slumber to race off to a call, but I really feel like I am called to help people and this is one way that I can do it.

While I'm waiting for the nursing program to open up, I have to complete a CNA course.  It shouldn't be that difficult, considering all the work that I did getting my MA degree.  The problem is going to be finding the time to complete the course.  They offer it in Medford, but it is during the day; which won't work if I (ever) have a job.  I could take it in Wausau, but that makes no sense unless I'm working over there.  I'll have to look into what they offer in Marshfield.

I really wish there was some way to clone myself so that I could do all the things I want to do and no one would feel neglected.  I don't want to miss the time away from my family, but I have never felt God's calling in my life until now and I would hate to miss out on what He has planned for me. 

ARGH!!!  What a dilemma! 

M-m-m-Mango Smirnoff

I really like Mango Smirnoff. In fact, I just finished one. It was wonderful. Unfortunately, it was the last one. I could easily have about 4 more. Saying that it has been a rough week would be putting it mildly. The Husband is in NYC enjoying his 20 year high school reunion. I am thrilled that he was able to attend, but doing the single-parent thing for a week is really exhausting. I would never begrudge him the occasional trip away; he deserves it. But I can't wait for him to get back. I am so tired. I'm trying to balance work and school and the Son and our 5 animals. I think I might be losing my mind. I have only had time to get one short run in. Two and half miles in a week is nowhere near enough. And....now I'm out of Mango Smirnoff! :-(

I guess I'll try to focus on the positive. I successfully completed two venipunctures at school today. It is kinda neat to see my lab partner's blood filling a tube because I managed to hit the vein. Then, I got to do an intramuscular injection. That was pretty cool, too. I have more homework than I want to acknowledge at this point. But....externship is a month away. I hope I can make it without going insane.

I will be going shopping tomorrow after church. And Mango Smirnoff is on the list.