D-Day OVER!!

Oh man... it's finally over... for this semester at least,
First off... it's so freaking cold out!
Also... Thank God that I was able to change my flight back from Vancouver to last Thursday. Cause the original flight I was supposed take on Sunday was cancelled and I wouldn't have made it to class today. And if THAT had happened, I would have been booted from the program! So, THANK GOD!

Otherwise... left the house at 7 this morning... got home a bit after 7. Crazy eh? Class started at 8 this morning and class didn't end till 6:30 tonight! Ack. That's 10.5 hours of school. One hour lunch in between. But otherwise... the entire day was on testing. Sheesh. Talk about nerves.

Anyways... to update: Read the BOLDED for important information; ITALICS for description of failures. Everything else is more a recap for myself.
Skills Testing:

• Vital Signs: Pulse (rate, rhythm, quality), Respirations (rate, rhythm, quality), Blood Pressure, Blood Glucose Level, Oxygen Saturation, Pupils (reactivity to light and equality), Skin (Color, Condition and Temperature). To be done all within 5 minutes. PASSED
• Primary Survey: Scene Survey (hazards, BSI , bystander information, explore bystander information, MOI , # of patients and whether or not backup was required), Patient Overview (angulated fractures, deadly bleeding, skin , patient level of distress, patient position) Primary Survey (LOC , A , B , C , Head to Toe Assessment) Transport Decision. PASSED
  
• Oxygen Station (ability to use oxygen tank appropriately, ability to know the indications and contraindications of useage, understanding of which mask to use , understanding of oxygen flow rates for each different mask, understanding of oxygen concentrations for each different mask, ability to bag a patient adequately for over 5 minutes) PASSED
• Basic Airway Management (indications for use of a oropharayngeal airway and proper placement, indications for use of nasopharyngeal airway and proper placement, proper airway patency maneuvers ) PASSED
  
• Suction Station (knowledge of proper suctioning techniques and different equipment) PASSED
• IV Station (understand the technique of setting up an Intravenous Line, aseptic technique, ability to show a good IV insertion, understand the technique and indications for setting up a saline lock instead of an IV, ability to show good saline lock preperation) FAILED Forgot the aceptic technique for saline lock - basically means I forgot to clean the injection port for getting saline. And contaminated fluids are usually not healthy for a patient. Re-test in 2 weeks. Stupid mistake. Should pass on retest easily.
• Medication Station (understand the technique, indications, contraindications and locations for IM injections, understand the technique, indications, contraindications and locations for SQ injections, understand the technique, indications, contraindications and locations for a PO , understand the technique, indications, contraindications and locations for a SL , understand the technique, indications, contraindications and locations for a Inhalant/Nebulizer) FAILED Was unable to properly describe the locations for IM and SQ injections - basically I knew where to do it, how to landmark it, but was unable to use the proper medical terminology for describing it. Re-test in 2 weeks. Easy to learn medical terminology for locations I already understand and know. Just know the proper names from now on.

Finished skill testing around 1130. We were in groups of 6... so, each of us had to do a medical scenario and a trauma scenario. Though when we do a scenario, noone else is allowed to speak or make any indications that they are helping the individual being tested. Got through one scenario before lunch. Breaked for lunch for an hour. And I was UPSET! Retest on skills that I KNOW how to do... but just made stupid mistakes. Sigh... but that's life.
From 1300 straight till 1800 were 11 more scenarios. I almost fell asleep. Sheesh. I had the 6th and the 12th scenarios, so I had to wait for most of mine and it drives you nuts just waiting to do your test cause you just start psyching yourself out.

• Medical Scenario: Pt unconscious and unresponsive. Airway occluded, Bradypnea, Bradycardia. History showed that he had overdosed on dilaton (drugs to control seizures). Nothing much I can do within my scope of practice. Suctioned airway to clear. Inserted OPA to keep airway patent. Initiated Oxygen therapy with a BVM at 15L/min to improve perfusion. Initiated IV access with NS TKVO incase medications are required. However, no drugs are within my scope of practice to give to pts under drug overdose. So, ensured critical interventions were dealt with; proper primary survey to determine other injuries was completed; Load & Go as he was a critical pt; Proper recordings of vitals along with a proper history and understanding of both to diagnose patient properly; Rapid Transport = PASSED 97%
• Trauma Scenario: Pt unconscious and unresponsive after being hit by a motor vehicle while jogging. Airway occluded, Bradypnea with occasional Apnea, Tachycardia, Hypertension. Hematoma found on head. Bubinski Reflex had no response indicating head trauma/spinal trauma. Cleared airway through manual airway management; Inserted OPA to keep airway patent. Initiated O2 Therapy with BVM at 15L/min to improve perfusion; Initiated IV access with NS TKV incase medications were required; Spinal immoabalized patient with c-collar and spine board; Placed patient in a semi-fowlers position to decrease pressure in cranium; Rapid Transport = PASSED 89%

Overall, not a bad day. Way too long though. Was out of the house for 12 hours. Sat through skill testing and scenario testing for 9.5 hours. Was last to do medical scenario out of my group of 6. Was last to do trauma scenario as well. Was last to find out my marks at the end of the day. Screwed up on 2 of my Skills because of stupidity and ignorance. Time for bed.

Oh and 4 more exams. BTLS, Professional Practice, Anatomy and Physiology #4 and Medical Terminology Final. 2 more retests. All EQUALS: HERE I COME PRACTICUM!