Tuesday, July 19, 2005

Sorry

Well I have to apologise to my readers for not being a good blogger and keeping you up to date with things. I have been busy organising my 30th Birthday party, which went well (I think so anyway, but I was drinking pints of Smirnoff Ice by the end of the night). I would like to thank everyone who attended who reads this and for those of you who couldn't make it then you missed a good night.

I have not just been drinking all the time, I have been fairly busy studying for my BIG FINAL EXAMS, which were TODAY!!!!! I was nervous, worried, anxious etc etc about it and as someone said to me the other day "Don't worry it is only your career on the line!" Well as a result of the build up of nerves and anxiety I have been a bit of a shit to my friends and especially my b/f (Who I would like to just say "Sorry and Thank you so much") as I have been wrapped up a bit in my own little world.

Well the day arrived, I was on station at 0835hrs for a 0900hrs start, thinking I would have plenty time for a coffee and a final flick through my notes, but I got side tracked and at 0855hrs still hadn't finished my coffee and valium (only joking about the valium) and the Training Manager (Really Nice Man, but oh my God does he look scary on Finals Day!) was saying "shall we just start then?" Gulp! Ok. So it began, the first was a 30 minute multi choice paper, 10 minute break, then onto the two hour "short" written (god I would hate to see what a long written is like......two weeks??) exam of which I had to answer all sections. I was then given a further 10 minutes to get a coffee, go and cry, pee etc and back into the training room for practical assessments covering CPR, Defibrillation, Airway Management, then onto more scenario's from Child Birth to Drug Overdose to Diabetes to Seizures to finally questions regarding Paramedic airway management and drug protocols!!! I was told that I could then have a break for Lunch (by this stage now 1300hrs). After Lunch I was advised that we were going out for a driving assessment and further practical "real life" assessments if we get a call. We didn't get any calls, so I drove around my station area covering many road types and during this drive I was questioned about highway code, signals etc as well as some general discussion about Service development and personal development.

Final at 1600hrs I was told that I had passed and that the Training Manager had been confident that I would, based on the feedback that he had been receiving over the last few weeks.

So there we go, I am now a fully qualified Ambulance Technician who has been told to keep studying and make sure that I am ready for the Paramedic pre-entry exams next year!!


Yipee :)