Stu Passed the Exam!!!

Stu passes CPNE, or Clinical Performance Nursing Exam!
Thanks go to the Lord, my wife, and all who prayed for me this weekend...I passed the most stressful exam of my life! May I apologize right now for not posting this info earlier, but the cool-down period has been slow. We arrived back home from the test site in Atlanta around 2:30 yesterday afternoon. And the fact that I passed is still sinking in!

In a very brief note, I will relay the details, maybe 2 sentences at best. Traditional nursing students spend time at the hospital (clinical setting) working with patients and learning equipment and procedures. But the distance learning program I chose through Excelsior College mandates a 3-day event whereby one must perform 100% acuurately during 3 patient scenarios or else fail. Forget to wash hands at the appropriate time once and fail. Okay, that's three sentences. Now on to bigger and better news and blogging.


Fireman-to-Paramedic-to-Nurse (RN)
So, how, you may ask, do you get from fireman to nurse? Well, about 75% of emergency calls are now medical, both at my fire department and nationwide. I respond to auto accidents, cardiac arrests, medical emergencies in the home which includes all illnesses that compromise the heart, lungs, or brain. It took me about three years to get the stomach for those kinds of calls, and I went to EMT school for four quarters at the tech school in order to test for a state EMT license. I took a 2 week break and did another year in paramedic school, and passed that, got the license. I worked on an ambulance part time for a year while working full-time as a fireman, and to me, ambulance work is the same as RN work except working conditions consist of 4 wheels and motion sickness instead of concrete flooring.


A Male Nurse, You Say?
Oh yeah, you got that right! Nursing is still dominated by the fairer sex, otherwise known as females. At my exam this weekend I was the one male out of eight students. Not that I don't enjoy the presence and company of the female population, but it is a 180° reversal from having near 100% male firemen at my present job. But RN pay is a whole lot better than fireman pay, so I will soon bid adieu to the Macon/Bibb County Fire Department. It's a tough life changing from working with 100% men to nearly 100% women, but somebody's gotta do it. It might as well be me.

Oh, my wife is well versed on the situation and in full support. In case you asked.


Back On Track
Phew, now that that's over, there should be no gaps in my blog for the month of February. My apologies to you again, and also thanks go to my editors at ninetyandnine.com who believed that it was possible for a brother to pass the exam and start a blog in the same week. I need to compare the feeling by comparison, if I may take a brief moment...Taking this CPNE was more stressful than watching my child being born, witnessing death and dismemberment at trauma calls on the F.D. (fire dept.), and the morning of my wedding. On Saturday afternoon when I had one more patient to see, I thought for a few moments that I was having an M.I., or myocardial infarction (heart attack), and I don't say that as a cliche or simile.

Thanks for reading! Life is good! It's going to be a great February! Go buy a valentine today!

Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail me!