Testing

I took my National Registry practical exam on Sunday in Concord, NH. The exam, which was held in a dormitory at the New Hampshire Fire Academy, consisted of eleven stations ranging from intravenous and intraosseous access and drug therapy to patient assessment, advanced airway management and cardiology. There were also two rounds of oral boards. For such a large-scale production--eighty people showed up to either retest individual stations or take the entire thing--the logistics ran like clockwork. It took me just over four hours from start to finish, and there was a minimum of downtime between stations.

The National Registry exam was different from the New York State paramedic practical exam in subtle but significant ways. Most obvious was the number and nature of the stations; both exams featured static and dynamic cardiology, IV access and bolus medications, adult airway management, patient assessment and one randomly selected "basic life support" skill. But where New York also tested IV med administration via drip and a second random BLS skill, the National Registry instead tested dual-lumen airway placement, pediatric airway management, pediatric intraosseous access and the oral boards.

More subtle were the differences when the stations overlapped between the two exams. A number of these were evident from examining the skills sheets on the National Registry website, but I also attended a "prep class" taught by an area instructor. She has been an evaluator for the National Registry for nearly twenty three years, and she has their permission to run this class the night before the exam outlining common pitfalls in the various stations. No actual exam scenarios are discussed, but she covers many of the ways in which this exam may vary from individual states' tests. It was more than worth the time and money!

Unfortunately, according to the test administrator's unofficial results, I did not pass my static cardiology station. I will have to retest that station another time (hopefully next month). It's a little disappointing, to say the least, but I'm glad to have most of the exam behind me. And since I have already passed the National Registry written exam, this is the last remaining hurdle to transferring my certification from New York to New Hampshire and Vermont.

Sunday was also our church's annual Thanksgiving Dinner, held in the town's community center. It was a great time of feasting, fellowship and, of course, thanksgiving. A lot of people spent a lot of time and energy making it the tremendous success that it was, and I know their efforts are deeply appreciated by all. (And to whoever brought the stuffing ... two enthusiastic thumbs up!)