I have done it

For the first time in the history of me, I have done it. I made a New Years resolution (actually ON New Years), and I kept it! I think the difference is that I didn't resolve to exercise or eat healthier or be nicer or some other abstract thing. My resolution was to get Ortho certified. There was a test in April (not nearly enough time to study for), and one on October 15. So I bought the $85 book and paid for the $220 test and studied away. Actually, I am a crappy studier, so I put it off until the date began to loom, then I crammed. I am a really good crammer. On the day of the test, which is held at only like 25 cites across the country (luckily for me, that includes Seattle), tons of people from all around the Pacific Northwest showed up, but of all of them, I was the ONLY one who was there for the Ortho certification. Most of the others were for the Med/Surg certification, and some were there for a dialysis/kidney certification. Anyway, I was the ONLY one, and I am now one of only TWO Ortho certified floor RN's at work. (out of the hundred or so that work there) Pretty cool! AND.....I get my $1 an hour raise. Yippee!!!

I thought for sure I had not passed--this was the hardest test I have ever taken!! My floor is trauma orthopedics, so I know all the trauma stuff and sports injuries, but there were a ton of things on oseoporosis and arthritis and pediatric stuff like cerebral palsy and rickets and dwarfism. Not stuff I had a clue about. But I got my results Sunday night, and the number needed to pass was 96, which is roughly 70% correct, and I had 116, which is over 1 standard deviation above the passing level, so apparantly I do have a clue. I just don't have a clue that I have a clue, if you know what I mean!!

So.....go me!!