Next step: State certification

I had to buy a new shirt for my uniform after starting clinical. The old one just didn't have quite enough room.

My journey to my new career is progressing! Phase one is becoming a certified nursing assistant, and after taking my final exam today, all that is left is the state test! This is an accomplishment for me. It kind of makes losing my previous career worth it, but the real test will be if I pass the test and then I get a job in January and I like it... so the real worth remains to be seen.

So I've got the training and hopefully I can get the certification.

I celebrated my final exam by taking myself out to breakfast and I wish I had done things like this more often in the last few months. Of course, I didn't have the money for it. It was nice to just have my bagel and coffee at Panera and read the paper. I feel like it was good "me" time. I will continue this "me" time until Allie comes and hopefully in some fashion after.

I have the application for the state exam filled out and I'm just waiting until mid-week when we'll have the funds available to pay the fee. Too bad this test isn't free! Once I mail in the application, I'll get a reponse in five days with my time, date and place assignment. It will be within two to six weeks. I hope I don't forget everything before I get to the test!

Thursday we had a lab session where we reviewed all our skills that we may be tested on in the skills part of the state test. The first part is 60-question multiple choice, but the second part is demonstration of 5 out of 23 possible skills. We have to complete all of them in order to pass. I'm actually pretty nervous about this part. We practiced all of the skills in lab and clinical. But the handbook we need to follow for the test just has so many steps to follow. It will be really easy to leave something out. I can take the test again if I don't pass, but it will cost more and I just want to get it right the first time!

Now that I'm done with school, I don't have too much going on. Now I get to work on the house projects that have been hanging out for the last couple months. I got a lot done early in the summer but there are a few things still to do. And of course we need to continue working on Allie's room. Next week I'll take a few days to be lazy and then I'll get to work.