Me, I've been out of town for work. I just got back from Sacramento for some training for my Job. In SPD (Supply, Processing, and Distribution) where I work in the VA Hospital the big deal is to be Level II Certified. It consists of become Level I Certified by taking a series of test. The information you are tested on is on the processing of reusable instruments, sterilizing them, storing them, as well as issuing them. The test are easy, they are open book. For Level II you have to take a 200 question test on all the material in the Level I Certification. About a month ago I took the Level II test and actually passed it. I had already signed up for the training in Sacramento, so my boss said I was going anyways.
The training was taught by the big boss "Bobby", from Washington DC. He is the person responsible for taking the VA from the Dark Ages, as far as Sterile Processing to the where we are today. Nationally the VA Health Care System ranks at the top as far as sterile processing. He started out by saying he does not teach the class to the Level II certification. He is there to teach us the latest information in sterile processing. We would be taking the Level II exam at the end of the week, but if we were worried about it we needed to study on our own.
At the beginning we had to stand and tell the class where were from and if we were Level I or Level II Certified. There were 60 students in the class and four others including me said we were Level II Certified. One of them said he was, but I think he was full of shit. He didn't know a thing. At the end of the week I took the test. I really thought I did worse then I did the first time. It turns out I did the exact same. I was the only one that was Level II Certified that passed it again.
I know what your saying. You just posted a blog saying you had memory issues. And now you are saying you passed this test that only 16 out of 60 could? What I didn't mention was how much I studied for it. In the military I did very well. I finished at the top of my class or second in the schools I went to. When I went to the two week school to become a Medical Supply Specialist, I partied every night. I drank heavily and did not study at all. There were Soldiers there really trying to become the Distinguished Honor Graduate (the Soldier that averaged the best scored on all the tests). They sat at the front of the class taking notes. They didn't go out at night so they could study. At the end of the training I was sitting in the back of the class nursing a hangover. The Sergeant Major was up front issuing the certificates of training. Before they got started he said he would be issuing the Distinguished Honor Graduate the certificate first. The Soldiers in the front of class adjusted themselves so they could stand up easier. When he asked for SGT Mark Taylor to come forward, you could hear the groans of dismay. I believe I even heard a "What the F*&^?" It was like this for most things I had done. There wasn't much studying and I passed fairly easy.
So yes, I passed the Level II Certification. What I didn't say is how many times I went through the Level I book. I bet I could easily say I read the book, studied the chapter test over a hundred times. I still couldn't remember some stuff that I should have. I could remember a question from the first time I took the test. It had to do with naming the different types of Homeostatic Forceps. I must have read them over and over and over. When I came to the question I still couldn't remember the exact names. It's seems I have learned to cope with what I have. I know I would have a really hard time if I was to learn new material and be tested soon after. If I had weeks to study information and then take a test, I'm sure I would be fine.
Hopefully you will hear from The Misses soon. I too miss reading about what she is going through. I did just get off the phone with her. She told me about her "day off". There wasn't much time for her in the day, let alone time to sit down and write to us. She does however have time to stand ontop of her clinic with her Sergeant Major and smoke Cigars????
