It was a warm sunny day, 20 May 2003, as I drove to Ottawa, I felt quite confident that the outcome would be a success. On the 21^st I would write the RPN exam given by CNO.

 

This was the climax of a lot of preparation, months of study, and hopefully the fulfilment of a lifetime goal. I come from a predominantly nursing family, my Mom worked in many fields as a RNA and recently retired from the North Bay Psychiatric Hospital, Dad was a long time ambulance driver, and my younger sister was a RNA until she specialized in the sale of medical equipment, so my interest in health care was, among other things, family driven.

 

I am John Thomson; my training in the military started in 1975 at CFB Borden as a ward Medical Assistant, providing bedside nursing to our sick and injured soldiers. Many courses and years of experience soon saw me as the ward master on a few different floors in the National Defence Medical Centre, everything from Medicine and Surgery, caring for our veterans, to working in the recovery room. During my tour of duty with the Canadian Forces I have also served independently for many different infantry units, working from Baffin Island to Cyprus, doing initial assessments, diagnosing, prescribing and following up my patients.

 

Recently though I had turned my sights on becoming a RPN, in preparation for the day when I cease to work for the Forces. There are few organizations that will recognize the military training I had received, so, to stay in the health care field; I decided to become a RPN. Preparations to write the exams were not easy, I undertook the task of working with an agency that provided home care, I volunteered at our local hospital with a goal of observing the nursing staff as well as helping the clients on the floor. Other groundwork saw me studying, writing the predictor tests, and becoming very familiar with the duties of the RPN.

 

The opportunity to write the RPN exam was wonderful.

I vividly recall driving up the driveway to the testing centre, as Queen sang “We Are The Champions” on the radio.

I felt good, I was confident that my studies, experience, and schooling had me well prepared.

 

I passed the exam, became registered with the CNO, and RPNAO. Presently I have the time and resources to upgrade my skills by taking the Leadership Course offered by RPNAO, a Physical Assessment course thru our local college; and I will refresh my knowledge by taking the medications course and IM / IV therapies workshops. I quite enjoy learning and plan making my education a lifelong process. Presently I am unsure which career I will chose as an RPN, but, I will be prepared when that day arrives.

 

I would like to thank everyone I have encountered in my new role as an RPN; I look forward to working full time in some capacity and contributing as much as I can to this organization and of course to the clients.

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