Local Anesthesia Board

     The LA board was the one that I was really nervous about.  I didn't pass either of my injections for the mockboard and I never had a chance to do any injections on patients inbetween mockboards and real boards.  That was a little stressful.  Luckily my husband was a great sport and let me practice the angles on him with a q-tip.  There was no way I was going to get him in the chair with a real needle though.  My dad was more than excited (not) when I asked him to be my patient for the LA board.  He actually had a great attitude about helping me out with it, he even got up at 2:00 in the morning to go to work so he could be there in time for my exam time.  I think that I was a lot more calm having my dad be my patient instead of having a classmate or friend be my patient.       
     I passed on my first chance but not without some difficulties.  I had osseous contact with the IA so I redirected and got to the proper depth and redirected again.  I then had a very positive aspiration.  Withdraw, get a new set-up and start again.  I had osseous contact again but was able to redirect and get to the right depth.  "Oh please, oh please don't get another positive aspiration!"  Success!!!  I deposited until the examiners told me to withdraw.  I felt really good about the IA injection.
     The PSA was what I was the most worried about.  I could not decide which side I would do.  I felt more comfortable with the left side but the instructors and other students are always saying that the right side is so much easier.  I caved into peer pressure and decided to try the right side.  I was having the hardest time getting the right angles and depth.  I kept getting osseous contact and looking back on it I don't think I was high enough in the mucobuccal fold so that was probably my biggest problem.  I finally got to where I felt ok about it, had a negative aspiration, deposited and withdrew.  I really wasn't feeling good about that PSA and was hoping the examiners would come back and ask to see the PSA on the left side.  Luckily they did.  The PSA on the left side was easy breezy.  I was able to get right in with the correct angles, negative aspiration and I felt like it was relatively perfect. 
     The examiners told me I could release my patient and clean up my operatory.  I was also really worried about disassembling my syringes and now I had 4 that I had to do!  I was worried that the needle prop cards would fall into the sharps container which is an automatic fail.  The pressure was on.  Luckily the examiners weren't really even watching me clean up.  WHEW!  I didn't end up having any difficulties though.  The next step was to wait for the results to show up in the basket. 

     I PASSED!!!  I was so happy I didn't have to pay $120 to retake it again and go through the stress.