Working in a hospital setting
Published: 01/03/2012
Keeley Askey, assistant senior dental nurse and lead research nurse, provides an insight into working in a hospital setting
How did you become a hospital dental nurse?
When I finished school at the age of 16, I was unsure as to what career path to take. I decided I wanted to be in a profession that provided care and support to the public sector. Therefore, I applied for a two-year training course at the Birmingham Dental Hospital to become a dental nurse.
Ten years later, I am still working at the Birmingham Dental Hospital as a dental nurse. However, my role has grown enormously and is now very different to when I began dental nursing.
What does your current role entail?
My role is divided into two parts. My job involves me being both an assistant senior dental nurse for the periodontal department as well as the lead research nurse for all clinical trials carried out in the department.
My assistant senior duties involve me having to take on many roles. A few examples of these roles are: ordering stock for the department, carrying out inductions for new members of staff, providing support and carrying out NVQ assessments for trainee dental nurses and generally ensuring the smooth day-to-day running of the department.
My lead research nurse duties involve me having to coordinate the overall running of the trials. This ranges from patient appointment scheduling to liaising with laboratory staff. Alongside this, I also take blood from the research patients and work chair side with the clinical trials dentist.
What is the best and worst part of your job?
I like many things about my job, the main one being the team I work with. I have a fantastic senior dental nurse who I have been lucky enough to work with for the duration of my career so far. Our department is friendly, efficient and organised.
My role requires me to be at the forefront of the department, and at times I do face challenges. Staffing issues, instrument shortages and other time-limiting factors are normally at the core of these challenges. These issues can be very frustrating and are a part of my job that I dislike. However, I find resolving these situations and challenges very rewarding.
What is your view on the future of the dental nursing profession?
During my career so far I have witnessed the rapid growth of the dental nursing role. I can foresee this continuing to grow and our role becoming more and more intense. Dental nurses becoming registered was a big turning point for us as a profession. CPD requirements help us as dental nurses to continually develop and progress in our careers.
If someone wants to become a hospital dental nurse, how should he/she go about it?
I would encourage them to research the role before applying. From experience the training course offered here at the Dental Hospital is of a very high standard. If somebody was interested in becoming a hospital dental nurse they could visit:
Author: MA Healthcare
