NursingNetUK

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Experience

Must have  clinical experience, post registration experience.

Must have experience leading on a service requirement.

Clinical Duties

To undertake chair side duties as and when required for the smooth running of the Dental Services. This includes a substantial clinical commitment within your clinical area of responsibility, as directed by the Principal Dental Nurse.

To maintain and extend a good working up-to-date knowledge of dental procedures and to identify areas of personal development to ensure high standards are achieved.

To assist the Dental surgeon with specialised programmes of care i.e. surgical and non-surgical interventions.

To be responsible for preparing the clinic and the necessary instrumentation for specialised procedures without direct supervision.

To undertake daily duties without direct supervision with Principal Dental Nurse available for advice as necessary.

To anticipate events during patient’s treatments and prepare instruments and materials as appropriate and to ensure safe and effective clinical practice.

Quality and Clinical Governance

To contribute to the Clinical Governance activities and to comply with standards set for the Dental Services by Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust as part of its Quality Assurance programme.

To develop and implement the Trusts Clinical Audit programme, Clinical Risk Strategy, Research and Development within the Trusts Clinical Governance Framework.

To facilitate the Dental Nurse Audit Group meetings.

To work with the Principal Dental Nurse on issues of quality standards, clinical governance, audit, and risk management. Whilst directing the Dental Nurses to maintain laid down quality standards, clinical audit and reporting clinical incidences.

Administrative Responsibilities

Preparation of daily clinics by providing the necessary instrumentation, materials, equipment, laboratory work, radiographs and scans to ensure that a seamless service is provided to the patient.

To maintain records within clinics.

Collating, filing and storage of patient study model boxes and patient photographs.

Giving clinical advice regarding patient enquiries in person and by telephone.

Write and develop local clinical practices and procedures for Special Care Dental.

To participate in the development of information leaflets for the department.

Co-ordinate packages of care for patients with departmental technical staff.

To monitor and maintain stock levels within the department and liaise with the Principal Dental Nurse for authorisation.

Technical Responsibilities

To comply with local, trust and national policies and procedures.

To disassemble and clean specialised dental units.

To be able perform basic maintenance and simple fault finding on specialist equipment.

Procurement

Monitor stock across all clinics, ensuring allocated budgets are adhered to.

First point of contact between stock suppliers and dental staff, obtaining costs for new materials and equipment.

Sourcing unusual requests, providing costs and communicating this to the Principal Dental Nurse.

Chasing creditor payments to ensure invoices are raised and paid in timely manner, troubleshooting when required.

Raise stock orders to pay non stock bills, for example laboratory fees and uniform.

Research and Development Responsibilities

Participates in departmental audit as necessary relevant to own work. E.G hand washing etc.

Attending courses and conferences for the purposes of personal development.

Communication and Relationships

To be a positive role model to the nursing staff through appropriate conduct, attitude and behavior.

Specifically:

Be patient focused.

Offer support to the Senior Management Team.

Be willing and able to take responsibility.

Seek to, and take opportunity to, improve services.

Be flexible in attitude and behaviour, to promote positive team interactions and facilitate the delivery of identified service objectives.

Having a positive mental attitude.

Liaise with a wide range of specialties outside of the Trust including, Medical and Dental practitioners other Trusts and Agencies, for patient treatments/appointments etc.

Communication with patients and carers who may have barriers to understanding e.g. children, learning disabilities, chaperoned prisoners, dental phobic patients, patients in pain and distress and patients where English is not a first language.

To enhance the patients experience during their care and treatment within the clinical setting.

Physical, Mental and Emotional Demands

The post holder can be subject to emotional and stressful situations in offering support to patients and their relatives with the following:

Reassuring and providing simple care instructions following a range of complex clinical procedures.

Support anxious or upset patients or carers.

Offering support to nervous or confused patients.

Offering support to children and teenagers.

Dealing with people who are verbally aggressive.

Handling and passing very small components during specialist procedures.

Preparation of dental materials and preparing of instrumentation.

Working with speed, accuracy and dexterity.

Multi –tasking during high levels of clinical activity.

Changing priorities quickly and effectively to deal with urgent situations.

Education & Training

To demonstrate work of a Dental Nurse to Dental Nurse Students.

Assisting in the training and development of new staff members.

Facilitate regular training sessions for the bi-monthly staff training, as requested by the Principal Dental Nurse.

Extended Duties

Extended duties to be performed, from those specified in “Special Care Dental Band 5 Dental Nurse Duties”. These duties may vary over time and will be allocated according to the needs of the service, as directed by the Principal Dental Nurse and/or Senior Management Team.