FEA TURE CHANGE FOR GOOD


FORMER BRITISH ASSOCIATION OF DENTAL NURSES’ PRESIDENT NICOLA DOCHERTY BELIEVES THIS IS AN ERA OF OPPORTUNITY


soon decided she needed a change in direction and joined a dental nursing programme in Glasgow. She joined a practice in Charing


N


Cross and worked her way up to be the senior dental nurse in the practice. After a while, Nicola felt the urge to move on and worked in community care and, for a while, also sold dental software. However, she found that she missed the contact with patients, and so once again she found herself employed in a dental practice. It was while there that she saw


an advert for a clinical management post at the Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education (pre-NHS Education for Scotland). It sounded like the ideal job for Nicola, with a strong educational remit, and she accepted when she was offered the post. She recalled: “In those days,


options for advancement for dental nurses were pretty limited. “I wanted to help improve the


CPD training regime, and the job allowed me to contribute to that. “Tere was still some patient


contact, because the courses involved dentists and vocational trainees in training.” Despite leaving clinical practice,


Nicola was keen to stay involved in dental nursing and so joined the British Association of Dental Nurses (BADN). She soon became the


SCO TTISH DENT AL


icola Docherty has been involved in dental nursing in one way or another for the last 25 years. Initially qualifying as a science laboratory technician, she


qualifications. We are also able to buy and run dental practices and are vital members of the dental team.” She also believes that registration


with the GDC has been a positive step for the dental nurse profession, providing new career pathways. Nicola added: “In my role as


CPD advisor I have to develop and organise various educational events to respond to the needs of DCPs, including the core topics recommended by the GDC. “NES is committed to delivering


Nicola Docherty


association’s regional coordinator, attending meetings across Scotland to gather information about what dental nurses wanted from their representative body. In 2011, Nicola was elected as the president of the BADN, succeeding Sue Bruckel. Nicola, who is currently


employed as a CPD advisor for NHS Education for Scotland, believes dental nursing has changed dramatically during her career. She said: “Te role has evolved from dental assisting to dental nursing. We can now carry out extended duties like taking impressions, as well as having new and exciting


“WE CAN NOW BUY AND RUN PRACTICES AND ARE VITAL TEAM MEMBERS”


26


quality education, therefore I have to organise regular needs- analysis questionnaires and collate post-course feedback to make sure the training we provide meets our objectives and those of the DCPs.” Despite this, Nicola still feels that


one of the biggest challenges facing the profession is access to quality CPD. She said: “Trough speaking to many dental nurses, barriers included getting time off work to attend face-to-face courses (paid/ unpaid) and cost. To tackle this, I think possible solutions should include more quality-assured online learning and journals.” And, although still involved with


the BADN, Nicola says she is happy to let others take the lead. She concluded: “I am still a


current member and now support the new coordinator. However, after several years as Scottish coordinator on the BADN Council, one year as president-elect, two years as president and one year as immediate past-president, I think it is well and truly time to step back and let fresh blood come through.”


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