NVQs for Dental Nurses

Carole Hollins

• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
• Year: 2013
• Print ISBN: 9781405192569
• eBook ISBN: 9781118703083
• Edition: 2
• Topic: Medicine
• Subtopic: Dentistry

'NVQs for Dental Nurses' provides trainee dental nurses with a core companion to the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) Level 3 in Oral Healthcare. The book offers comprehensive support on mandatory units of the course in addition to supplying material on the optional units most common to clinical dentistry.

The second edition has been substantially revised and restructured in line with the newly updated NVQ course.

1

The N/SVQ

The concept of qualification by N/SVQ has been developed around the recognition of the competence of candidates to perform a range of tasks to the standards required for their successful employment. For this qualification, the candidates will be dental nurses who are employed by any of the following employers:

General dental practices, either National Health Service (NHS), private or ‘mixed’

Community dental clinics

Dental departments within general hospitals

Dental teaching hospitals

Dental corporate bodies

The armed forces

Formal qualifications are not required by candidates wishing to undertake this N/SVQ in Dental Nursing, but they must be employed in a suitable dental workplace where the necessary opportunities to gain evidence for the completion of the qualification are provided. As the dental workplace can be a hazardous environment for numerous reasons, the qualification is not approved for any candidates under the age of 16 years.

This dental nursing qualification is specifically involved with direct chairside tasks and the support provided to dentists and dental care professionals (DCPs; such as hygienists and therapists) during a range of dental treatments. However, considerable underpinning knowledge of topics such as anatomy, dental instruments and materials, and dental equipment is also required. The theoretical knowledge needed in these areas should be provided by formal classroom teaching.

The decision on whether a candidate is deemed to be ‘competent’ or ‘not yet competent’ in a given task is determined by the assessment of evidence produced by the candidate to show that they can perform each of the tasks covered by the qualification, in a competent manner in the workplace. The assessments are carried out by trained and qualified assessors, and for this qualification an assessor is a dentist, qualified DCPs or another professional who is competent and qualified in certain areas of healthcare, such as a radiographer.

The evidence considered acceptable can be produced either directly or indirectly. Examples of each are given below.

Direct evidence:

Observation in the workplace by an assessor

Observation and testimony by a named expert witness (dentist, registered DCP)

Observation of a simulated task by an assessor (such as basic life support)

Observation and testimony by a witness (such as a patient)

Indirect evidence:

Performance reports from a workplace mentor (dentist, senior DCP)

Professional discussions and questioning by an assessor

Written assignments, homework, presentations and case studies

The N/SVQ in Dental Nursing qualification consists of 11 mandatory units:

Unit 1 – Ensure your own actions reduce the risk to health and safety (ENTOA)

Unit 2 – Reflect on and develop your practice (HSC33)

Unit 3 – Provide Basic Life Support (CHS36)

Unit 4 – Prepare and maintain environments, instruments and equipment for clinical dental procedures (OH1)

Unit 5 – Offer information and support to individuals on the protection of their oral health (OH2)

Unit 6 – Provide chair side support during the assessment of patients’ oral health (OH3)

Unit 7 – Contribute to the production of dental radiographs (OH4)

Unit 8 – Provide chairside support during the prevention and control of periodontal disease and caries, and the restoration of cavities (OH5)

Unit 9 – Provide chairside support during the provision of fixed and removable appliances (OH6)

Unit 10 – Provide chair side support during non-surgical endodontic treatment (OH7)

Unit 11 – Provide chair side support during the extraction of teeth and minor oral surgery (OH8)

The first unit and the last eight form the basis of general dental practice, while the second and third units have been added to cover areas of competence that are necessary in accordance with the National Occupational Standards for dental nursing. Each unit is made up of a number of ‘elements of competence’, which describe all of the tasks that the dental nurse must be able to carry out competently. Every element of all 11 units must be carried out competently to achieve the N/SVQ qualification. In addition, the factual knowledge evidence from various areas of the 11 units is tested in the form of a written Vocationally Related Qualification (VRQ), and this will also have to be successfully completed before the dental nurse can register as a qualified DCP with the General Dental Council.

The four broad sections of the N/SVQ syllabus to be covered by the VRQ are discuss...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Contents
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Introduction to the Second Edition
• Acknowledgements
• 1 The N/SVQ
• 2 Unit 1: Ensure Your Own Actions Reduce the Risk to Health and Safety (ENTOA)
• 3 Unit 2: Reflect on and Develop Your Practice (HSC33)
• 4 Unit 3: Provide Basic Life Support (CHS36)
• 5 Unit 4: Prepare and Maintain Environments, Instruments and Equipment for Clinical Dental Procedures (OH1)
• 6 Unit 5: Offer Information and Support to Individuals on the Protection of Their Oral Health (OH2)
• 7 Unit 6: Provide Chairside Support During the Assessment of Patients’ Oral Health (OH3)
• 8 Unit 7: Contribute to the Production of Dental Images (OH4)
• 9 Unit 8: Provide Chairside Support During the Prevention and Control of Periodontal Disease and Caries and the Restoration of Cavities (OH5)
• 10 Unit 9: Provide Chairside Support During the Provision of Fixed and Removable Prostheses (OH6)
• 11 Unit 10: Provide Chairside Support During Non-surgical Endodontic Treatment (OH7)
• 12 Unit 11: Provide Chairside Support During the Extraction of Teeth and Minor Oral Surgery (OH8)
• 13 The VRQ and Question Examples
• Glossary of Terms
• Index