Busy Busy

The new guidelines now state 3 sinks one for hand washing one for wrinsing the other for cleaning the instruments. I have also informed the dental nurse trainees to wear full PPi and to submerese the instruments. Look in the levison hand books and see what it says in there. When I first started about 27 yrs ago it was a case of using the bur brush under running water. Or as the dentist called spit n polish. Glass ball bearings were used to dip the ends of the instruments into to sterilise.

Actually, yes I think you're correct. As long as it's done fully submersed with a mask/goggles I think it's ok.

Our instruments dont get that mucky either and yes a tissue or elbow grease would suffice as you say. But When I was teaching or assissting witha tutor of dental nurses about 4 yrs ago she told the nurses to scrub the instruments in a sink filled with soapy water. Use along handled brush as well is what they were told. The brushes an be placed in teh washer and even a autoclave depending on the type you have .

Even though I agree that the current leg is over complicated and in a lot of cases unworkable in a real life situation, I disagree that we should revert back to the old days.

Even though the actual chance of catching something is very small, gloves are a very wise and cheap prevention method. And in answer to your question re scrubbing, scrubbing is pretty disgusting in my own opinion. There is very little debris that cannot be removed with tissue and elbow grease. If you scrub with a bristle brush, you merely spray debris all over the room and yourself. You then leave a dirty brush lying around.

I know someone who scrubs with a bristle brush and no mask or goggles. erghk. She may as well be licking the instruments!

Its nice to know i'm not the only person who thinks the job we do does not reflex our pay, i spent all of Monday doubled up in a surgery dealing with scrubbing of instruments, bagging them, dating them, sorting them, getting rid of old stock, ticking the check lists along side helping the nurse in there,
A few years ago this would of been done when your Dentist was away on there holiday, now its done as and when patients or not.
I know what you mean about treating patients with no gloves, i nursed on children doing F/Seals without gloves for years, we treated high risk patients at the end of every day to prevent cross infection, now with all the rules and regs 8 hour days are long gone

Hi i have been dental nursing for 27 years now qualified in 1993. The role has definatly changed over the years. With the Crossinfection and central sterilisation I used to work with out gloves till 1994ish never had the Hep injection til 1995. The bagging up of instruments is do we bag them up before during or after sterilisation it changs every few years. Do we scrub instuments in a sink of water or under running water? No doubt in about 2/3 yrs time it will revert to the old ways. Yes I agree with Nikki07 about the above. What does need to change tho is our wages. We should revert to the old ways I think I have never caught anything from needlestick or what soever. Amalgam was mixed by hand with a piece of guaze. Everything was mixed on glass slabs or mixing pads now everything is in capsules.

I found this site 2 days ago and have enjoyed reading all the notes,
Does anybody else feel that the job we do now is nothing like the job we started or trained as?
I qualified 6 years ago and enjoyed every day i went into work, meeting new people, gaining a relationship with the patients, Now in my 2nd practice and doing differnet role and tasks i wounder if my pay reflects the jobs?
With CQC, ICL, rules and regs changing every day i feel left hand doesn't know my right hand and can say that somedays i don't enjoy my role.
No matter how much i put in, how many hours i work it still isn't enough
I arrive home most nights feeling like i have done 10 rounds with David Haye heheheheh
It makes me wonder how a practice managed all them years before