It was 1989 and I didn't want to stay on at school for another 2+ years. I wanted a career...but what career was right for me??? The day of my 16th Birthday a letter arrived through the post, it was a letter inviting me for an interview at our local Dental Practice...How odd, I hadn’t applied for the post! My mother and I figure out that the school had informed the job centre of all the pupils that wanted a career instead of further education....this was meant to be!!!
I went for the interview and I got the job...I would be assisting the dentist in the surgery while studying for my national qualification...I was so excited!!
I quickly picked up everything I was taught and I studied hard, I was the first nurse in the practice to be entered in for a qualification in dental nursing and I began to know more than the older staff knew, therefore I progressed in the practice very quickly. I finally passed my exam after 3 tries, due to my dyslexia...but I did it and I was very very proud!!!!
From 1989 to 2002 I moved from job to job, collecting knowledge and experience along the way. Then in 2003 I moved to Cornwall and that’s when every started to fit into place. My new employer could see that I loved training up new staff and they could see how enthusiastic I was. They had two members of staff that needed an NVQ assessor; therefore they suggested I contacted Cornwall college and find what to do next.
I went for an interview at the college and got the job as trainee assessor, I trained and assessed the two new nurses and after 6 months, I became a qualified NVQ assessor, gaining my A1 award. I continued to work as a dental nurse while part time assessing. My two candidates became qualified after 18 months...You couldn’t imagine how pleased I was, I had been involved in two lovely girls qualifying as dental nurses!
After 2 years I moved to a private practice that was a referral practice for implants and cosmetic dentistry. I was going to be an implant nurse, that included sedation, this was very exciting and I began studying again. I now needed to know about implant equipment and a whole new range of instruments that was used in surgical procedures...wow, it was like starting at the beginning again haha!
As time passed, I became the senior nurse at the practice and I needed a new challenge. I asked if they would enter me in for my Oral Health Educator post graduate qualification, they agreed. This course was so intense and I did struggle, but I knew if I passed, that the struggle would be worth it. I applied for extra time for the examination, due to my dyslexia, I didn’t want to have the same problem as I had with my National...I wanted to complete this exam first time.
In March this year, I passed my OHE first time, this is the proudest moment in my career...I am a qualified Oral Health Educator, I have so much knowledge about dentistry...I love it! I have more patient management and I am helping patients every day.
So where next...I am doing a smoking cessation course in Februrary and I start a new job in April as a clinical manager for an orthodontic practice. I am being entered in for an impression course, radiography post graduate qualification and I aim to have my orthodontic nursing post graduate qualification by 2013...watch this space!
From Joanne Chambers
Christmas Hamper winner
