The working practices and job satisfaction of dental nurses in Trinidad and Tobago: Findings of a national survey

✍ Scribed by R.S. Naidu; I. Gobin; A. Ashraph; J.T. Newton; D.E. Gibbons

• Publisher: FDI World Dental Federation
• Year: 2002
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 400 KB
• Volume: 52
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0020-6539
• DOI: 10.1002/j.1875-595x.2002.tb00878.x

✦ Synopsis

Objective:

To describe the working practices and level of job satisfaction of dental nurses in trinidad and tobago.

Design:

Postal survey.

Participants:

Fifty enrolled and practising dental nurses in trinidad and tobago were surveyed, 38 replied (76%).

Outcomes measures:

Current working practice, career breaks, continuing education, job satisfaction.

Results:

All dental nurses were employed by the ministry of health or regional health authorities. most performed a wide range of clinical and administrative duties along with delivering dental health education. forty five per cent of respondents had taken a career break since qualifying with maternity and child rearing being the most common reason (94%). sixty six per cent had attended a continuing education course in the previous year, with this most frequently being a dental refresher course. satisfaction with pre-qualification training was high but current job satisfaction was low. concerns with working conditions and career paths were identified.

Conclusion:

Dental nurses in trinidad and tobago expressed confidence in their ability to perform their current duties and showed interest in continuing education. job satisfaction was low.