Community heroes – recognising dental nurses amid COVID-19
UncategorisedPosted by: Dental Design 8th September 2020
The Society of British Dental Nurses (SBDN) has launched a Community Heroes List to recognise the contribution made by dental nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Society have asked for dental nurses to be acknowledged for their input during the height of the pandemic.
This acknowledgement reaches out to every dental nurse – not just those engaged in clinical work.
It includes dental nurses who took on administrative roles, were redeployed, were involved in the Test and Trace initiative or who undertook voluntary work as an act of kindness and those involved in the mental health and wellbeing of colleagues.
Fiona Ellwood, patron of the SBDN, said: ‘The Community List will be held by the Society of British Dental Nurses and those nominated will recorded by region. The list will be displayed on the Society of British Dental website and will be part of dental nursing history for many years to come.
‘We have engaged with many of the key stakeholders and are keen that the local dental communities reach out and support this initiative across the four nations.’
During the height of the pandemic, the Society made an executive decision to provide support to all dental nurses during the height of the pandemic, not just to its members.
Fiona said: ‘What became very apparent and quite quickly was the psychological impact and the need to recognise early signs of stress, anxiety and exhaustion.
‘We recognise that dental nurses are part of the team and, as the professional society for dental nurses, we wish to acknowledge the hard work and excellence of everyone.’
She added: ‘Dentistry in lockdown and in recovery has faced many challenges and is now in a transitional period as it looks to the “new norm” in the provision of dental care, albeit on occasions hampered by local level lockdown periods.
‘There are still many unknowns about COVID-19 but the one thing we do know is that it is fitting to shine a light on the dental nursing workforce who contributed when it was most needed in whatever way they could.
‘Dental nurses are key members of any dental team but, in adversity, they adapted in their communities in the spirit of giving and kindness, which perhaps has not been seen before in such magnitude.
‘They are a workforce that often speak of the love of the job, but equally speak of being undervalued – this is the time then to be recognised in the community.’
Closing date is 2 October 2020.
All nominees will be recorded on the Society’s Community Heroes List.
The nominees list will be made public at the National Dental Nurses Day 22 November 2020.
For further information, or to nominate a dental nursing team or dental nurse, please email admin@sbdn.org.uk.
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