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

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.