Course Witness

What is a course Witness and what will they do?

Students undertaking training towards the NEBDN’s National Diploma in Dental Nursing qualification are required to complete a work based assessment portfolio called the Electronic Record of Experience (eRoE)

Included in the eRoE are a number of tasks based on the role of a qualified dental nurse. Students need to complete these tasks in the workplace whilst being observed by a dental professional who is registered with the GDC and who acts as a ‘Witness’.

In order to ensure trainee dental nurses complete the workplace tasks within the eRoE to a satisfactory standard, every trainee nurse must be assigned to a Witness within the practice they are working at.

The Witness will observe the student directly as they carry out the procedures and tasks specified within the eRoE (e.g. assisting with a dental procedure, sterilising dental equipment etc) and determine whether the procedures they have witnessed have been carried out by the student effectively and skilfully. The Witness is responsible for assessing a student’s clinical competence at the end of the task using a number of checklists.

The Witness must provide constructive feedback and ‘sign-off’ the document provided by the student. A seven day sign-off period for completion of Witness statements and signatures must be followed.

It is important to know that student’s success in the course does not impact their Witnesses’ GDC registration in any way, for example there are no negative consequences for the Witness in the unlikely even of a student failing their course or the NEBDN exam.

Who can be a Witness?

All Witnesses must meet the following requirements:

• Have a working knowledge of the qualification the Student is studying
• Be occupationally competent in the area of expertise – this should be credible and clearly demonstrable through continued learning and development
• Must be registered with the GDC
• The Witness is not required to hold an assessor qualification