Jottings

Back on campus

After 22 years working in High Street practices, in both small independent stores and national chains, it was time for a fresh challenge. During my time in practice, my passion was to be involved in training both new and existing staff in dispensing, and to supervise countless pre-registration dispensing opticians (DOs).

Latterly, I was also fortunate to get a weekly placement within the Vision Centre at Glasgow Caledonian University, supervising students in the Dispensing Clinic. An exciting opportunity arose to work full-time at the university, and I was lucky to be offered the job. I have worked in the clinic for more than two years now and enjoy supervising the third and fourthyear optometry students, and second-year dispensing students.

ROSLYN AT THE GCU, GLASGOW

Within the Vision Centre, we work with a multidisciplinary clinical team, who provide an assortment of specialist clinics. These specialist clinics include Visual Stress, Low Vision, Myopia Management, Neuro Clinic, Dry Eye and Additional Support Needs. The students, therefore, will dispense specialist tints, complex prescriptions, custom-fit frames, as well as completing regular dispensings that they will find in all practices.

The students can ask any relevant questions, and their experience within the Dispensing Clinic is tailormade to them individually, depending on their own experience, knowledge and confidence. A couple of examples of this are, as a supervisor, I can either stand back and observe the student dispensing the patient, or I can be fully involved with the dispense, assisting the student.

Some students work part-time in local practices where they are involved in dispensing, some students have no dispensing experience at all, and we also have fully qualified DOs who are continuing their studies in the optometry course. All students, regardless of their dispensing knowledge, are given fair and constructive feedback, and have the opportunity to discuss each dispensing episode that they partake in. PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE

As well as dispensing skills, I am coaching students on their communication with patients, which is vital for their future careers. We all require confidence to communicate effectively; this is important in building a rapport with the patient, and to put the patient at ease. Anyone who works with the public knows it can be challenging at times, but I encourage the students to smile, and to be open and friendly. Even simple things, like introducing yourself to the patient, showing them to a chair and asking them how they are, can set a good foundation, so I encourage students to start with these.

There are also a lot of scenarios where the student will communicate with the patient and their carer or parent, or through an interpreter: all great practise for the students to build their confidence as they will undoubtedly come across this many times in their day-to-day work.

Like all practices, the students will help patients of all ages, with all of their individual and unique personalities and requirements. If there are quieter times in the clinic, without patients, then myself and the students can choose a topic to discuss, such as occupational lenses, or practise skills like taking accurate measurements, or using the manual focimeter effectively.

At the Vision Centre, I am fortunate to work with other experienced DO supervisors, an invaluable reception team, technicians, optometrists, orthoptists and academic staff. It is a professional environment well equipped for training purposes.

I am continually expanding my own knowledge and experience by working with patients who have attended specialist clinics within the Vision Centre, as I have the opportunity, during a handover, to discuss their unique situation and dispensing requirements with the relevant clinicians.

Overall, working in the Vision Centre can be busy and challenging, but it is rewarding and a pleasant environment to work in. I feel privileged to be able to help the students within their course, and hope they enjoy and remember their experience, and learn good dispensing practices that will be a useful foundation in their careers in optics.

I have learnt a lot from my time in the Dispensing Clinic; sometimes it’s refreshing to be pushed out of your comfort zone and learn from the students. It is a never-ending task for me, but I do try to remember all of the students' names.

Roslyn MacFadyen is a dispensing optician at the Glasgow Caledonian University Vision Centre.