Content area
Abstract
Allied health professionals have collectively become the single largest provider group in health care delivery in the United States today. Typical of the dynamic health arena, the roles of these practitioners have undegone many changes as the level of sophistication in health care increases. Allied health professionals, advancing in practice, are often required to fill administrative or teaching positions without the benefit of post-career-entry educational preparation.
The purpose of this study was to identify commonalities and differences of perceptions of administrative and teaching competencies required in the advanced practice of dietitians, medical technologists, physical therapists and physicians assistants in Nebraska. The study also queried respondents regarding career-entry preparation and continuing education needs in administration and teaching.
The researcher distributed a competency questionnaire containing 98 competencies in twelve categories of administration and teaching to 470 allied health professionals in Nebraska. Responses obtained from 41% of those surveyed were coded for data processing and analysis.
Some heterogeneity of perceptions exists within each of the professions about the level of competence required for advanced practice in administration and teaching. When competencies are categorized for comparison among the four chosen disciplines, a statistically significant difference exists at the .05 level. When the least similar allied health profession is removed, however, the majority of administrative competencies are statistically similar.
Despite the fact that nearly half of the respondents have been employed in administrative or teaching positions for 2-10 years, 46% have had no formal preparation for skills in these roles.
The research supports a need for additional preparation in administration and teaching from both a comparison of career-entry competence with professional practice competence and identification of continuing education needs.
