A study of allied health care entry-level employee workplace basic skills and competencies.

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This study utilized quantitative research methodologies to investigate the perceptions of Nevada allied health care providers regarding the importance of the workplace basic skills and competencies identified by the United States Department of Labor Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS,1991). Since it was assumed that employers possess direct knowledge of their employees' work skills, a questionnaire was developed and distributed to allied health care department supervisors in all of the identified hospitals within the state of Nevada.
A primary purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which allied health care providers in Nevada considered each of the SCANS (1991) skills and competencies as adequately identifying those necessary for entry-level employment into the allied health care industry. Additionally, the study determined to what extent Nevada allied health care employers perceived their entry-level employees as sufficiently possessing SCANS (1991) skills and competencies. Existing differences between perceived allied health care industry requirements and perceived entry-level skills and competencies were also determined. Finally, the study determined the importance of the SCANS (1991) skills and competencies to the productivity and profitability of respondent's hospitals.
This study suggested that the workplace basic skills and competencies identified by the United States Department of Labor Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS, 1991) are perceived to be valid and necessary for the allied health care industry. Furthermore, the study indicated that “skill gaps” are apparent between perceived allied health care industry requirements and perceived entry-level skills and competencies of entry-level employees. Finally, it was determined that the identified workplace skills and competencies of employees were considered very necessary for a hospital's productivity and profitability.