The multicompetent practitioner: a needs analysis in an urban area.

This study examined the concept of the multicompetent practitioner - the health care worker trained in more than one specialty - as one way of meeting the changing needs of the health care system. Seventy-four hospital administrators, 74 directors of nursing, 14 directors of community health organizations, and 12 private physicians from the Philadelphia metropolitan area were surveyed to explore the feasibility of developing and using multicompetent practitioners at their participating institutions. The results indicated that multicompetent practitioners are already working in some institutions and that there is a willingness to hire this new type of health care worker. How the multicompetent practitioner fits into the institution, the level of education required beyond the original area of skill, and the question of salary were included in the survey. Findings also indicate positive support for the development of multicompetent practitioner training within allied health educational programs.