Multiskilling Education in the Curricula of Respiratory Therapy Education programs: A National Survey

Abstract

BACKGROUND: National study commissions and professional associations, including the AARC, have suggested that allied health practitioners become multicompetent with their skills not limited to a single allied health profes-sion. Hospital restructuring and elimination of central respiratory care (RC) departments have added to the pressure for multiskilled practitioners. I sought to determine the extent of multiskilling education (MSE) in the CAAHEP-approved RC programs. METHOD: Sixteen-item questionnaires were mailed to program directors at 377 institutions. Directors were asked to report on the amount of instruction in 10 skill areas: noninvasive and invasive cardi-ology, sleep disorders studies, neurodiagnostics, ECMO, bronchoscopy assist-ing, intravenous infusion, simple radiographic and medical laboratory pro-cedures, and basic patient care skills. Directors were to identify the settings for instruction, type of faculty, and type of students. Directors were asked to speculate on MSE expansion during the next 12 months. RESULTS: 216 institutions (58%) representing 245 educational programs (representing 51% of accredited programs) responded. Commitment to MSE ranged from a high of 86% of programs offering some instruction in bronchoscopy assisting to a low of 7% of programs offering some instruction in performing radiographic procedures. Other MSE skills were instruction in sleep disorders studies (77%), invasive cardiology (71%), noninvasive cardiology (65%), basic patient care skills (40%), ECMO (37%), simple laboratory procedures (30%), infusion therapy (17%), and neurodiagnostics (13%). Differences (p < 0.05) between technician and therapist programs were significant. Directors in 51% of the programs indicated that within the next 12 months they intend to offer more MSE, with 36% at basic level skills only, 21% at advanced level skills only, and 43% at both levels. CONCLUSION: Although MSE has broad support in the literature, impact on the current curricula of approved RC programs is minor, with only a small portion of that instruction using the full range of instructional settings and faculty. Almost all MSE is directed toward those in or entering RC. About half of the directors reported plans to offer more MSE in the next year.

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