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Multiskilling: What Does It Mean For Rural Allied Health?
Author(s) -
HODGSON LYNETTE
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
australian journal of rural health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.48
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1440-1584
pISSN - 1038-5282
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1584.1992.tb00062.x
Subject(s) - emotive , health professionals , health services , nursing , allied health professions , medicine , psychology , health care , medical education , public relations , sociology , environmental health , political science , population , anthropology , law
The apparent negativity of allied health professionals towards the term ‘multiskilling’ can be explained by examining its emotive connotations. Many allied health professionals fear that multiskilling implies one of the following: extension of an already overutilised allied health professional's duties and allied health skills are subsumed and performed at an unsatisfactory level by other health workers; or proposals to train substandard multipurpose practitioners. Allied health professionals need to establish a personally relevant, positive definition of multiskilling which is cognisant of acceptable service delivery models and the advanced competencies required for effective rural practice. Appropriate training must advance alongside continuing agitation for an improved, integrated infrastructure of personnel and services.