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Biomedical subjects

H B Perry

Publications and source records attributed to H B Perry.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

An analysis of the professional performance of physician's assistants.

The job performance of a national sample of 939 physician's assistants has been assessed by means of a self-rating scale as well as by a rating scale completed by supervising physicians. Three-quarters of the participating supervising physicians are greatly satisfied with the work of their physician's assistants and a similar proportion indicate that they would definitely hire the same assistant if they "had it to do over again." The influences of background and work environment characteristics upon performance were assessed by means of multiple regression. Graduating from a military-sponsored physician's assistant program appears to have a beneficial effect upon performance. Performance during training exerts only a weak effect upon job performance. Amount of education and medical experience prior to beginning physician's assistant training do not affect job performance.

Clinical Competence

Physician assistants: an overview of an emerging health profession.

This article describes the background characteristics, work environments, and job characteristics of the physician assistant profession as they existed in late 1974 and early 1975. Of the 939 physician assistants participating in this study, three-fourths were working in primary care specialties and half were located in communities having fewer than 50,000 persons. Favorable levels of responsibility for patient care, supervisory support, and role acceptance were reported by respondents. The mean income was $14,285. Job opportunities appeared plentiful, but career opportunities were considered by most to be either limited or nonexistent. Physician assistants are providing important additional medical manpower in primary care fields and in smaller communities, but the preceived lack of opportunities for career advancement may prove to be a significant problem for this emerging health profession in the years ahead.

Career Mobility

Patient acceptance of nurse-midwife in a private group practice.

Forty private obstetrical patients cared for by a group practice employing a nurse-midwife were interviewed. Half of the study group accepted the nurse-midwife for delivery. The other 20 were delivered by an obstetrician. Acceptance of prenatal care by the nurse-midwife was found to be favorable. Patients reported feeling more comfortable with the nurse-midwife and perceived her as more understanding, sympathetic and available to answer questions than the physicians. The initial encounter with the nurse-midwife differed significantly between those in the two delivery groups. Patients accepting the nurse-midwife for delivery were more likely to have first met her alone while those who chose to be delivered by an obstetrician-gynecologist were more likely to have been introduced to the nurse-midwife by the physician. The implications of this initial "imprinting experience" on the acceptance of the nurse-midwife for delivery are discussed.

Female