The purpose of this study was to assess perceived management competencies and job skills of cardiac rehabilitation professionals that work in a hospital setting. Competencies and job skills were assessed using an internet survey designed to determine perceptions of cardiac rehabilitation managers and non-managers. The conceptual framework for this investigation is based on the Katz's (1955) Skills Approach Theory of leadership. Skills theory focuses on three skills and abilities that can be learned in order to administer a large or small organization. The three skills include: (1) technical skill, (2) human skill and (3) conceptual skill.

A survey was developed using an expert panel. The Cardiac Rehabilitation Professionals Personnel Competency Inventory includes 108 items and it addresses the three job skills. The sample for this national study was selected from the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) affiliate's program membership list. A sample population of 732 participants was selected to participate in the internet-based survey. Two-Hundred fifty five surveys were returned creating a return rate of 35%.

The preceding research findings support the following conclusions: (1) Perceptions of cardiac rehabilitation professionals regarding job skills are affected by gender and managerial status but are not significantly influenced by years of experience, area of expertise and academic training. Male and female managers and female non-managers had a more positive perception of overall, technical, human relations and conceptual job skills. (2) the same type and level of skills are needed for the successful management of a cardiac rehab program regardless of the area of interest of the professionals who work in the program, (3) cardiac rehabilitation professionals regard human relations skills as their area of strength, and (4) cardiac rehabilitation managers do not perceive technical, human relations or conceptual skills differently based on years of experience.

With the re-engineering of healthcare and the continual development of undergraduate and graduate programs, the results from this study can be utilized to equip current and future cardiac rehabilitation professionals with the skills necessary to address the changing healthcare environment.