As staff psychiatrist in a mental hospital, administers psychiatric treatment of mentally ill patients.

This is the senior, specialist, or leadworker level of the series. As staff psychiatrist in a mental hospital, administers psychiatric treatment to mentally ill patients.

Examines and diagnoses mentally ill patients; establishes treatment programs and periodically reviews patients' progress;

Prescribes, conducts, and administers group and individual psychotherapy, psychotropic drugs, psychological examinations, and electroconvulsive therapy;

Interviews, examines, and admits patients to hospital; interviews or corresponds with relatives, friends, employers, and others, on patient's background, progress, and prognosis;

Holds and participates in staff conferences with medical, nursing, and administrative staff on individual patients; general therapy program, and institution policy and practice;

Conducts or takes part in research projects related to mental illness and therapy programs;
Prepares or directs preparation and maintenance of case records and reports, admission, and progress notes;

Prescribes and coordinates medical treatment program with other therapy programs; establishes and prescribes overall therapy programs for individual patients;

May supervise lower level staff.

There may be instances where individual positions must have additional licenses or certification. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure the appropriate licenses/certifications are obtained for each position.

Valid license to practice medicine and surgery in the state of Washington

AND

completion of three-year residency in psychiatry.

New class replaces 51300 Psychiatrist 1; effective June 1, 2005.