ABOLISHED 04/16/2015 PER PAY LETTER 15-13 - Staff Psychiatrist, Departments of Mental Health and Developmental Services
California State Personnel Board Specification
Schematic Code: SF31
Class Code: 7652
Established: 03/07/1995
Revised: --
Title Changed: --
Definition
Under general direction, to perform responsible psychiatric work in a State developmental center or hospital or in a review, evaluation, or consultative capacity; and to do other related work.
Distinguishing Characteristics
Employees in this class may work in any of the various State developmental centers or hospitals. Employees may also be used in headquarters or field offices in a review and/or consultative capacity.
In an institution not having extensive psychiatric services, a Staff Psychiatrist may be the only psychiatrist on the institution staff and provides all psychiatric services with assistance from other medical officers of the institution. Direction of a general nature may be received from a chief medical officer (typically, on matters of hospital policies and regulations), or administrative direction only may be received from the institution superintendent.
Staff Psychiatrists working in institutions or clinics which provide extensive psychiatric services work under the general direction of a psychiatrist of a higher level.
Staff Psychiatrists are responsible for making definitive diagnoses and decisions. They also may be assigned general medical work in addition to their psychiatric duties.
Staff Psychiatrist is the entry and journeyperson level psychiatrist class in State service. Higher level psychiatrist classes involve either supervisory or training and teaching responsibilities.
Typical Tasks
In an institutional capacity, examines and diagnoses psychiatric patients; determines type of psychiatric and general medical treatment needed; administers psychiatric treatment with assistance, as necessary, from nurses and technicians; performs general medical and surgical work; performs ward duties, such as giving medications and tube feeding; makes ward rounds and reviews progress of patients; prescribes changes in treatment when indicated; consults, as necessary, with supervisory psychiatrist on unusual, complex, or serious cases, or presents such cases to a clinical conference for advice or decision; may instruct and supervise interns, residents, other physicians, nurses, technicians, and personnel assigned for special training; participates in staff conferences and clinics; keeps and supervises the keeping of medical records; provides relatives with information concerning patients in person or by correspondence; performs research in psychiatry; serves periodically as officer-of-the-day.
In a headquarters or field office capacity, reviews, examines, and diagnoses psychiatric patients and patient records and files in local community mental health programs to determine progress, effectiveness, and/or appropriateness of treatment services offered; determines and recommends to the Area Administrator the type and degree of psychiatric and general medical treatment needed in local mental health programs; provides clinical consultation to psychiatric staff in local community mental health programs on unusual, complex, or serious problems and cases where technical expertise is needed; consults with the Director and staff of a mental health program on all clinical psychiatric matters; designs, in collaboration with the Office of Program Planning, evaluation tools to ensure quality control of State programs; consults with staffs of programs supported by the State concerning psychiatric problems; develops consultative-collaboration efforts with other departments within the Health and Welfare Agency as well as the Department of Education in matters relating to the mental health needs of the State.
Minimum Qualifications
Possession of the legal requirements for the practice of medicine in California as determined by the California Board of Medical Quality Assurance or the Board of Osteopathic Examiners. (Applicants who are in the process of securing approval of their qualifications by the Board of Medical Quality Assurance or the Board of Osteopathic Examiners will be admitted to the examination, but the Board to which application is made must determine that all legal requirements have been met before candidates will be eligible for appointment.) and One year of experience in the practice of psychiatry or completion of one year of an approved residency in psychiatry.
Knowledge and Abilities
Knowledge of: Principles and methods of psychiatry, general medicine, and surgery and skill in their application; current developments in the field of psychiatry; mental hospital organization and procedures; principles and application of psychiatric social work, clinical psychology, physical therapy, various rehabilitation therapies, and other ancillary medical services; principles and techniques of psychiatric research; principles and practices of effective supervision and directing the work of others.
Ability to: Direct the work of others; instruct in the principles and practices of psychiatry; interpret laboratory analyses and x- rays; prepare and supervise the preparation of case histories and the keeping of hospital records; analyze situations accurately and take effective action.
Special Personal Characteristics
Sympathetic and objective understanding of the problems of the mentally ill; tact; patience; and emotional stability.
Drug Testing Requirement
Applicants for positions in this class are required to pass a drug screening test. Testing of current employees who are applicants in an examination or who are transferring is permitted only if the person does not have a current appointment to a class for which drug testing is a requirement.
