The psychologist as a ward administrator: current status.

Abstract

This chapter provides the extent of duties performed by the clinical psychologist as a ward administrator. The precise role of the clinical psychologist has never been rigidly defined and perhaps for a good reason. E. P. Brannon and A. J. Waites have described a role for the clinical psychologist as a ward administrator. This role allowed for a fuller use of the psychologist's skills delegating him primary responsibility for special ward programs and authority to sign Doctors Orders for non medical matters, that is, passes, ground privileges, access to funds, psychological treatment programs, and manipulation of ward environment. Emory L. Cowen and Lloyd Schwartz outline the precise role the psychologist played in administering a convalescent cottage which housed chronic patients. The role of ward administrator is not extremely popular to the clinical psychologist, as over half of the psychologists so employed have definite reservations. The psychologist desires authority of the position without engaging in the administrative duties per se.