RN Intake Specialist: Mental Health Admissions Navigator

Socket.dev; Albion (IN); On-site; USD 56,000 - 69,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401k

Dental insurance

Flexible schedule

Health insurance

PTO

Vision insurance

Career development

Mental health days

Holiday pay

Job summary

Hickory Treatment Centers is seeking an Intake Specialist (RN) to conduct comprehensive nursing and psychiatric intake assessments, determine admission appropriateness, and coordinate timely transitions into the appropriate level of care. You will collaborate with the treatment team and act as a key contact for patients, families, referral sources, and healthcare partners.

The role emphasizes trauma-informed, patient-centered care, with strong emphasis on documentation, communication, and crisis

Qualifications

• Current, unrestricted RN license in the state of practice.
• ADN required; BSN preferred.
• Current BLS certification.
• Previous experience in psychiatric, behavioral health, or acute care nursing preferred.
• Strong clinical assessment and critical-thinking skills.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and organization skills.
• Proficient in computer systems, data entry, and EMR.

Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive nursing and psychiatric intake assessments for prospective admissions.
• Obtain and document medical, psychiatric, psychosocial, medication, substance use, and safety information.
• Assess patients for suicidal ideation, homicidal ideation, self-harm, psychosis, aggression, withdrawal risk, and other acute behavioral health concerns.
• Identify immediate medical or psychiatric needs requiring emergency intervention or a higher level of care.
• Determine admission appropriateness based on clinical presentation, medical stability, psychiatric needs, facility criteria, and available services.
• Obtain and verify medication lists, allergies, medical history, laboratory results, vital signs, and other relevant clinical information.
• Review referral documentation and identify missing information necessary to safely complete the admission process.
• Maintain accurate, timely, and complete documentation in the electronic medical record.
• Ensure appropriate handoff of clinical information to receiving nursing and treatment teams.
• Coordinate admissions, transfers, and referrals between hospitals, emergency departments, outpatient providers, residential programs, law enforcement, and community agencies as appropriate.
• Monitor pending referrals and follow up with referral sources to facilitate timely placement.
• Coordinate with insurance/utilization review personnel as needed to support authorization and appropriate level-of-care placement.
• Communicate admission decisions and recommendations clearly and professionally to patients, families, referral sources, and healthcare professionals.
• Collaborate with psychiatrists, advanced practice providers, nurses, social workers, therapists, physicians, and other members of the multidisciplinary team.
• Coordinate with internal and external healthcare professionals to support safe and appropriate patient placement.
• Facilitate effective communication and continuity of care throughout the admission process.
• Provide patients and families with information regarding the admission process, treatment expectations, patient rights, facility policies, and available services.
• Utilize therapeutic communication and patient-centered approaches when addressing questions, concerns, and admission-related needs.
• Utilize de-escalation, therapeutic communication, and crisis-intervention techniques when interacting with patients experiencing emotional or psychiatric distress.
• Promote a patient-centered, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and recovery-oriented approach throughout the intake process.
• Maintain patient confidentiality and comply with HIPAA, regulatory requirements, facility policies, and applicable state and federal regulations.
• Participate in quality improvement activities and identify opportunities to improve the admissions and intake process.
• Perform other duties as assigned by nursing or administrative leadership.

Skills

Clinical assessment

Critical thinking

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Organization skills

EMR proficiency

BLS certification

Education

Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

Tools

EMR software

Data entry

Job description

Hickory Treatment Centers is seeking an Intake Specialist (RN) to conduct comprehensive nursing and psychiatric intake assessments, determine admission appropriateness, and coordinate timely transitions into the appropriate level of care. You will collaborate with the treatment team and act as a key contact for patients, families, referral sources, and healthcare partners.

The role emphasizes trauma-informed, patient-centered care, with strong emphasis on documentation, communication, and crisis