Admissions Nurse

In coordination with of the Director of Admissions, review referrals for psychiatric and medical appropriateness for acute inpatient psychiatric treatment. Coordinates all aspects of the admission process, including responds to admission inquiries and educating prospective patients, families, and practitioners on hospital treatment programs and services. Ensures insurance authorization and/or alternative payment for services are varified and in place prior to admission. Collaborate with staff to review and schedule new patient admissions. Works closely with the community-based referral sources to ensure all necessary referral information and documentation is provided. This position requires use of professional clinical judgment of medical and psychosocial issues specific to children and young adults with mental illness.

1. Psychiatrically clear all patients prior to admission to HHRTF. Communicate with Chief Medical Officer or designee with any concerns.
2. Routinely get updates on patients’ status and presentation while at the referring facility.
3. Work to ensure that patients awaiting placement have efficient and timely transitions.
4. Complete nurse-to-nurse telephone report prior to the patients’ admission to HHRTF and document in Avatar electronic medical record.
5. Assist Pharmacy in medication reconciliation. Provide up-to-date copy of the patient medication record from the sending facility. Assist with acquiring non-formulary medication from sending facility, as needed.
6. Complete nursing assessment and diagnoses on patient admission to provide a basis for nursing care.
7. Routinely check in with each unit for discharge orders.
8. Educate prospective patients and their families to hospital treatment programs and services, hospital level of care criteria, health insurance coverage and/or other payment procedures.
9. Complete telephone intake with prospective patients and schedules level of care evaluations when feasible.
10. Conduct telephone intakes, to include obtaining information regarding reason for referral, clinical presentative, level of functioning, demographics, living situation, and insurance coverage.
11. Accept referrals from community emergency service providers and other practitioners including fathering all necessary demographic and clinical information needed to present to medical staff and/or review team.
12. Verbally present all active referrals to Director of Admissions, medical staff and/or the Review Team for their determination to admit or decline a patient.
13. Complete referral processes by communicating either acceptance or deferral, procuring insurance authorization information, or alternative funding information and scheduling the time of patient arrival.
14. Coordinates pending admissions with clinical, supervisory, and unit-based staff to include updating anticipated time or arrival, providing available clinical documentation, and alternant to meet special treatment consideration.
15. Manages the daily admission flow, including scheduling times for level of care evaluations and direct admissions.
16. Responds to all incoming admission inquiries in a timely, efficient, and professional manner.
17. Facilitate the signing in of new patients by reviewing and completing all required Admission documentation in accordance with Joint Commission, State Licensing, and Medicare standard requirements.
18. Promote the hospital culture of patient safety in a non-punitive atmosphere; immediately reports medical errors and significant events to nurse in charge; participates in safety training programs and Performance Improvement activities

• Graduation from a recognized nursing program with either affiliate or post graduate courses and clinical experience in medical, surgical, obstetrics, pediatrics and psychiatric nursing.
• One year’s experience as a registered nurse in a setting equivalent to the positions assigned.

Required Licensure/Certifications

Dartmouth Health is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.