The Brief Psychiatric Intake is a streamlined version of the full psychiatric evaluation, used to gather essential information during the initial contact with a patient. It focuses on key clinical domains such as presenting concerns, psychiatric history, current medications, risk assessment, and mental status examination. The goal is to rapidly assess the patient’s needs and determine the urgency and direction of care.
For psychiatric NPs, this intake is especially useful in high-volume settings, walk-in clinics, or emergency consultations. It provides a snapshot of the patient’s mental health condition and helps in forming an initial working diagnosis and treatment plan. The Brief Psychiatric Intake balances efficiency with thoroughness, enabling clinicians to quickly identify patients who require more comprehensive evaluation or immediate intervention.