LTCR Nursing Facilities Senior Investigator

TX-HHSC-DSHS-DFPS•Austin, TX

1d•Onsite

About The Position

If you are looking for a place to work where you can establish a career that is filled with purpose, this is the job for you! Nursing Facilities Senior Investigator As part of a collaborative team of public servants, an investigator protects residents’ health and safety by conducting on-site inspections and investigations in Texas long-term care facilities (nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and day activities and health services sites) to assess their compliance with state and federal laws and rules. This position offers a competitive starting salary; excellent state benefits, including health insurance and retirement; and the opportunity to regularly travel to different facilities within a region and across the state – Please see the Additional Information section below for more detail on travel. In this front-line field position, a surveyor is mobile and flexible and performs minimal work at an office, though the role does require writing reports detailing any deficiencies/violations against a facility, remedies to correct those deficiencies, and narrative to support regulatory determinations. See below for details. The state of Texas offers many benefits to employees. HHSC is a qualifying organization for the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, which forgives the remaining balance on college student Direct Loans after making 120 qualifying monthly payments. We also offer excellent health benefits, a lifetime monthly retirement annuity as well as 401(k) and 457 Programs under the Employees Retirement System of Texas.

Requirements

Knowledge of acceptable professional standards of resident care.
Knowledge, ability, and skill in conducting high-level investigations.
Skilled in conducting investigations to verify regulatory compliance.
Ability to interpret and apply policies, procedures, and regulations.
Ability to work independently and make appropriate decisions and regulation-based recommendations.
Ability to operate personal computer-based programs and complete data entry and technically correct, error-free reports.
Ability to multi-task and track multiple activities with competing priorities.
Ability to complete a high-volume, deadline-driven workload.
Ability to exercise professional judgment and reach sound decisions.
Ability to use the computer for writing reports.
Ability to integrate complex regulatory concepts, procedures, and processes.
Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
Ability to effectively present information to executive-level management.
Must have Surveyor Minimum Qualifications Test (SMQT) Certification or obtain within 12 months of hire.
If the applicant has a license and/or certification in a professional area that is eligible for federal qualification as a health facilities surveyor the license must be current and valid in the State of Texas (e.g., registered or licensed nurse, dietitian, social worker, sanitarian, respiratory therapist, etc.), as applicable.
Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major in public administration, health care administration, hospital administration, business administration, education, psychology, social work, sociology, nursing, medicine or a discipline related to developmental disabilities and/or gerontology, or a related field.
Experience in writing deficiencies/violations and investigation reports.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a Texas state agency regulatory program, or experience working as a Registered Nurse, may be substituted on a year-for-year basis for the required education, with a maximum substitution of four years.
Experience conducting health care provider or related investigations and in citing deficiencies preferred.
Experience with state and federal regulations specific to long term care preferred.

Responsibilities

Under the direction of a program manager, an investigator VI conducts on-site licensure inspections, complaint and incident investigations, and annual comprehensive surveys in facilities to determine compliance with federal and state health and safety regulations. Completes inspection or survey reports detailing deficiencies.
Communicates clearly and accurately with others (internally and externally) to provide, exchange, or verify information, answer inquiries, address issues, or resolve issues or complaints in Texas long-term care facilities.
Conducts exit conferences with facility staff regarding findings.
Visits long-term care facilities to verify correction of previously cited regulatory violations. Performs quality assurance reviews of documents prepared by others; for example, publications, assessments, reports.
Develops and implements training for field investigators. Participates as a member of other teams within HHSC Long-term Care Regulation, including enforcement and quality assurance.
Occasionally might need to testify at hearings or in court proceedings to provide information regarding policy/procedures, history, findings, or activities.
In the event of emergency licensure action, be available to assist with non-skilled care and oversight to residents in a facility. If the employee is a current registered or licensed nurse, there is a potential for skilled care.
Be available for on-call duties for emergencies such as weather events or high-priority situations in facilities or at providers.