HEALTH FACILITIES INSPECTOR 2

This recruitment may close without further notice depending on the number of applications received.

About the Role

The Nevada Health Authority, Bureau of Health Care Quality and Compliance has vacancies for Health Facility Inspectors in our Las Vegas office. Registered sanitarians, dieticians, social workers, pharmacists, and other allied professionals are encouraged to apply and use their skills to ensure the public's safety in Nevada's health care facilities.

The Health Facility Inspector 2 position will conduct on-site or off-site surveys for regulatory compliance with state licensure, federal certification, and complaint investigations throughout Nevada. Inspections are conducted individually or as part of a team.

• Inspect healthcare facilities for compliance with infection control regulations, which may require the inspector to enter facilities with infectious diseases and be able to comfortably wear a fit-tested mask (N-95) for long periods and any other appropriate personal protective equipment.
• Evaluate compliance with standards, state and federal statutes or regulations through the inspection process utilizing record review, interviews, and observations.
• Complete all required inspection activities, documentation, and follow-up documents required to complete the inspection process in accordance with regulations, statutes, and policies and procedures as applicable, within a defined deadline through paperwork and data entry.

The chosen incumbent must successfully obtain qualification by passing an examination, Surveyor Minimum Qualification Test (SMQT), within the first year of employment.

Health Facilities Inspectors conduct inspections of health care facilities and services such as hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, inmate medical care in prisons and transitional living facilities, intermediate care facilities, home health agencies, health care referral agencies, community triage centers, facilities for refractive laser surgery, ambulatory surgical centers, facilities for treatment of irreversible renal disease, medical laboratories, independent physician offices, rural health clinics, hospices, comprehensive outpatient rehabilitative facilities, outpatient physical therapy facilities, adult day care and group care facilities, alcohol and drug abuse treatment centers and halfway houses, obstetrical centers, independent centers for emergency medical care, rehabilitation clinics, occupational and physical therapists, and other facilities and practitioners as directed.

Examples of areas for inspection include health care services; policies and procedures regarding admission, discharge, and resident rights; and life safety code compliance.

Responsibilities

• Conduct inspections of assigned facilities independently or as part of a multi-disciplinary or multi-agency team through review of records, interviews, and observations to evaluate compliance with federal and/or State laws and regulations pertaining to licensure, permitting, certification, Medicare, and/or Medicaid.
• Inspect laboratory services including independent reference laboratories, physician office laboratories, and locations where testing is performed; review the qualifications of laboratory directors and other personnel; evaluate compliance with federal and State requirements for laboratories including the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); conduct complaint investigations.
• Participate in initial meetings with facility owners, administrators, professional staff, legal representatives, and/or consultants to explain the inspection process and statutory and regulatory requirements, solicit cooperation, and obtain access to the information needed to complete the inspection.
• Review facility policies and procedures, quality assurance programs, patient medical records, and infection control measures to determine whether medical care and dietary and social services are being provided in accordance with applicable standards, physicians’ orders, treatment plans, and assessments of residents’ mental and physical condition.
• Review facility profit and loss and other financial statements, operational records, resident agreements, and related documents to ensure quality business practices in areas such as contracts, admissions, trust accounts, general ledgers, accounts payable, and accounts receivable.
• Inspect the physical plant by touring the facility, verifying room and bed numbers and reconciling with license applications and architectural drawings; note deficiencies in applying construction standards; evaluate environmental conditions relating to safety and sanitation; review fire and other emergency plans.
• Review architectural drawings/plans to ensure compliance with State construction standards for facilities and life safety code standards; communicate final determinations to facilities and contractors.
• Summarize findings, including identification of violations, for presentation to the facility administrator during the exit interview; prepare a formal report detailing the results of the inspection; make recommendations to CMS concerning continued certification status; recommend enforcement actions and assist in the preparation of sanction notices and related documents.
• Review and approve facility plans for correcting deficiencies; conduct informal dispute resolution meetings and review allegations or findings of noncompliance; coordinate joint inspections or meetings and collaborate with other regulatory or advocacy agencies for the protection of public health and safety.
• Investigate and resolve complaints against facilities by determining whether a problem exists, responding to the complainant, and taking or recommending appropriate action.
• Provide information to health care administrators and personnel and assist them in interpreting and meeting federal and State regulations and statutes; prepare and conduct formal provider training seminars on regulatory issues and new techniques for provision of medical and infection control services.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in public health, health care or business administration, the medical or biological sciences, criminal justice, or a specialty field identified for the specific recruitment such as dietetics, facilities construction and maintenance, finance or accounting, medical technology, social work or social science, and two years of professional experience as an inspector or surveyor in a health-related accrediting organization or in a federal or State regulatory compliance program which involved the inspection, licensing, or complaint investigation of health care or child care facilities to determine compliance with federal or state laws and regulations;

OR

Bachelor's degree in one of the above disciplines and two years of professional health administration experience, including supervisory, administrative, inspection, or regulatory responsibilities;

OR

Two years of professional experience in the specialty area related to the position;

OR

One year of experience as a Health Facilities Inspector 1 or Child Care Facilities Surveyor in Nevada State service;

OR

An equivalent combination of education and experience as described above.

Skills

This class specification lists the major knowledge, skills, and abilities of the job and is not all-inclusive. Incumbent(s) will be expected to have knowledge, skills, and abilities from a previous level.

• Working knowledge of: regulatory and compliance processes; interpersonal relationships and team-building techniques; principles of health care delivery systems.
• General knowledge of: basic human anatomy and physiology.
• Ability to: identify areas of noncompliance with regulations; produce clear, concise, accurate, and well-organized documents and reports pertaining to observations and facts from inspections, with correct grammar and suitability for legal and administrative proceedings; provide guidance to new Inspectors and inform providers and the public about inspection procedures and requirements; identify and secure information necessary to conduct a thorough review; make independent decisions based on professional judgment; respond appropriately in hostile situations; recognize obvious indications of patient/resident illness or abnormality; evaluate laboratory proficiency to ensure accuracy of results; identify possible abuse, neglect, or misappropriation of property of recipients of health care.

Benefits

• Health Insurance: Medical, dental, life, and disability insurance programs for employees and their dependents/family are offered through the Public Employees’ Benefits Program (PEBP).
• Vacation: Accrual of three weeks of annual leave each year.
• Sick Leave: Accrual of three weeks of sick leave each year.
• Holidays: 12 paid holidays per year.
• Retirement: Participation in the Nevada Public Employees Retirement System (PERS). Employees do not contribute to Social Security but will contribute to PERS if their position is at 50% or more full-time equivalency. For more information on how PERS service may impact Social Security benefits, visit the SSA publication.
• Deferred Compensation: The State offers a voluntary Deferred Compensation Program.
• No Nevada state income tax.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness: Eligible due to public sector employment.
• Longevity Payments Eligibility: Employees who have received a performance rating of “standard” or better and have completed eight (8) or more years of continuous service are eligible for longevity pay.

Additional benefits may apply to employees covered under a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), depending on their designated bargaining unit.

Schedule

The holiday schedule for State employees is established by the Legislature. The following are legal holidays:

• January 1: New Year's Day
• Third Monday in January: Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday
• Third Monday in February: Washington’s Birthday
• Last Monday in May: Memorial Day
• June 19: Juneteenth Day
• July 4: Independence Day
• First Monday in September: Labor Day
• Last Friday in October: Nevada Day
• November 11: Veterans' Day
• Fourth Thursday in November: Thanksgiving Day
• Friday following the Fourth Thursday in November: Family Day
• December 25: Christmas Day

When January 1, June 19, July 4, November 11, or December 25 falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday is the observed legal holiday. If these days fall on Sunday, the following Monday is the observed holiday.