LTCR Nursing Facilities Nurse Surveyor (Nurse III

About the role

Join the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and be part of a team committed to creating a positive impact in the lives of fellow Texans. As a Nursing Facilities Nurse Surveyor (Nurse III), you will protect residents’ health and safety by conducting on-site inspections and investigations in Texas long-term care settings — nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and day activities health services — to assess compliance with state and federal laws and rules. This front-line field position is mobile and flexible, with minimal office work, though it requires writing reports detailing deficiencies/violations and narrative to support regulatory determinations. The role offers a competitive starting salary, excellent state benefits, and the opportunity to regularly travel to different facilities within a region and across the state.

Responsibilities

• Conduct 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 in areas including: admissions, transfers, and discharges; resident rights; staffing and census; quality of care assessment; quality of life assessment; resident care plans; social, psychological and rehabilitative services; provision of medical services; and therapeutic activity programming.
• Communicate clearly and accurately with others (internally and externally) to provide, exchange, or verify information, answer inquiries, or resolve issues or complaints in Texas long-term care facilities.
• Conduct exit conferences with facility staff regarding findings.
• Complete inspection or survey reports detailing deficiencies.
• Revisit long-term care facilities to verify correction of previously cited regulatory violations.
• Perform quality assurance reviews of documents prepared by others (e.g., publications, assessments, reports).
• May supervise the work of team members during inspections, provide technical assistance to facilities, and lend expertise to a survey team in the areas identified above.
• Occasionally 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, oversight to residents in a facility, with potential need for skilled care.
• Be available for on-call duties for emergencies such as weather events or high-priority situations in facilities or at providers.

Requirements

• Knowledge of issues, concerns, and needs of populations at risk in various health care and/or institutional environments (elderly, mentally ill, developmentally disabled, functionally dependent, medically frail, etc.).
• Knowledge of nursing principles and acceptable professional standards of patient care.
• Skill in interpersonal relations.
• Skill in performing quality assurance monitoring, program review, certification, survey, or investigations.
• Skill in providing guidance, policy clarifications, and information to others.
• Skill in preparing detailed written reports.
• Skill in oral, written, and electronic communications, including computer word processing software.
• Ability to multi-task and track multiple activities with competing priorities.
• Ability to collect and analyze data.
• Ability to integrate complex concepts, difficult procedures, or complicated processes.
• Ability to analyze and solve work problems.
• Ability to interpret regulatory policies, procedures, and regulations.
• Ability to work independently.
• Ability to use the computer for writing reports.
• Ability to exercise professional judgment and reach sound decisions.
• Ability to be task organized and punctual.

Qualifications

• Must be licensed as a registered nurse by the State of Texas or a state that recognizes reciprocity through the Nurse Licensure Compact.
• Must complete all training (federal/state) for Nursing Facilities, including completing Surveyor Minimum Qualification Training (SMQT) within one year of hire date.
• Experience in a Long-term Care Regulatory program is preferred.
• Experience in assessment and documentation of health status.
• Prefer two years of experience providing services in a health care setting as a registered nurse.

Benefits

• 100% paid employee health insurance for full-time eligible employees.
• Defined benefit pension plan (lifetime monthly retirement annuity).
• 401(k) and 457 Programs under the Employees Retirement System of Texas.
• Generous time off benefits.
• Numerous opportunities for career advancement.
• Qualifying organization for the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (forgives remaining balance on Direct Loans after 120 qualifying monthly payments).

Pay

Salary range: $7,474.23 – $8,886.16 per month (Salary Group: TEXAS-B-24). Starting market rate salary: $89,690.71 annually.

Schedule

• Shift: Day.
• Travel: Up to 80%, including statewide travel, overnight, and weekend travel.
• Flexibility in work hours required; position eligible for a compressed workweek of four 10-hour days.
• On-call duties for emergencies or high-priority situations may be required.
• Must have reliable transportation.

Additional information

• All applicants must pass a fingerprint criminal background check.
• If you are an active or former licensed nursing facility administrator, certified nurse aide, or medication aide, hiring will be pending until professional licensing and Employee Misconduct Registry checks are completed.
• If offered and accept the position, you will not be permitted to continue employment at any HHSC regulated facilities or providers.
• Required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest, secondary employment, volunteer activities, and friends/family who own, operate, or work at regulated providers.
• HHS agencies use E-Verify; must bring I-9 documentation on first day of work.
• Position may be eligible for telework subject to state and agency policies and supervisor discretion.
• Military occupations that relate to the selection criteria and licensure requirements are encouraged to apply (see Texas State Auditor’s Job Descriptions, Military Crosswalk and Military Crosswalk Guide).
• ADA accommodations available during hiring and selection process; contact HHS Employee Service Center at 1-888-894-4747 for application assistance or interview accommodations.