LTCR Nursing Facilities Senior Investigator

About the role

As part of a collaborative team of public servants, an investigator protects residents' health and safety by conducting on-site inspections and investigations, including abuse, neglect, and exploitation 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.

Starting Market Rate Salary: $83,371.89

Responsibilities

• 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 preliminary reviews of documents prepared by others; for example, violations, deficiencies, reports
• 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

Qualifications

• 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 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 in writing deficiencies/violations and investigation reports
• 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
• Flexibility in work hours is required for this position
• The job requires 80% travel, including statewide travel, overnight, and weekend travel
• On-call duties for emergencies or high-priority situations in facilities or at providers may be required
• Must have reliable transportation
• All applicants must pass a fingerprint criminal background check and the SEMARC (Search Engine for Background Checks) check
• Additional checks as applicable may include the NAR (Nurse Aide Registry) and LNFA (Licensed Nursing Facility Administrator) check
• If offered and accept the position, you will not be permitted to continue employment at any HHSC regulated facilities or providers
• You will be required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest, secondary employment, volunteer activities, and friends/family who own, operate, or work at regulated providers
• 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

Preferred qualifications

• 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

Skills

• 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

Benefits

• 100% paid employee health insurance for full-time eligible employees
• Defined benefit pension plan
• Generous time off benefits
• Numerous opportunities for career advancement
• Lifetime monthly retirement annuity as well as 401(k) and 457 Programs under the Employees Retirement System of Texas
• 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

This response is AI-generated, for reference only.