Nurse Surveyor (Health Facilities Surveillance Nurse)

Position Overview

The Illinois Department of Public Health is seeking a highly motivated, detailed orientated individual to serve as Health Facilities Surveillance Nurse. This individual will conduct surveys of long-term care facilities located in Region 2 (Peoria, Illinois), including state licensure surveys, federal certification surveys and complaint surveys. The Health Facilities Surveillance Nurse is responsible for preparing written survey documentation, testifying in court and performing monitoring functions.

Job Responsibilities

1.  Travels to conduct surveys of skilled and intermediate care nursing homes, shelter care facilities, veterans homes and related facilities to determine level of compliance with State Licensure regulations and Federal Medicare/Medicaid (Title XIX and XVIII) certification standards.
•Prepares federal certification and State Licensure and Federal Certification Survey Policies to document survey findings.
•Conducts complaint and incident report investigations at regulated facilities of unlicensed facilities pursuant to the requirements of the Nursing Home Care Act and Medicare/Medicaid standards.
•Serves as a team leader or member as assigned.

2.  Prepares licensure and certification survey/investigation forms, memoranda, and reports of findings as required.
•Documents survey/investigation findings in accordance with the mandated federal principles of documentation.
•Reviews contents and significance of surveys with various operating and management personnel of the facility or agency.
•Keeps supervisor advised of status and progress of survey documents.
Submits survey package with all required documentation within the prescribed time limits.
•Appears as a witness in Department or non-department hearing or court actions pursuant to survey findings documented.

3.  Conducts on-site monitoring visits at non-compliant facilities pursuant to the monitoring requirements established by the Nursing Home Care Act.
•Prepares monitoring reports and makes recommendations to supervisor regarding the status of the health and safety of residents at monitored facilities.
•Conducts on-site investigations in response to incident reports of facility emergencies or disasters that impact the health and safety of facility residents.
•Provides assistance with relocation of residents in emergency situations.
•Keeps supervisor advised of stats and progress of monitoring visits and emergency report investigations.

4.  Participate in staff meetings and training sessions designed to improve survey performance.
•Assist with orientation of newly employed health facilities surveillance nurses.

5.  Performs other duties as required or assigned within the scope of the responsibilities enumerated above.

Minimum Qualifications

• Requires (a) graduation from an approved nursing education program resulting in an associate or a diploma degree in nursing and three years of professional nursing experience or, (b) a bachelor’s degree in nursing and two years of professional nursing experience or, (c) a master’s degree in nursing.
• Requires licensure as a Registered Nurse in the State of Illinois.

Preferred Qualifications

• Elementary knowledge in conducting surveys in skilled and intermediate care nursing home facilities and shelter care facilities.
• One year experience conducting survey activities in nursing home and related facilities.
• One year experience with federal and state rules and regulations concerning licensure and certification of long-term care facilities.
• Elementary knowledge of the on-site process of monitoring visits to non-compliant facilities.
• One year experience in nursing principles and practices.
• One year experience preparing accurate reports of survey findings.
• Ability to develop and maintain harmonious and productive working relationships with various administrative and medical personnel, local governmental agency personnel and recipients of health care program.

Conditions of Employment

• Requires ability to travel in the performance of duties.
• Requires appropriate, valid driver’s license.
• Requires ability to meet all agency vaccine/health related policy and guidance.
• Must reside in Henderson, Warren, Knox, Stark, Marshall, Hancock, Peoria, Woodford, Tazewell, Mason, Adams, Schuyler, Brown, Cass, Menard, Logan, Fulton, McDonough. (May be assigned to facilities outside of that area, if necessary).