State of Maryland

A Health Facilities Surveyor Nurse I is the intermediate level of work inspecting licensed and unlicensed health care facilities and programs throughout the State, and conducting on-site visits to various health facilities and programs to ensure quality health care in accordance with State and federal laws, regulations and guidelines.  Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions.

Employees in this classification receive moderate supervision from a Health Facilities Survey Coordinator or other designated health professional.  Employees may be subject to call-in and overtime based on staffing needs.  The work may be performed at public and private health facilities and other program sites where travel is required.  Employees are required to observe infection control precautions.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Health Facilities Surveyor Nurse I and Health Facilities Surveyor Nurse II are differentiated on the basis of degree of supervisory control exercised by the Supervisor over these employees.  The Health Facilities Surveyor Nurse I performs duties under close supervision at times and under general supervision at other times depending on the complexity of the specific duty performed.  The Health Facilities Surveyor Nurse II performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.

Learns State and federal laws, regulations, procedures and guidelines that pertain to the licensing and Medicare/Medicaid funding of health care facilities;

Inspects hospitals, nursing homes and other health related programs to ensure that State licensure, certification and recertification requirements in the Title XVIII (Medicare) and Title XIX (Medicaid) programs are met;

Investigates complaints regarding patient care and possible health law violations;

Reviews and evaluates the patient care and the health facility reports, and records related to nursing medical and nutrition needs and may review the environment for facility safety and sanitation;

Interprets State and federal laws and regulations for health facilities to all interested parties;

Explains deficiencies in existing conditions or services being provided and recommends corrective action to be taken;

Recommends certain corrective action be taken by State and federal government, such as revocation of licenses or decertification of federal programs;

May give testimony in administrative hearings and court concerning health facilities;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of the principles and practices of registered nursing;

Knowledge of theory of registered nursing practice;

Knowledge of the nursing process;

Knowledge of general acceptable standards of health care procedures and policies that are required for the operation of a health facility/program;

Skill in assessing accurate documentation and record-keeping;

Ability to observe a health facility to assess general conditions;

Ability to assess physical, emotional and social conditions of patients;

Ability to assess a plan of care for the patient;

Ability to observe and evaluate the effects of health care measures;

Ability to communicate effectively with patients, professionals, other healthcare workers and the general public.

Education:   A Bachelor’s degree in Nursing or a related field from an accredited college or university.

Experience: None.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute two years of experience as a Registered Nurse for the required education.

2. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in Nursing classifications or Nursing specialty codes in the inspection of health care facilities and program field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required education.

1. Candidates for positions in this classification must possess and maintain a current license as a Registered Nurse from the Maryland State Board of Nursing.

2. Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Professional Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Professional Service positions.  Some positions in Professional Service classifications may be designated as Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit F- Health Care Professionals classes.  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

This classification is one level in a Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) series.  NCP promotions are promotions by which employees may advance in grade and class level from trainee to full performance levels in a classification series.  In order to be non-competitively promoted to the next level in a NCP series an employee must: 1) perform the main purpose of the class as defined in the Nature of Work section of the class specification; 2)  receive the type of supervision defined in the class specification, and 3) meet the minimum qualifications of the classification.