Regional Quality Assurance Nurse (RN)

August Healthcare•Wilson, NC

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Regional Quality Assurance (QA) Specialist is a high-level clinical role responsible for fostering a culture of excellence and ensuring substantial compliance with federal, state, and local regulations across multiple skilled nursing facilities. This individual will conduct thorough clinical audits, identify opportunities for improvement (QAPI), and develop, implement, and follow up on action plans to ensure compliance and quality resident care. The role partners with Administrators, Directors of Nursing, and clinical leadership teams to provide education, guidance, and quality oversight. This position provides recommendations and education related to clinical findings but does not assume operational responsibility for facility clinical leadership .

Requirements

Must possess a current, unencumbered Registered Nurse license in applicable state(s).
Minimum of three (3) years of clinical nursing experience in long-term care / skilled nursing.
Must have experience in leadership role in long-term care / skilled nursing.
Knowledge of long-term care regulations and standards of practice.
Ability to travel to all centers.
Strong organizational, professional communication, and teaching skills.
Ability to make independent decisions and work collaboratively with leadership.
Must be willing to be on call to answer questions, as needed.
Must be able to walk, sit, stand, and bend intermittently throughout the workday.
Must be able to see and hear or use prosthetics that will enable these senses to function adequately to ensure that the requirements of this position can be fully met.
Must function independently and have flexibility, personal integrity, and the ability to work effectively with residents, personnel, and support agencies.
Must meet the general health requirements set forth by the policies of the Company, which may include a medical and physical examination.
Must be able to relate to and work with the ill, disabled, elderly, emotionally upset, and, at times, hostile people within the Facility.
May be necessary to assist in the evacuation of residents during emergency situations.
Based on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Guidelines for Nursing Homes Ergonomics for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders and the American Conference Governmental Industrial Hygienists' Threshold Limit Values for Lifting the Facility has identified that this job may require the lifting of residents, equipment, or other objects. Accordingly, this job may require a minimum of 5 pounds and a maximum of 45 pounds lifting, periodically and or as needed.

Nice To Haves

Multi-facility or corporate experience preferred.
SPICE certification preferred for North Carolina facilities or willingness to obtain certification at the next scheduled SPICE class.

Responsibilities

Clinical Auditing & Surveillance Conduct in-depth audits of medical records including, but not limited to: medication administration Infection control practices skin integrity management system weight management system fall prevention programs and systems
Review risk reports, root cause analyses, medical record reports and trends.
Provide written and verbal reports to the VP of Clinical Services regarding facility visits and risk areas.
Assist, as needed, in education related to policy updates, regulatory changes, and clinical initiatives.
Maintain an electronic copy of education records for all education provided.
Review and maintain monthly reports submitted by the centers.
Monitor for facility and corporate-wide trends.
Conduct competency validations in targeted buildings or high-risk areas as directed.
Perform follow up to assure compliance with clinical initiatives as directed.
Provide focused education on survey-risk areas including documentation, infection prevention, medication administration, abuse prevention, clinical systems, and resident rights.
Reinforce regulatory expectations through ongoing auditing and clinical education.
Assist in the monitoring of systems to ensure compliance with CMS and state regulations.
Support mock surveys and assist with competency validation tied to potential identified deficiencies.
Assist centers with education related to survey citations and implementation and monitoring of corrective action plans.
Act as a clinical resource during urgent situations, such as infection outbreaks, self-imposed immediate jeopardy or regulatory situations.
Partner with the VP of Clinical Services to operationalize system clinical initiatives through education and competency validation.
Support consistent implementation of policies, clinical practices, and quality initiatives across centers.
Serve as an education liaison between corporate clinical leadership and facility teams.
Assist with development of nurse leaders.
Support education needs in underperforming or high-risk centers.
Provide resources and clinical education support to facility leadership.
Partner to develop strategies tied to performance improvement.
Identify education opportunities based on quality metrics, clinical audits, and trends.
Support QAPI initiatives through targeted education and competency validation.
Collaborate with clinical leadership to address recurring practice gaps.
Support facility QAPI committees in analyzing data and developing sustainable action plans.
Ensure that corrective action plans are implemented effectively, worked appropriately with all necessary supporting documentation, and monitored for sustainability.
Track and report audit results, trends, and follow-up data to the VP of Clinical Services.
Serve on and participate in corporate and facility committees as assigned.
Provide educational support for initiatives, as needed.
Assist with implementation of recommendations related to clinical education.
Participate in meetings as directed by the VP of Clinical Services.
Assist in planning and conducting in-service education programs across centers, as needed.
Validate, and support as needed, annual required education and competency validation programs.
Provide education resources for clinical leadership.
Support centers with Skills Fairs.