Utilization Review Nurse Coordinator (40 Hour)

Are you ready to take the next step in your Nursing career, while continuing to make a difference in the lives of others? If so, please read on to learn more about this exciting opportunity!

The State of Connecticut, Department of Children and Families' (DCF) seeks a qualified and experienced individual to join our team as Utilization Review Nurse Coordinator.

What We Can Offer You:

• The opportunity to work for a Forbes top company: 'Forbes' State of Connecticut Ranked One of the Best Employers of 2023 - State of CT Receives National Recognition for Offering Job Growth, Competitive Benefits, and Flexible Schedule;
• A Platinum Healthcare Plan, the nation’s best for state employees and dependents, according to a report by Georgetown’s Center on Health Insurance Reform and article by Ellen Andrews, Ph.D., along with comprehensive benefit offerings;
• Extensive pension plan and supplemental retirement offerings;
• Generous paid time off, including 13 paid holidays per calendar year;
• Professional growth and development opportunities;
• A healthy work/life balance to all employees.
• State of Connecticut is an eligible Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer, meaning you may be eligible to have qualifying student loans forgiven after 10 years of service.  Click here for more information.

 You will discover the opportunity to:

• Be a part of a comprehensive team of caring professionals;
• Engage in a rewarding career;
• Showcase your talents in a meaningful role;
• Thrive in an exciting environment.

Position Highlights:

• Full Time
• 40 hours per week
• Monday - Friday
• 8:00am – 4:30pm
• Location: Albert J. Solnit Children’s Center - South Campus in Middletown, CT

The Role:

Job duties include, but are not limited to:

• Coordinates work flow and determines priorities to assure highest quality of care with efficient utilization of available services;
• Schedules, assigns, oversees and reviews work;
• Establishes and maintains program protocols and procedures;
• Provides staff training and assistance;
• Acts as liaison with other operating units, agencies and outside officials regarding program policies and procedures;
• Prepares reports and correspondence.

About Us:

The Department of Children and Families' (DCF) mission is partnering with communities and empowering families to raise resilient children who thrive. We are proud of our diverse and dedicated workforce who strive every day to meet the needs of those we encounter.

The Albert J. Solnit Children's Center Hospital – South Campus is a 50 bed inpatient psychiatric hospital providing treatment to adolescents ages 13 to 17 with complex psychiatric needs.  It is located on a 67-acre campus at 915 River Road, Middletown, CT 06457.

The Albert J. Solnit Children's Center provides comprehensive care to adolescents with psychiatric conditions and related behavior and emotional problems who cannot be safely assessed or treated in a less restrictive setting. The Solnit Center facilities support our dedication to helping youth improve their individual and social competencies.

We hope you take this opportunity to join our team and make a difference!

These positions will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules.

In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process.

Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening and must specify their qualifications on their application. The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified. 

Please note you will be unable to make revisions once you submit your application for this posting to the JobAps system. Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience and training most closely meet the requirements of the position. 

The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.

Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process. 

Due to the large volume of applications received, we are unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process. Updates will be available through your JobAps portal account.   

Note:  At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position.  These documents may include:  a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.  Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications as indicated to apply for this position. 

This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the question's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.

Should you have questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Julie Barker, at Julie.Barker@ct.gov.

All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period.  It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception.  Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.

FOR THOSE WHO HOLD A RN LICENSE IN A STATE OTHER THAN CONNECTICUT AND WISH TO APPLY FOR A CONNECTICUT LICENSE, PLEASE: 

1. Review the eligibility and documentation requirements for CT license by endorsement of an out-of-state license;
2. Complete a CT DPH online application online (expand the ‘Public Health Practitioners’ grouping, select ‘Registered Nurse’ and then ‘Start’;
3. Request verification of your out-of-state license(s) electronically through the National Council of State Boards of Nursing’s :  Nursys® System.  To send verification of your license(s) to CT, read and agree to the terms, enter your biographic information, select your license type and select ‘SEARCH’.  Review the results and select the ‘Next’ button.  Check the box next to  ‘Connecticut’ and complete the transaction.   Once the transaction is completed, you will receive a confirmation email from Nursys and the verification will be available to the DPH.  Note that PA and MI verifications are not provided through Nursys.  Please contact those state boards for information on obtaining verification.

In a state agency this class is accountable for coordinating a utilization review program which promotes effective cost recovery, quality of care and/or compliance with relevant federal and state laws, regulations and standards.

In the Office of Protection and Advocacy and the Department of Developmental Services this class is accountable for performing investigations of abuse, neglect and death in individuals with an intellectual disability including individuals under the care of the Department of Developmental Services.

WORKING LEAD (REGULATORY):

• Coordinates work flow and determines priorities to assure highest quality of care with efficient utilization of available services;
• Schedules, assigns, oversees and reviews work;
• Establishes and maintains program protocols and procedures;
• Provides staff training and assistance;
• Conducts or assists in conducting performance evaluations;
• Acts as liaison with other operating units, agencies and outside officials regarding program policies and procedures;
• Prepares reports and correspondence;
• Assesses, evaluates and monitors documentation of all hospital disciplines when performing case reviews;
• Attends professional workshops, seminars and in-service training;
• May supervise Utilization Review Nurses and other staff engaged in review of medical records of individuals in state health care facilities for purposes of maximizing reimbursement revenue via Medicare Part B programs;
• May review medical records and compile documents for case presentations;
• May provide pre-certification for and coordination of inmates admitted to and discharged from acute care facilities;
• May lead an inspection team in IPR/UR and licensing review functions;
• May conduct entrance and exit interviews of care providers;
• May supervise and participate in hospital Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement programs including preparation of appeals on behalf of a facility relative to intermediate denials;
• May testify in court;
• May coordinate review and audit of occupational injury and/or disease disability cases for purpose of determining medical management, cost containment, peer review and rehabilitation;
• May notify acute care hospitals of scheduled utilization review including conducting second level review of cases and case referral to a physician consultant for final disposition;
• Performs related duties as required.

ADVANCED WORKING LEVEL (INVESTIGATORY):

• Conducts complex investigations into allegations of abuse or neglect of individuals with an intellectual disability;
• Conducts complex investigations into cases where a death has resulted of an individual with an intellectual disability for whom the Department of Developmental Services has direct or oversight responsibility for medical care;
• Reviews medical care that was provided to individuals;
• Assists in the investigation to determine if the death is a result of abuse or neglect;
• Participates in the reviews of events, overall care, quality of life and medical care preceding a death;
• Works cooperatively with State and local police, State's Attorneys and other protective services organizations;
• Interviews alleged victims, direct care providers, families and other potential witnesses;
• Prepares comprehensive, complex investigative reports;
• Maintains records and documentation;
• Reviews medical records for pertinent information related to investigations;
• May provide information and assistance to the Independent Mortality Review Board or Fatality Review Board for Persons with Disabilities;
• May testify in court proceeding;
• Performs related duties as required.

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS:

• Coordinates activities of care team, plans and schedules meetings, tracks input and attendance;
• Ensures outcome of process is accurate document for care planning;
• Audits process according to utilization guidelines and ensures process is completed within appropriate regulatory time frames;
• Trains all Health Care Team members on Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) care planning system;
• Acts as resource to all areas involved in Minimum Data Set (MDS) process;
• Ensures compliance with state statutes, federal Veterans Affairs regulations and state Department of Veterans Affairs policies and procedures;
• Monitors and manages timely electronic transmission of MDS program data;
• Routinely conducts chart audits and maintains log of deficiencies and discrepancies;
• Identifies errors in coding of MDS and RAI forms during completion process;
• Communicates to leadership and interdisciplinary team members any changes to directives and guidelines;
• Enters MDS data into information system;
• Assures ongoing record documentation supports MDS and RAI coding;
• Develops plan of action to correct identified quality deficiencies;
• Performs related duties as required.

• Considerable knowledge of
  • principles, practices and current trends of nursing;
  • standards of medical care
• Considerable
  • interpersonal skills;
  • oral and written communication skills;
• Considerable ability to analyze individual profiles and progress charts;
• Supervisory ability.

REGULATORY:

• Considerable knowledge of
  • and ability to apply relevant state and federal laws, statutes and regulations;
  • regulations and standards pertaining to utilization review;
  • care and service delivery to injured workers.

INVESTIGATORY:

• Considerable knowledge of
  • statutes, policies and procedures governing the care and treatment of individuals with an intellectual disability;
  • problems and needs of individuals with an intellectual disability;
  • various types of residential placement facilities;
• Knowledge of investigatory methods and techniques;
• Considerable
  • interviewing skills;
  • skills in the preparation of extensive written reports;
• Ability to research and analyze data.

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS:

• Knowledge of Minimum Data Set process in a long term care setting and coordination of an interdisciplinary team;
• Ability to utilize computer software.

Five (5) years of experience as a registered professional nurse.

REGULATORY: Two (2) years of the General Experience must have been in the assessment of the quality and propriety of health care services as required by JCAH and/or Medicare and Medicaid standards and regulations at the level of Utilization Review Nurse.

INVESTIGATORY: Two (2) years of the General Experience must have been working with persons with behavioral health disabilities or an intellectual disability.

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS: Two (2) years of the General Experience must have been in the review and assessment of individuals in a long term care setting.

A Bachelor's degree in nursing may be substituted for one (1) year of the General Experience.

• Experience with data collection, analysis, and presentation.
• Experience with Medicare & Medicaid Regulatory requirements and private insurances as it relates to utilization review/management and quality of care.
• Experience with the Managed Care Appeal process.

• Incumbents in this class must possess and retain a current license as a registered professional nurse in Connecticut.
• Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes.  As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.