PACIFICA NURSING AND REHABILITATION CENTER
Within standard 12-15 month inspection cycle. Federal law requires annual inspections.
Pacifica Nursing and Rehabilitation Center has received an impressive Trust Grade of A, indicating it is highly recommended and performs excellently compared to other facilities. It ranks #159 out of 1,155 nursing homes in California, placing it in the top half, and is #3 out of 14 in San Mateo County, meaning only two local options are better. However, the facility is experiencing a concerning trend, with issues increasing from 1 in 2023 to 5 in 2024. Staffing is a strong point, boasting a 5-star rating and a low turnover rate of 29%, which is better than the California average, and they have more RN coverage than 87% of facilities, enhancing resident care. On the downside, there were several concerns noted, including unsafe food handling practices, such as wet swirl bowls being stacked, which could lead to mold, and a failure to initial and date lidocaine patches, potentially affecting pain management for residents. Overall, while there are notable strengths, families should consider the recent increase in operational issues.
- Trust Score
- A
- In California
- #159/1155
- Safety Record
- Low Risk
- Inspections
- Getting Worse
- Staff Stability ✓ Good
- 29% annual turnover. Excellent stability, 19 points below California's 48% average. Staff who stay learn residents' needs.
- Penalties ✓ Good
- No fines on record. Clean compliance history, better than most California facilities.
- Skilled Nurses ✓ Good
- Each resident gets 62 minutes of Registered Nurse (RN) attention daily — more than 97% of California nursing homes. RNs are the most trained staff who catch health problems before they become serious.
- Violations ○ Average
- 9 deficiencies on record. Average for a facility this size. Mostly minor or procedural issues.
The Good
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5-Star Staffing Rating · Excellent nurse staffing levels
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5-Star Quality Measures · Strong clinical quality outcomes
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Low Staff Turnover (29%) · Staff stability means consistent care
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Full Sprinkler Coverage · Fire safety systems throughout facility
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No fines on record
-
Staff turnover is low (29%)
19 points below California average of 48%
Facility shows strength in staffing levels, quality measures, staff retention, fire safety.
The Bad
Part of a multi-facility chain
Ask about local staffing decisions and management
The Ugly 9 deficiencies on record
Nov 2024
3 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
📢 Someone Reported This
A family member, employee, or ombudsman was alarmed enough to file a formal complaint
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0661
(Tag F0661)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on interview and record review, the facility failed to ensure resident's discharge summary (provides necessary information...
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CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0658
(Tag F0658)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
Based on observation, interview, and record review, the facility failed to ensure that licensed staff initialed and dated lidocaine patches (pain medication delivered through the skin from applying pa...
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CONCERN
(F)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Food Safety
(Tag F0812)
Could have caused harm · This affected most or all residents
Based on observation, interview, and record review, the facility failed to ensure safe operations when swirl bowls were stored wet.
Findings:
According to the 2022 Federal Food Code, equipment and ut...
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Jun 2024
2 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
📢 Someone Reported This
A family member, employee, or ombudsman was alarmed enough to file a formal complaint
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Assessment Accuracy
(Tag F0641)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on interview and record review, the facility failed to ensure the assessment of one of 5 sampled residents (Resident 1) ac...
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CONCERN
(D)
📢 Someone Reported This
A family member, employee, or ombudsman was alarmed enough to file a formal complaint
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Quality of Care
(Tag F0684)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on interview and record review, the facility failed to ensure one of 5 sampled residents (Resident 1) receive care in acco...
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Aug 2023
1 deficiency
CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Infection Control
(Tag F0880)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, interview, and record review, the facility failed to implement their infection prevention and control prog...
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Sept 2019
3 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0558
(Tag F0558)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on interview, observation, and record review, the facility failed to accommodate the needs of Residents 45, 120, and 121, three of 18 sampled residents, when they had to wait 15 - 30 minutes for...
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CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0761
(Tag F0761)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
Based on observation, interview, and record review, the facility failed to label medications in accordance with acceptable professional standards when medications and biologicals were not dated after ...
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CONCERN
(F)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Grievances
(Tag F0585)
Could have caused harm · This affected most or all residents
Deficiency Text Not Available
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Understanding Severity Codes (click to expand)
Questions to Ask on Your Visit
- "Can I speak with families of current residents?"
- "What's your RN coverage like on weekends and overnight?"
Our Honest Assessment
- • Grade A (93/100). Above average facility, better than most options in California.
- • No major safety red flags. No abuse findings, life-threatening violations, or SFF status.
- • No fines on record. Clean compliance history, better than most California facilities.
- • 29% annual turnover. Excellent stability, 19 points below California's 48% average. Staff who stay learn residents' needs.
- • No significant concerns identified. This facility shows no red flags across CMS ratings, staff turnover, or federal penalties.
About This Facility
What is Pacifica's CMS Rating?
CMS assigns PACIFICA NURSING AND REHABILITATION CENTER an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars, which is considered much above average nationally. Within California, this rating places the facility higher than 99% of the state's 100 nursing homes. This rating reflects solid performance across the metrics CMS uses to evaluate nursing home quality.
How is Pacifica Staffed?
CMS rates PACIFICA NURSING AND REHABILITATION CENTER's staffing level at 5 out of 5 stars, which is much above average compared to other nursing homes. Staff turnover is 29%, compared to the California average of 46%. This relatively stable workforce can support continuity of care.
What Have Inspectors Found at Pacifica?
State health inspectors documented 9 deficiencies at PACIFICA NURSING AND REHABILITATION CENTER during 2019 to 2024. These included: 9 with potential for harm.
Who Owns and Operates Pacifica?
PACIFICA NURSING AND REHABILITATION CENTER is owned by a for-profit company. For-profit facilities operate as businesses with obligations to shareholders or private owners. The facility is operated by THE ENSIGN GROUP, a chain that manages multiple nursing homes. With 68 certified beds and approximately 61 residents (about 90% occupancy), it is a smaller facility located in PACIFICA, California.
How Does Pacifica Compare to Other California Nursing Homes?
Compared to the 100 nursing homes in California, PACIFICA NURSING AND REHABILITATION CENTER's overall rating (5 stars) is above the state average of 3.2, staff turnover (29%) is significantly lower than the state average of 46%, and health inspection rating (5 stars) is much above the national benchmark.
What Should Families Ask When Visiting Pacifica?
Based on this facility's data, families visiting should ask: "Can I visit during a mealtime to observe dining assistance and food quality?" "How do you handle medical emergencies, and what is your hospital transfer rate?" "Can I speak with family members of current residents about their experience?"
Is Pacifica Safe?
Based on CMS inspection data, PACIFICA NURSING AND REHABILITATION CENTER has a clean safety record: no substantiated abuse findings (meaning no confirmed cases of resident harm), no Immediate Jeopardy citations (the most serious violation level indicating risk of serious injury or death), and is not on the Special Focus Facility watch list (a federal program monitoring the lowest-performing 1% of nursing homes). The facility has a 5-star overall rating and ranks #1 of 100 nursing homes in California. While no facility is perfect, families should still ask about staff-to-resident ratios and recent inspection results during their visit.
Do Nurses at Pacifica Stick Around?
Staff at PACIFICA NURSING AND REHABILITATION CENTER tend to stick around. With a turnover rate of 29%, the facility is 17 percentage points below the California average of 46%. Low turnover is a positive sign. It means caregivers have time to learn each resident's needs, medications, and personal preferences. Consistent staff also notice subtle changes in a resident's condition more quickly. Registered Nurse turnover is also low at 21%, meaning experienced RNs are available to handle complex medical needs.
Was Pacifica Ever Fined?
PACIFICA NURSING AND REHABILITATION CENTER has no federal fines on record. CMS issues fines when nursing homes fail to meet care standards or don't correct problems found during inspections. The absence of fines suggests the facility has either maintained compliance or corrected any issues before penalties were assessed. This is a positive indicator, though families should still review recent inspection reports for the full picture.
Is Pacifica on Any Federal Watch List?
PACIFICA NURSING AND REHABILITATION CENTER is not on any federal watch list. The most significant is the Special Focus Facility (SFF) program, which identifies the bottom 1% of nursing homes nationally based on persistent, serious quality problems. Not being on this list means the facility has avoided the pattern of deficiencies that triggers enhanced federal oversight. This is a positive indicator, though families should still review the facility's inspection history directly.