HELEN BERNARDY CENTER D/P SNF
Within standard 12-15 month inspection cycle. Federal law requires annual inspections.
The Helen Bernardy Center D/P SNF in San Diego has earned a Trust Grade of B+, which indicates it is above average and recommended for families considering care options. It ranks #96 out of 1,155 facilities in California, placing it in the top half, and #13 out of 81 in San Diego County, meaning only 12 local facilities perform better. The facility is improving, having reduced its issues from five in 2024 to just one in 2025. Staffing is a strong point, with a 4 out of 5-star rating and an impressive 0% turnover rate, much lower than the California average of 38%. However, there are some concerns, such as 13 identified issues, including failures in food safety and medication storage that could potentially harm residents. For instance, the kitchen was found to have unsanitary conditions, like dirty ice machines and improperly calibrated food thermometers, and controlled medications were not securely stored, raising risks of drug diversion. Overall, while the home has strong staffing and a good reputation, families should be aware of these significant safety concerns.
- Trust Score
- B+
- In California
- #96/1155
- Safety Record
- Low Risk
- Inspections
- Getting Better
- Staff Stability ○ Average
- Turnover data not reported for this facility.
- Penalties ✓ Good
- No fines on record. Clean compliance history, better than most California facilities.
- Skilled Nurses ✓ Good
- Each resident gets 205 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 ⚠ Watch
- 13 deficiencies on record. Higher than average. Multiple issues found across inspections.
The Good
-
4-Star Staffing Rating · Above-average nurse staffing levels
-
Full Sprinkler Coverage · Fire safety systems throughout facility
-
No fines on record
Facility shows strength in staffing levels, fire safety.
The Bad
No Significant Concerns Identified
This facility shows no red flags. Among California's 100 nursing homes, only 0% achieve this.
The Ugly 13 deficiencies on record
Jan 2025
1 deficiency
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 observation, interview, and record review, the facility failed to ensure appropriate services were consistently impleme...
Read full inspector narrative →
Nov 2024
5 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
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 Minimum Data Set (MDS - health status screening and asse...
Read full inspector narrative →
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0657
(Tag F0657)
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 revise a comprehensive care plan for intermittent and indwelling ca...
Read full inspector narrative →
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Medical Records
(Tag F0842)
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 upload the Minimum Data Set (MDS) for three of three residents (59,...
Read full inspector narrative →
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Infection Control
(Tag F0880)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, interview and record review, the facility failed to follow infection control practices when a licensed nur...
Read full inspector narrative →
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
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, interview and record review, the facility failed to ensure food safety and sanitation practices were met i...
Read full inspector narrative →
Oct 2023
4 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Staffing Information
(Tag F0732)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation, interview and record review, the facility failed to post the federally required daily actual hours worked by the staff in an area accessible to the public when the information wa...
Read full inspector narrative →
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Pharmacy Services
(Tag F0755)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation, interview, and record review, the facility failed to ensure:
1. All controlled drugs (medications/drugs with a potential for addiction and abuse) were reconcilled and accounted ...
Read full inspector narrative →
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Medication Errors
(Tag F0758)
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 that one of 12 sampled residents (Resident 4) was free from ...
Read full inspector narrative →
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 ensure:
1. All controlled medications/drugs (medications/drugs with a potential for addiction and abuse) were stored separate...
Read full inspector narrative →
Oct 2022
3 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Comprehensive Care Plan
(Tag F0656)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, interview, and record review, the facility failed to develop a care plan related to seizures (an uncontrol...
Read full inspector narrative →
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0658
(Tag F0658)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, interview, and record review, the facility failed to follow nursing standards of practice by elevating the...
Read full inspector narrative →
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Infection Control
(Tag F0880)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation, interview, and record review, the facility failed to ensure equipment was sanitized in between resident use.
This failure had the potential to contribute to the spread of infect...
Read full inspector narrative →
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 B+ (85/100). 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.
- • 13 deficiencies on record. Higher than average. Multiple issues found across inspections.
About This Facility
What is Helen Bernardy Center D/P Snf's CMS Rating?
CMS assigns HELEN BERNARDY CENTER D/P SNF 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 Helen Bernardy Center D/P Snf Staffed?
CMS rates HELEN BERNARDY CENTER D/P SNF's staffing level at 4 out of 5 stars, which is above average compared to other nursing homes.
What Have Inspectors Found at Helen Bernardy Center D/P Snf?
State health inspectors documented 13 deficiencies at HELEN BERNARDY CENTER D/P SNF during 2022 to 2025. These included: 13 with potential for harm.
Who Owns and Operates Helen Bernardy Center D/P Snf?
HELEN BERNARDY CENTER D/P SNF is owned by a non-profit organization. Non-profit facilities reinvest revenue into operations rather than distributing to shareholders. The facility operates independently rather than as part of a larger chain. With 43 certified beds and approximately 30 residents (about 70% occupancy), it is a smaller facility located in SAN DIEGO, California.
How Does Helen Bernardy Center D/P Snf Compare to Other California Nursing Homes?
Compared to the 100 nursing homes in California, HELEN BERNARDY CENTER D/P SNF's overall rating (5 stars) is above the state average of 3.2 and health inspection rating (5 stars) is much above the national benchmark.
What Should Families Ask When Visiting Helen Bernardy Center D/P Snf?
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 Helen Bernardy Center D/P Snf Safe?
Based on CMS inspection data, HELEN BERNARDY CENTER D/P SNF 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 Helen Bernardy Center D/P Snf Stick Around?
HELEN BERNARDY CENTER D/P SNF has not reported staff turnover data to CMS. Staff turnover matters because consistent caregivers learn residents' individual needs, medications, and preferences. When staff frequently change, this institutional knowledge is lost. Families should ask the facility directly about their staff retention rates and average employee tenure.
Was Helen Bernardy Center D/P Snf Ever Fined?
HELEN BERNARDY CENTER D/P SNF 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 Helen Bernardy Center D/P Snf on Any Federal Watch List?
HELEN BERNARDY CENTER D/P SNF 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.