PELICAN VALLEY HEALTH CENTER
Within standard 12-15 month inspection cycle. Federal law requires annual inspections.
Pelican Valley Health Center has received a Trust Grade of A, indicating it is an excellent facility that is highly recommended. It ranks #63 out of 337 nursing homes in Minnesota, placing it in the top half of all facilities, and #4 out of 7 in Otter Tail County, meaning only three local options rank higher. The facility is improving, having reduced its number of issues from 7 in 2023 to just 2 in 2025. Staffing is a strong point, with a perfect rating of 5/5 stars and a turnover rate of 42%, which is on par with the state average, suggesting that staff are experienced and familiar with the residents. While Pelican Valley has no fines, which is a positive sign, there are several areas of concern. Recent inspections found that the facility failed to maintain sanitary conditions for ice machines, posing a risk of illness, and did not implement a comprehensive infection control program that could prevent the spread of infections among residents. Additionally, the lack of an antibiotic stewardship program raises concerns about appropriate antibiotic use. Overall, while there are notable strengths, families should be aware of these weaknesses as they consider this nursing home for their loved ones.
- Trust Score
- A
- In Minnesota
- #63/337
- Safety Record
- Low Risk
- Inspections
- Getting Better
- Staff Stability ○ Average
- 42% turnover. Near Minnesota's 48% average. Typical for the industry.
- Penalties ✓ Good
- No fines on record. Clean compliance history, better than most Minnesota facilities.
- Skilled Nurses ✓ Good
- Each resident gets 65 minutes of Registered Nurse (RN) attention daily — more than 97% of Minnesota 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
-
5-Star Staffing Rating · Excellent nurse staffing levels
-
Full Sprinkler Coverage · Fire safety systems throughout facility
-
No fines on record
-
Staff turnover below average (42%)
6 points below Minnesota average of 48%
Facility shows strength in staffing levels, fire safety.
The Bad
Near Minnesota avg (46%)
Typical for the industry
The Ugly 9 deficiencies on record
Jan 2025
2 deficiencies
CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Infection Control
(Tag F0880)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
Based on observation, interview and document review, the facility failed to maintain sanitary conditions for mechanical lifts for four (R2, R25, R7, R15) out of five residents observed who used a mech...
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
Based on observation, interview, and document review, the facility failed to maintain the ice machines located in the kitchen and on the 300 wing in a sanitary manner to prevent potential illness. Thi...
Read full inspector narrative →
Nov 2023
4 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
ADL Care
(Tag F0677)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, interview and document review, the facility failed to provide assistance with personal hygiene for 1 of 2 ...
Read full inspector narrative →
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0883
(Tag F0883)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on interview and document review, the facility failed to provide pneumococcal conjugate vaccine 20 variant (PVC20) educati...
Read full inspector narrative →
CONCERN
(F)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Infection Control
(Tag F0880)
Could have caused harm · This affected most or all residents
Based on interview and document review, the facility failed to develop and implement a comprehensive infection control program to include ongoing process and outcome surveillance, and routine analysis...
Read full inspector narrative →
CONCERN
(F)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Antibiotic Stewardship
(Tag F0881)
Could have caused harm · This affected most or all residents
Based on interview and document review, the facility failed to develop an antibiotic stewardship program which included the development of protocols and a system to monitor antibiotic use for 3 of 3 r...
Read full inspector narrative →
Feb 2023
3 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 document review, the facility failed to ensure the Minimum Data Set (MDS) was accurately coded to reflect...
Read full inspector narrative →
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0645
(Tag F0645)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on interview and document review, the facility failed to ensure a Pre-admission Screening and Resident Review (PASARR) lev...
Read full inspector narrative →
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0886
(Tag F0886)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on interview and document review, the facility failed to test staff for COVID-19 according to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) guidance for outbreak testing requirements for 4 of 5 staff ...
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 A (90/100). Above average facility, better than most options in Minnesota.
- • No major safety red flags. No abuse findings, life-threatening violations, or SFF status.
- • No fines on record. Clean compliance history, better than most Minnesota facilities.
- • 42% turnover. Below Minnesota's 48% average. Good staff retention means consistent care.
- • No significant concerns identified. This facility shows no red flags across CMS ratings, staff turnover, or federal penalties.
About This Facility
What is Pelican Valley's CMS Rating?
CMS assigns PELICAN VALLEY HEALTH CENTER an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars, which is considered much above average nationally. Within Minnesota, 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 Pelican Valley Staffed?
CMS rates PELICAN VALLEY HEALTH CENTER's staffing level at 5 out of 5 stars, which is much above average compared to other nursing homes. Staff turnover is 42%, compared to the Minnesota average of 46%. This relatively stable workforce can support continuity of care.
What Have Inspectors Found at Pelican Valley?
State health inspectors documented 9 deficiencies at PELICAN VALLEY HEALTH CENTER during 2023 to 2025. These included: 9 with potential for harm.
Who Owns and Operates Pelican Valley?
PELICAN VALLEY HEALTH CENTER is owned by a government entity. Government-operated facilities are typically run by state, county, or municipal agencies. The facility operates independently rather than as part of a larger chain. With 28 certified beds and approximately 29 residents (about 104% occupancy), it is a smaller facility located in PELICAN RAPIDS, Minnesota.
How Does Pelican Valley Compare to Other Minnesota Nursing Homes?
Compared to the 100 nursing homes in Minnesota, PELICAN VALLEY HEALTH CENTER's overall rating (5 stars) is above the state average of 3.2, staff turnover (42%) is near the state average of 46%, and health inspection rating (4 stars) is above the national benchmark.
What Should Families Ask When Visiting Pelican Valley?
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 Pelican Valley Safe?
Based on CMS inspection data, PELICAN VALLEY HEALTH 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 Minnesota. While no facility is perfect, families should still ask about staff-to-resident ratios and recent inspection results during their visit.
Do Nurses at Pelican Valley Stick Around?
PELICAN VALLEY HEALTH CENTER has a staff turnover rate of 42%, which is about average for Minnesota nursing homes (state average: 46%). Moderate turnover is common in nursing homes, but families should still ask about staff tenure and how the facility maintains care continuity when employees leave.
Was Pelican Valley Ever Fined?
PELICAN VALLEY HEALTH 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 Pelican Valley on Any Federal Watch List?
PELICAN VALLEY HEALTH 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.