Crystal Bluffs Rehabilitation and Health Care Cent

4010 Bridges Street Extension, Morehead City, NC 28557 (252) 726-0031
For profit - Limited Liability company 92 Beds CENTURY CARE MANAGEMENT Data: November 2025
Trust Grade
90/100
#23 of 417 in NC
Last Inspection: September 2024

Within standard 12-15 month inspection cycle. Federal law requires annual inspections.

Overview

Crystal Bluffs Rehabilitation and Health Care Center has received an impressive Trust Grade of A, indicating it is highly recommended and performs excellently compared to other facilities. It ranks #23 out of 417 in North Carolina, placing it in the top half of all nursing homes in the state, and it is the best option among the three facilities in Carteret County. The facility is improving, having reduced its reported issues from two in 2022 to none in 2024. Staffing is rated as average with a turnover rate of 34%, which is lower than the state average of 49%, suggesting that staff tend to stay longer and build relationships with residents. While there are no fines recorded, which is a positive sign, the inspector noted concerns such as failure to refer a resident for a necessary mental health assessment and not providing tube feeding according to physician orders, which could lead to potential harm. Overall, Crystal Bluffs has many strengths, but families should be aware of these specific incidents when considering care for their loved ones.

Trust Score
A
90/100
In North Carolina
#23/417
Top 5%
Safety Record
Low Risk
No red flags
Inspections
Getting Better
2 → 0 violations
Staff Stability
○ Average
34% turnover. Near North Carolina's 48% average. Typical for the industry.
Penalties
✓ Good
No fines on record. Clean compliance history, better than most North Carolina facilities.
Skilled Nurses
○ Average
Each resident gets 31 minutes of Registered Nurse (RN) attention daily — about average for North Carolina. RNs are the most trained staff who monitor for health changes.
Violations
✓ Good
Only 2 deficiencies on record. Cleaner than most facilities. Minor issues only.
★★★★★
5.0
Overall Rating
★★★☆☆
3.0
Staff Levels
★★★☆☆
3.0
Care Quality
★★★★★
5.0
Inspection Score
Stable
2022: 2 issues
2024: 0 issues

The Good

  • Full Sprinkler Coverage · Fire safety systems throughout facility
  • No fines on record
  • Staff turnover below average (34%)

    14 points below North Carolina average of 48%

Facility shows strength in fire safety.

The Bad

Staff Turnover: 34%

11pts below North Carolina avg (46%)

Typical for the industry

Chain: CENTURY CARE MANAGEMENT

Part of a multi-facility chain

Ask about local staffing decisions and management

The Ugly 2 deficiencies on record

Apr 2022 2 deficiencies
CONCERN (D)

Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed

PASARR Coordination (Tag F0644)

Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident

**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on staff interview and record review, the facility failed to refer a resident for a level II Preadmission Screening and Re...

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**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on staff interview and record review, the facility failed to refer a resident for a level II Preadmission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR) when diagnosed with a newly evident serious mental illness for 1 of 2 residents reviewed for PASRR (Residents #12). Findings included: Resident #12 was admitted to the facility on [DATE] with no diagnosis of mental health disorders and a level I PASRR. Review of Resident #12 ' s medical record diagnosis sheet revealed newly evident mental diagnoses were identified on the following onset dates: anxiety disorder onset date of 3/16/21 and major depressive disorder onset date of 5/20/21. Review of Resident #12 ' s Annual Minimum Data Set (MDS) dated [DATE] indicated Resident #12 was cognitively intact. The resident ' s current active diagnoses included, in part, anxiety disorder and depression. Resident #12 received antidepressants. The MDS indicated the resident had a level I PASRR. In an interview on 4/21/22 at 11:00 AM with the Minimum Data Set Nurse #1 (MDS Nurse #1) she stated when a resident was newly diagnosed with a mental illness the resident needed to be evaluated for a level II PASRR. She confirmed a referral was not made for a reevaluation and acknowledged there should have been a resubmission for a PASRR level II evaluation for Resident #12 when the newly evident mental health diagnoses were identified. She also stated it was a misunderstanding of when and why to resubmit the data for the level II PASRR when a newly diagnosed mental health diagnosis was identified. She clarified it was the MDS Nurse that notifies Social Work to resubmit the information and the MDS Nurse failed to make the Social Worker aware of the changes. An interview was conducted with the facility ' s Administrator on 4/21/22 at 11:54 AM. He expressed the PASRR information was expected to be resubmitted immediately by the MDS Nurse to the Social Worker so follow up documentation could be sent forward for reevaluation. He expressed all residents should be reviewed and screened for any needed level II PASRR assessments when mental health changes occur.
CONCERN (D)

Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed

Tube Feeding (Tag F0693)

Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident

**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observations, staff interviews, and record reviews, the facility failed to provide a resident's tube feeding in accorda...

Read full inspector narrative →
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observations, staff interviews, and record reviews, the facility failed to provide a resident's tube feeding in accordance with the physician's order for 1 of 1 resident (Resident #17) reviewed for tube feeding. Findings included: Resident #7 was admitted to the facility on [DATE] with diagnoses that included dysphagia with a feeding tube. Her quarterly Minimum Data Set (MDS) dated [DATE] indicated severe cognitive impairment. She received over half of her daily calories and fluids from her tube feeding (TF). Review of physician's orders revealed an order for Glucerna 1.2 at 74 milliliters (ml) per hour to begin at 5:00 PM and stop at 10:00 AM (total 1258 ml per day). An observation was made on 4/19/22 at 8:40 AM of Resident #17's TF pump turned off with the formula bottle removed from the room. An observation was made on 4/20/22 at 8:40 AM of Resident #17's TF pump turned off with the formula bottle removed from the room. During an interview on 4/20/22 at 8:45 AM, Nurse #1 revealed that Resident #7 received her TF from 5:00 PM to between 8-10 AM. She indicated that when the bottle ran out, she would turn the pump off. Nurse #1 confirmed the order was to stop the TF at 10:00 AM. During an interview on 4/20/22 at 2:10 PM, the Registered Dietitian (RD) revealed that Resident #7 should receive her TF over 17 hours starting at 5:00 PM and ending at 10:00 AM. She indicated it should not be turned off early. She further revealed Resident #7 had not lost weight. During an interview on 4/20/22 at 4:35 PM, the Regional Clinical Director of Operations revealed staff should be using a 1500 ml bottle of tube feeding formula and turning it off per order. An observation was made on 4/20/22 at 4:40 PM with assistance from the Assistant Director of Nursing (DON) of Resident #17's TF pump history. The pump indicated Resident #7 had received 1027 ml of TF over the past 24 hours. During an interview on 4/21/22 at 8:25 AM, the DON indicated that Nurse #1 should have followed the physician's order for Resident #7's TF. She confirmed Resident #7 did not get the full TF for the past two days. During an interview on 4/21/22 at 8:30 AM, the Administrator revealed the nurse should have followed the physician's order to ensure Resident #7 received her TF.
Understanding Severity Codes (click to expand)
Life-Threatening (Immediate Jeopardy)
J - Isolated K - Pattern L - Widespread
Actual Harm
G - Isolated H - Pattern I - Widespread
Potential for Harm
D - Isolated E - Pattern F - Widespread
No Harm (Minor)
A - Isolated B - Pattern C - Widespread

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

Strengths
  • • Grade A (90/100). Above average facility, better than most options in North Carolina.
  • • No major safety red flags. No abuse findings, life-threatening violations, or SFF status.
  • • No fines on record. Clean compliance history, better than most North Carolina facilities.
  • • Only 2 deficiencies on record. Cleaner than most facilities. Minor issues only.
Concerns
  • • No significant concerns identified. This facility shows no red flags across CMS ratings, staff turnover, or federal penalties.
Bottom line: Generally positive indicators. Standard due diligence and a personal visit recommended.

About This Facility

What is Crystal Bluffs Rehabilitation And Health Care Cent's CMS Rating?

CMS assigns Crystal Bluffs Rehabilitation and Health Care Cent an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars, which is considered much above average nationally. Within North Carolina, 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 Crystal Bluffs Rehabilitation And Health Care Cent Staffed?

CMS rates Crystal Bluffs Rehabilitation and Health Care Cent's staffing level at 3 out of 5 stars, which is average compared to other nursing homes. Staff turnover is 34%, compared to the North Carolina average of 46%. This relatively stable workforce can support continuity of care.

What Have Inspectors Found at Crystal Bluffs Rehabilitation And Health Care Cent?

State health inspectors documented 2 deficiencies at Crystal Bluffs Rehabilitation and Health Care Cent during 2022. These included: 2 with potential for harm.

Who Owns and Operates Crystal Bluffs Rehabilitation And Health Care Cent?

Crystal Bluffs Rehabilitation and Health Care Cent 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 CENTURY CARE MANAGEMENT, a chain that manages multiple nursing homes. With 92 certified beds and approximately 89 residents (about 97% occupancy), it is a smaller facility located in Morehead City, North Carolina.

How Does Crystal Bluffs Rehabilitation And Health Care Cent Compare to Other North Carolina Nursing Homes?

Compared to the 100 nursing homes in North Carolina, Crystal Bluffs Rehabilitation and Health Care Cent's overall rating (5 stars) is above the state average of 2.8, staff turnover (34%) 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 Crystal Bluffs Rehabilitation And Health Care Cent?

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 Crystal Bluffs Rehabilitation And Health Care Cent Safe?

Based on CMS inspection data, Crystal Bluffs Rehabilitation and Health Care Cent 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 North Carolina. While no facility is perfect, families should still ask about staff-to-resident ratios and recent inspection results during their visit.

Do Nurses at Crystal Bluffs Rehabilitation And Health Care Cent Stick Around?

Crystal Bluffs Rehabilitation and Health Care Cent has a staff turnover rate of 34%, which is about average for North Carolina 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 Crystal Bluffs Rehabilitation And Health Care Cent Ever Fined?

Crystal Bluffs Rehabilitation and Health Care Cent 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 Crystal Bluffs Rehabilitation And Health Care Cent on Any Federal Watch List?

Crystal Bluffs Rehabilitation and Health Care Cent 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.