WASHINGTON STATE WALLA WALLA VETERANS HOME
Within standard 12-15 month inspection cycle. Federal law requires annual inspections.
The Walla Walla Veterans Home has a Trust Grade of B+, which means it is above average and recommended for families considering care options. It ranks #49 out of 190 facilities in Washington, placing it in the top half, and #2 out of 4 in Walla Walla County, indicating there is only one local option that is better. However, the facility is experiencing a worsening trend, with the number of issues increasing from 3 in 2023 to 10 in 2024. Staffing is a strong point, with a perfect 5/5 rating and a low turnover of just 14%, significantly better than the state average of 46%. There have been no fines recorded, which is a positive sign, and the facility benefits from more RN coverage than 80% of Washington facilities, ensuring better oversight of resident care. Nonetheless, there are some concerning findings from inspections. For instance, there was a serious issue where a resident did not receive their prescribed pain medication consistently, which could lead to significant discomfort. Additionally, during a COVID-19 outbreak, the facility failed to promptly identify and respond to symptoms among staff, which could delay necessary care. Lastly, there were concerns related to medication management for residents with dementia, indicating potential gaps in care that families should be aware of. Overall, while there are strengths in staffing and oversight, families should consider the recent increase in issues when evaluating the home.
- Trust Score
- B+
- In Washington
- #49/190
- Safety Record
- Moderate
- Inspections
- Getting Worse
- Staff Stability ✓ Good
- 14% annual turnover. Excellent stability, 34 points below Washington's 48% average. Staff who stay learn residents' needs.
- Penalties ✓ Good
- No fines on record. Clean compliance history, better than most Washington facilities.
- Skilled Nurses ✓ Good
- Each resident gets 96 minutes of Registered Nurse (RN) attention daily — more than 97% of Washington nursing homes. RNs are the most trained staff who catch health problems before they become serious.
- Violations ⚠ Watch
- 19 deficiencies on record. Higher than average. Multiple issues found across inspections.
The Good
-
5-Star Staffing Rating · Excellent nurse staffing levels
-
Low Staff Turnover (14%) · Staff stability means consistent care
-
Full Sprinkler Coverage · Fire safety systems throughout facility
-
No fines on record
-
Staff turnover is low (14%)
34 points below Washington average of 48%
Facility shows strength in staffing levels, staff retention, fire safety.
The Bad
No Significant Concerns Identified
This facility shows no red flags. Among Washington's 100 nursing homes, only 1% achieve this.
The Ugly 19 deficiencies on record
Dec 2024
9 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0554
(Tag F0554)
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 conduct a complete and thorough assessment for self-ad...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0558
(Tag F0558)
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 provide an environment that reflected the physical nee...
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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 interview and record review, the facility failed to ensure accuracy for the Pre-admission Screening and Resident Review...
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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 review and revise the care plan related to urinary tract infection ...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Incontinence Care
(Tag F0690)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** AMENDED
Based on observation, interview, and record review the facility failed to comprehensively assess and determine potentia...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Respiratory Care
(Tag F0695)
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 provide respiratory care in accordance with accepted ...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Food Safety
(Tag F0812)
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 staff followed proper food handling and storag...
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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 ensure staff followed infection prevention and contro...
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CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0804
(Tag F0804)
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 prepare palatable, appetizing, and appealing meals fo...
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Mar 2024
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 services were provided to treat a resident for ...
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Nov 2023
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
Notification of Changes
(Tag F0580)
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 notify the resident's representative for 1 of 3 resid...
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May 2023
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 a provider assessment was completed prior to so...
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Feb 2023
1 deficiency
CONCERN
(F)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0886
(Tag F0886)
Could have caused harm · This affected most or all residents
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on interviews and record review the facility failed to perform testing for COVID-19 (infectious disease by a new virus cau...
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Dec 2022
1 deficiency
1 Harm
SERIOUS
(G)
📢 Someone Reported This
A family member, employee, or ombudsman was alarmed enough to file a formal complaint
Actual Harm - a resident was hurt due to facility failures
Deficiency F0697
(Tag F0697)
A resident was harmed · This affected 1 resident
Based on interviews and record review the facility failed to ensure staff provided adequate pain management in a timely manner for 1 of 3 residents (Resident 1) who expressed a need for narcotic pain ...
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Oct 2022
5 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
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 identify and provide needed care and services for two ...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Accident Prevention
(Tag F0689)
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 adequately supervise and initiate interventions for sa...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Unnecessary Medications
(Tag F0759)
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 a medication error rate of less than five perce...
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CONCERN
(F)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Drug Regimen Review
(Tag F0756)
Could have caused harm · This affected most or all residents
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Resident 39. The resident was admitted to the facility on [DATE] with diagnoses including dementia with behavioral disturbance a...
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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 food was served at the proper temperature, the dish machine was sanitized at the appropriate temperature, thermometers ...
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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 B+ (85/100). Above average facility, better than most options in Washington.
- • No fines on record. Clean compliance history, better than most Washington facilities.
- • 14% annual turnover. Excellent stability, 34 points below Washington's 48% average. Staff who stay learn residents' needs.
- • 19 deficiencies on record, including 1 serious (caused harm) violation. Ask about corrective actions taken.
About This Facility
What is Washington State Walla Walla Veterans Home's CMS Rating?
CMS assigns WASHINGTON STATE WALLA WALLA VETERANS HOME an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars, which is considered much above average nationally. Within Washington, 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 Washington State Walla Walla Veterans Home Staffed?
CMS rates WASHINGTON STATE WALLA WALLA VETERANS HOME's staffing level at 5 out of 5 stars, which is much above average compared to other nursing homes. Staff turnover is 14%, compared to the Washington average of 46%. This relatively stable workforce can support continuity of care.
What Have Inspectors Found at Washington State Walla Walla Veterans Home?
State health inspectors documented 19 deficiencies at WASHINGTON STATE WALLA WALLA VETERANS HOME during 2022 to 2024. These included: 1 that caused actual resident harm and 18 with potential for harm. Deficiencies causing actual harm indicate documented cases where residents experienced negative health consequences.
Who Owns and Operates Washington State Walla Walla Veterans Home?
WASHINGTON STATE WALLA WALLA VETERANS HOME 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 80 certified beds and approximately 77 residents (about 96% occupancy), it is a smaller facility located in WALLA WALLA, Washington.
How Does Washington State Walla Walla Veterans Home Compare to Other Washington Nursing Homes?
Compared to the 100 nursing homes in Washington, WASHINGTON STATE WALLA WALLA VETERANS HOME's overall rating (5 stars) is above the state average of 3.2, staff turnover (14%) is significantly lower than the state average of 46%, and health inspection rating (4 stars) is above the national benchmark.
What Should Families Ask When Visiting Washington State Walla Walla Veterans Home?
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 Washington State Walla Walla Veterans Home Safe?
Based on CMS inspection data, WASHINGTON STATE WALLA WALLA VETERANS HOME 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 Washington. While no facility is perfect, families should still ask about staff-to-resident ratios and recent inspection results during their visit.
Do Nurses at Washington State Walla Walla Veterans Home Stick Around?
Staff at WASHINGTON STATE WALLA WALLA VETERANS HOME tend to stick around. With a turnover rate of 14%, the facility is 31 percentage points below the Washington 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 18%, meaning experienced RNs are available to handle complex medical needs.
Was Washington State Walla Walla Veterans Home Ever Fined?
WASHINGTON STATE WALLA WALLA VETERANS HOME 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 Washington State Walla Walla Veterans Home on Any Federal Watch List?
WASHINGTON STATE WALLA WALLA VETERANS HOME 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.