Health > Nursing Homes > Washington > Avamere Skilled Nursing of Tacoma > Health Inspections

Avamere Skilled Nursing of Tacoma

Health Inspections

! Special Focus Facility: This home is being closely monitored because of a history of bad care.

Health Inspections 1
Health Deficiencies
This Nursing Home: 20
WA State Average: 8
U.S. Average: 6
WA Deficiencies Range: 1–28
Complaints & Incidents: 1
Updated April 18, 2013.

Our health inspections rating describes how well this home met health and safety standards for food preparation and other nursing-home activities in the latest three state inspections. Such inspections are conducted about every 15 months.

January 31, 2013 Health Inspection

Nursing Home Failed To:	Possible or Actual Harm	Residents Affected	Date Fixed
Provide necessary care and services to maintain or improve the highest well being of each resident.	Low	Some	3/27/2013
Have a program that investigates, controls and keeps infection from spreading.	Low	Some	3/27/2013
Provide medically-related social services to help each resident achieve the highest possible quality of life.	Low	Some	3/27/2013
Ensure that each resident's 1) entire drug/medication regimen is free from unnecessary drugs; and 2) is managed and monitored to achieve highest level of well-being.	Low	Some	3/27/2013
Develop a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.	Low	Some	3/27/2013
Assist those residents who need help with eating/drinking, grooming and personal and oral hygiene.	Low	Some	3/27/2013
Provide care for residents in a way that maintains or improves their dignity and respect in full recognition of their individuality.	Low	Some	3/27/2013
Store, cook, and serve food in a safe and clean way.	Low	Some	3/27/2013
Prepare food that is nutritional, appetizing, tasty, attractive, well-cooked, and at the right temperature.	Low	Some	3/27/2013
Make sure that residents receive treatments/services to maintain or improve their ability to care for themselves.	Low	Some	3/27/2013
Train all employees on what to do in an emergency, and carry out unannounced staff drills.	Low	Some	3/27/2013
Keep the rate of medication errors (wrong drug, wrong dose, wrong time) to less than 5%.	Low	Some	3/27/2013
Keep accurate, complete and organized clinical records on each resident that meet professional standards.	Low	Some	3/27/2013
Have enough nurses to care for every resident in a way that maximizes the resident's well being.	Low	Some	3/27/2013
At least once a month, have a licensed pharmacist review each resident's medication(s) and report any irregularities to the attending doctor.	Low	Few	3/27/2013
Provide routine and emergency drugs through a licensed pharmacist and only under the general supervision of a licensed nurse.	Low	Few	3/27/2013
Properly hold, secure, and manage each resident's personal money which is deposited with the nursing home.	Low	Few	3/27/2013
Make sure menus meet the resident's nutritional needs and that there is a prepared menu by which nutritious meals have been planned for the resident and followed.	Low	Few	3/27/2013
Have enough backup water supply for essential areas of the nursing home.	Low	Few	3/27/2013
Give residents a notice of rights, rules, services and charges.	Low	Few	3/27/2013

June 08, 2012 Health Inspection

Nursing Home Failed To:	Possible or Actual Harm	Residents Affected	Date Fixed
Have a program that investigates, controls and keeps infection from spreading.	Low	Many	7/26/2012
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provide adequate supervision to prevent avoidable accidents.	Low	Some	7/26/2012
Keep all essential equipment working safely.	Low	Few	7/26/2012
Allow residents the right to participate in the planning or revision of care and treatment.	Low	Few	7/26/2012
Conduct initial and periodic assessments of each resident's functional capacity.	Low	Few	7/26/2012
Develop and implement policies for 1) screening and training employees; and the 2) prevention, identification, investigation, and reporting of any abuse, neglect, mistreatment and misappropriation of property.	Low	Few	7/26/2012
Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.	Low	Few	7/26/2012
Ensure that each resident's 1) entire drug/medication regimen is free from unnecessary drugs; and 2) is managed and monitored to achieve highest level of well-being.	Low	Few	7/26/2012
Ensure that residents receive proper treatment and assistive devices to maintain their vision and hearing.	Low	Few	7/26/2012
Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident.	Low	Few	7/26/2012
Keep accurate, complete and organized clinical records on each resident that meet professional standards.	Low	Few	7/26/2012
Provide activities to meet the interests and needs of each resident.	Low	Few	7/26/2012
Provide necessary care and services to maintain or improve the highest well being of each resident.	Low	Few	7/26/2012
Reasonably accommodate the needs and preferences of each resident.	Low	Few	7/26/2012

April 06, 2011 Health Inspection

Nursing Home Failed To:	Possible or Actual Harm	Residents Affected	Date Fixed
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provide adequate supervision to prevent avoidable accidents.	High	Many	5/3/2011
Set up an ongoing quality assessment and assurance group to review quality deficiencies quarterly, and develop corrective plans of action.	Low	Many	5/3/2011
1) review the work of each nurse aide every year; and 2) give regular in-service training based upon these reviews.	Low	Many	5/3/2011
Operate and provide services according to federal, state, and local laws and professional standards.	Low	Many	5/3/2011
Keep accurate, complete and organized clinical records on each resident that meet professional standards.	Low	Some	5/3/2011
Ensure that each resident's 1) entire drug/medication regimen is free from unnecessary drugs; and 2) is managed and monitored to achieve highest level of well-being.	Low	Some	5/3/2011
Provide housekeeping and maintenance services.	Low	Some	5/3/2011
Keep the rate of medication errors (wrong drug, wrong dose, wrong time) to less than 5%.	Low	Few	5/3/2011
Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident.	Low	Few	5/3/2011
Have a program that investigates, controls and keeps infection from spreading.	Low	Few	5/3/2011
Give residents proper treatment to prevent new bed (pressure) sores or heal existing bed sores.	Low	Few	5/3/2011
Give proper treatment to residents with feeding tubes to prevent problems (such as aspiration pneumonia, diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, metabolic abnormalities, nasal-pharyngeal ulcers) and help restore eating skills, if possible.	Low	Few	5/3/2011
Give each resident enough fluids to keep them healthy and prevent dehydration.	Low	Few	5/3/2011
Provide care for residents in a way that maintains or improves their dignity and respect in full recognition of their individuality.	Low	Few	5/3/2011
Provide necessary care and services to maintain or improve the highest well being of each resident.	Low	Few	5/3/2011
Ensure that residents receive proper treatment and assistive devices to maintain their vision and hearing.	Low	Few	5/3/2011
Ensure that residents are safe from serious medication errors.	Low	Few	5/3/2011
Make sure that a working call system is available in each resident's room or bathroom and bathing area.	Low	Few	5/3/2011
Develop a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.	Low	Few	5/3/2011
Conduct initial and periodic assessments of each resident's functional capacity.	Low	Few	5/3/2011
At least once a month, have a licensed pharmacist review each resident's medication(s) and report any irregularities to the attending doctor.	Low	Few	5/3/2011
Assist those residents who need help with eating/drinking, grooming and personal and oral hygiene.	Low	Few	5/3/2011
Allow residents the right to participate in the planning or revision of care and treatment.	Low	Few	5/3/2011
Maintain drug records and properly mark/label drugs and other similar products according to accepted professional standards.	Low	Few	5/3/2011
Ensure residents maintain acceptable nutritional status.	Low	Few	5/3/2011
Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.	Low	Few	5/3/2011
Give residents a notice of rights, rules, services and charges.	Very Low	Many	5/3/2011

December 07, 2012 Complaints & Incidents

Nursing Home Failed To:	Possible or Actual Harm	Residents Affected	Date Fixed
Prepare food that is nutritional, appetizing, tasty, attractive, well-cooked, and at the right temperature.	Low	Some	12/31/2012

July 24, 2012 Complaints & Incidents

Nursing Home Failed To:	Possible or Actual Harm	Residents Affected	Date Fixed
Let each resident or the resident's legal representative access or purchase copies of all the resident's records.	Low	Few	7/26/2012

June 20, 2012 Complaints & Incidents

Nursing Home Failed To:	Possible or Actual Harm	Residents Affected	Date Fixed
Ensure that residents are fully informed and understand their health status, care and treatments.	Low	Few	7/26/2012
Provide a tasty and well-balanced diet that meets the nutritional needs of each resident.	Low	Few	7/26/2012
Ensure residents have the right to have a choice over activities, their schedules, and health care according to their interests, assessments, and plans of care.	Low	Few	7/26/2012
Provide care for residents in a way that maintains or improves their dignity and respect in full recognition of their individuality.	Low	Few	7/26/2012

March 19, 2012 Complaints & Incidents

Nursing Home Failed To:	Possible or Actual Harm	Residents Affected	Date Fixed
Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.	Low	Few	4/5/2012
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provide adequate supervision to prevent avoidable accidents.	Low	Few	4/5/2012

February 02, 2012 Complaints & Incidents

Nursing Home Failed To:	Possible or Actual Harm	Residents Affected	Date Fixed
Protect each resident from all abuse, physical punishment, and involuntary separation from others.	Some	Few	2/17/2012

January 17, 2012 Complaints & Incidents

Nursing Home Failed To:	Possible or Actual Harm	Residents Affected	Date Fixed
Protect each resident from all abuse, physical punishment, and involuntary separation from others.	Some	Few	2/17/2012

December 21, 2011 Complaints & Incidents

Nursing Home Failed To:	Possible or Actual Harm	Residents Affected	Date Fixed
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provide adequate supervision to prevent avoidable accidents.	Low	Few	1/12/2012

November 07, 2011 Complaints & Incidents

Nursing Home Failed To:	Possible or Actual Harm	Residents Affected	Date Fixed
Ensure residents have the right to have a choice over activities, their schedules, and health care according to their interests, assessments, and plans of care.	Very Low	Some	11/29/2011
Give or get specialized rehabilitative services per the patient's assessment or plan of care.	Low	Few	11/29/2011
Make sure that residents receive treatments/services to maintain or improve their ability to care for themselves.	Low	Few	11/29/2011
1) hire only people with no legal history of abusing, neglecting or mistreating residents; or 2) report and investigate any acts or reports of abuse, neglect or mistreatment of residents.	Low	Few	11/29/2011

October 21, 2011 Complaints & Incidents

Nursing Home Failed To:	Possible or Actual Harm	Residents Affected	Date Fixed
Try to resolve each resident's complaints quickly.	Low	Few	11/25/2011
Give or get quality laboratory services/tests in a timely manner to meet the needs of residents.	Low	Few	11/25/2011
Have a program that investigates, controls and keeps infection from spreading.	Low	Few	11/25/2011
Maintain drug records and properly mark/label drugs and other similar products according to accepted professional standards.	Low	Few	11/25/2011
Store, cook, and serve food in a safe and clean way.	Low	Some	11/25/2011
Ensure that residents are safe from serious medication errors.	Low	Few	11/25/2011
Properly care for residents needing special services, including: injections, colostomy, ureostomy, ileostomy, tracheostomy care, tracheal suctioning, respiratory care, foot care, and prostheses.	Low	Few	11/25/2011
Provide necessary care and services to maintain or improve the highest well being of each resident.	Low	Few	11/25/2011
Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.	Low	Few	11/25/2011
Provide medically-related social services to help each resident achieve the highest possible quality of life.	Some	Few	11/25/2011

September 15, 2011 Complaints & Incidents

Nursing Home Failed To:	Possible or Actual Harm	Residents Affected	Date Fixed
Assist those residents who need help with eating/drinking, grooming and personal and oral hygiene.	Low	Few	10/11/2011

September 07, 2011 Complaints & Incidents

Nursing Home Failed To:	Possible or Actual Harm	Residents Affected	Date Fixed
Provide care for residents in a way that maintains or improves their dignity and respect in full recognition of their individuality.	Low	Some	10/11/2011
Have enough nurses to care for every resident in a way that maximizes the resident's well being.	Low	Some	10/11/2011
Give proper treatment to residents with feeding tubes to prevent problems (such as aspiration pneumonia, diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, metabolic abnormalities, nasal-pharyngeal ulcers) and help restore eating skills, if possible.	Low	Few	10/11/2011
Give residents proper treatment to prevent new bed (pressure) sores or heal existing bed sores.	Low	Few	10/11/2011
Try to resolve each resident's complaints quickly.	Low	Some	10/11/2011

July 13, 2011 Complaints & Incidents

Nursing Home Failed To:	Possible or Actual Harm	Residents Affected	Date Fixed
Provide activities to meet the interests and needs of each resident.	Very Low	Some	7/19/2011
Have a program that investigates, controls and keeps infection from spreading.	Low	Few	7/19/2011

June 17, 2011 Complaints & Incidents

Nursing Home Failed To:	Possible or Actual Harm	Residents Affected	Date Fixed
Provide care for residents in a way that maintains or improves their dignity and respect in full recognition of their individuality.	Low	Some	7/19/2011

May 31, 2011 Complaints & Incidents

Nursing Home Failed To:	Possible or Actual Harm	Residents Affected	Date Fixed
Ensure that residents with limited range of motion receive appropriate treatment and services to increase range of motion or prevent further decrease in range of motion.	Low	Some	6/21/2011

February 28, 2011 Complaints & Incidents

Nursing Home Failed To:	Possible or Actual Harm	Residents Affected	Date Fixed
Help and prepare each resident for a safe and easy discharge or transfer from the nursing home.	Low	Few	3/14/2011

December 09, 2010 Complaints & Incidents

Nursing Home Failed To:	Possible or Actual Harm	Residents Affected	Date Fixed
Try to resolve each resident's complaints quickly.	Low	Some	12/29/2010
Develop a post-discharge plan with the resident and family for the resident's care after leaving the nursing home.	Low	Few	12/29/2010
Provide care for residents in a way that maintains or improves their dignity and respect in full recognition of their individuality.	Low	Few	12/29/2010
Develop and implement policies for 1) screening and training employees; and the 2) prevention, identification, investigation, and reporting of any abuse, neglect, mistreatment and misappropriation of property.	Low	Some	12/29/2010

October 18, 2010 Complaints & Incidents

Nursing Home Failed To:	Possible or Actual Harm	Residents Affected	Date Fixed
Properly care for residents needing special services, including: injections, colostomy, ureostomy, ileostomy, tracheostomy care, tracheal suctioning, respiratory care, foot care, and prostheses.	Low	Few	11/2/2010
1) hire only people with no legal history of abusing, neglecting or mistreating residents; or 2) report and investigate any acts or reports of abuse, neglect or mistreatment of residents.	Low	Few	11/2/2010

October 04, 2010 Complaints & Incidents

Nursing Home Failed To:	Possible or Actual Harm	Residents Affected	Date Fixed
Reasonably accommodate the needs and preferences of each resident.	Low	Few	10/26/2010
Keep accurate, complete and organized clinical records on each resident that meet professional standards.	Low	Few	10/26/2010
Provide necessary care and services to maintain or improve the highest well being of each resident.	Low	Few	10/26/2010
Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident.	Low	Few	10/26/2010

September 27, 2010 Complaints & Incidents

Nursing Home Failed To:	Possible or Actual Harm	Residents Affected	Date Fixed
Provide necessary care and services to maintain or improve the highest well being of each resident.	Low	Some	10/26/2010
1) provide 3 meals at regular times; 2) serve breakfast within 14 hours of dinner; and 3) offer a snack at bedtime each day.	Low	Some	10/26/2010
Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident.	Low	Few	10/26/2010

July 22, 2010 Complaints & Incidents

Nursing Home Failed To:	Possible or Actual Harm	Residents Affected	Date Fixed
Store, cook, and serve food in a safe and clean way.	Low	Many	8/24/2010
Train all employees on what to do in an emergency, and carry out unannounced staff drills.	Very Low	Many	8/24/2010
Have a detailed, written plan for disasters and emergencies, such as fire, severe weather, and missing residents.	Very Low	Many	8/24/2010
Provide or obtain laboratory services only when ordered by the attending physician.	Very Low	Some	8/24/2010
Make sure that the facility is administered in an acceptable way that maintains the well-being of each resident.	Low	Many	8/24/2010
Make sure there is a pest control program to prevent/deal with mice, insects, or other pests.	Low	Some	8/24/2010
Be designed, built, equipped, or well kept to protect the health and safety of residents, workers, and the public.	Low	Some	8/24/2010
Provide necessary care and services to maintain or improve the highest well being of each resident.	Low	Few	8/24/2010

June 08, 2010 Complaints & Incidents

Nursing Home Failed To:	Possible or Actual Harm	Residents Affected	Date Fixed
Provide care by qualified persons according to each resident's written plan of care.	Low	Few	7/6/2010
Provide necessary care and services to maintain or improve the highest well being of each resident.	Low	Few	7/6/2010
Develop a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.	Low	Few	7/6/2010

May 11, 2010 Complaints & Incidents

Nursing Home Failed To:	Possible or Actual Harm	Residents Affected	Date Fixed
Develop and implement policies for 1) screening and training employees; and the 2) prevention, identification, investigation, and reporting of any abuse, neglect, mistreatment and misappropriation of property.	Low	Few	6/14/2010
Provide necessary care and services to maintain or improve the highest well being of each resident.	Low	Few	6/14/2010
Provide housekeeping and maintenance services.	Low	Few	6/14/2010
Provide care for residents in a way that maintains or improves their dignity and respect in full recognition of their individuality.	Low	Some	6/14/2010

January 11, 2010 Complaints & Incidents

Nursing Home Failed To:	Possible or Actual Harm	Residents Affected	Date Fixed
Provide care by qualified persons according to each resident's written plan of care.	Low	Few	2/23/2010

Note: Because of differences in calculation, all data may not match those shown on Nursing Home Compare, a website run by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. CMS has approved the U.S. News methodology.

Last updated April 18, 2013.