Shuksan Healthcare Center
Nursing Home Facility
1530 James Street, Bellingham, WA 98225
Shuksan Healthcare Center is a senior care community located in Bellingham, WA. It provides nursing home care and senior living for older adults in the Bellingham area. To learn more or schedule a tour, call (360) 733-9161.
With 52 beds, Shuksan Healthcare Center is one of the larger communities in the area, senior care communities in Bellingham average about 35 beds. Larger communities more often keep clinical staff on site around the clock and can offer a wider range of on-site therapy and activities, though some families prefer the quieter feel of a smaller setting.
Federal reporting puts occupancy at about 87% of its licensed beds. That is above the Bellingham average of roughly 78%.
Medicare rates this community 2 out of 5 stars overall, a score based on health inspections, staffing levels and quality measures. Communities in Bellingham average about 3.7 stars. Its most recent standard health inspection was in May 2025 and recorded 26 deficiencies.
Residents receive about 3.4 hours of nursing care per day on average, including 0.9 hours from a registered nurse. Communities in Bellingham average about 4.1 hours. Nursing staff turnover over the past year was about 55%.
The community is located in Whatcom County, WA.
Inspection record
In its last three standard inspections and any complaint visits, federal inspectors cited 57 problems at Shuksan Healthcare Center. 5 findings involved harm to a resident, including 2 that put residents in immediate danger. 17 came from investigating complaints by residents or families.
In the last three years Medicare fined this home once, a total of $74,794. Medicare also stopped paying for new admissions once in that period.
Findings from the most recent inspection cycle
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Put residents in immediate danger, widespread
Administration
Administer the facility in a manner that enables it to use its resources effectively and efficiently.
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Put residents in immediate danger, a pattern
Administration
Provide timely, quality laboratory services/tests to meet the needs of residents.
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Caused harm to a resident, one or a few residents
Quality of Life and Care
Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.
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Could cause more than minimal harm, a pattern
Pharmacy Service
Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist.
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Could cause more than minimal harm, a pattern
Pharmacy Service
Ensure that residents are free from significant medication errors.
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Could cause more than minimal harm, one or a few residents
Pharmacy Service
Ensure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments, separately locked, compartments for controlled drugs.
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Could cause more than minimal harm, one or a few residents
Infection Control
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
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Could cause more than minimal harm, one or a few residents
Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation
Respond appropriately to all alleged violations.
Show 18 more
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Could cause more than minimal harm, widespread
Administration
Establish a governing body that is legally responsible for establishing and implementing policies for managing and operating the facility and appoints a properly licensed administrator responsible for managing the facility.
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Could cause more than minimal harm, a pattern
Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation
Respond appropriately to all alleged violations.
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Could cause more than minimal harm, a pattern
Resident Assessment and Care Planning
PASARR screening for Mental disorders or Intellectual Disabilities
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Could cause more than minimal harm, a pattern
Nursing and Physician Services
Verify that a nurse aide has been trained; and if they haven't worked as a nurse aide for 2 years, receive retraining.
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Could cause more than minimal harm, a pattern
Pharmacy Service
Implement gradual dose reductions(GDR) and non-pharmacological interventions, unless contraindicated, prior to initiating or instead of continuing psychotropic medication; and PRN orders for psychotropic medications are only used when the medication is necessary and PRN use is limited.
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Could cause more than minimal harm, a pattern
Resident Assessment and Care Planning
Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.
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Could cause more than minimal harm, one or a few residents
Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation
Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.
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Could cause more than minimal harm, one or a few residents
Resident Rights
Provide timely notification to the resident, and if applicable to the resident representative and ombudsman, before transfer or discharge, including appeal rights.
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Could cause more than minimal harm, one or a few residents
Resident Rights
Notify the resident or the resident’s representative in writing how long the nursing home will hold the resident’s bed in cases of transfer to a hospital or therapeutic leave.
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Could cause more than minimal harm, one or a few residents
Resident Assessment and Care Planning
Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.
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Could cause more than minimal harm, one or a few residents
Resident Assessment and Care Planning
Provide care by qualified persons according to each resident's written plan of care.
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Could cause more than minimal harm, one or a few residents
Quality of Life and Care
Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
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Could cause more than minimal harm, one or a few residents
Quality of Life and Care
Provide enough food/fluids to maintain a resident's health.
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Could cause more than minimal harm, one or a few residents
Quality of Life and Care
Provide safe, appropriate pain management for a resident who requires such services.
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Could cause more than minimal harm, one or a few residents
Nursing and Physician Services
Observe each nurse aide's job performance and give regular training.
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Could cause more than minimal harm, one or a few residents
Pharmacy Service
Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist.
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Could cause more than minimal harm, one or a few residents
Pharmacy Service
Ensure a licensed pharmacist perform a monthly drug regimen review, including the medical chart, following irregularity reporting guidelines in developed policies and procedures.
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Could cause more than minimal harm, one or a few residents
Nursing and Physician Services
Ensure nurse aides have the skills they need to care for residents, and give nurse aides education in dementia care and abuse prevention.
A citation on its own does not mean poor care, and most are corrected within weeks. What matters most is how serious the findings were and whether the same problems keep coming back. When you visit, it is fair to ask the administrator what inspectors found and what has changed since.
Shuksan Healthcare Center offers nursing home care and senior living.
Facility details
- Organization type for-profit corporation
- Beds / units 52
- Occupancy 87%
- Nursing hours per resident/day 3.4
- Annual staff turnover 55%
- Last health inspection May 2025
Resident & family reviews
No one has shared a review of Shuksan Healthcare Center yet. If you or someone you love has lived here, what you saw could help another family make this decision with more confidence.