All states › California › Watsonville › Watsonville Nursing Center
535 Auto Center Drive Watsonville, CA 95076 · Santa Cruz County
All 3 nursing homes in Watsonville, CA (3 take Medicaid)
CMS certification number 055240 · See this home on Medicare Care Compare
Is Watsonville Nursing Center a good nursing home? Reviews, ratings and inspection record
There are no official resident reviews of nursing homes: Medicare's Care Compare publishes inspections, staffing and quality data instead. Here is what that record shows for Watsonville Nursing Center as of October 2026.
CMS rates it 4 out of 5 stars overall, above the California average of 3.2.
Online reviews from families and residents are on Google Maps and other sites; they reflect individual experiences and aren't checked by CMS. The full inspection reports, including what inspectors observed, are on Medicare Care Compare.
Staffing
Nursing staff spend about 3.95 hours per resident per day at Watsonville Nursing Center, below the California median of 4.27 (US median: 3.72). About 0.44 of those hours are from registered nurses. On weekends it falls to 3.68 hours, 7% below its all-week average. 20.3% of nursing staff left within a year (California median 36%). That is lower than most homes in California, a sign of a steadier team.
About this nursing home
Paying for care at Watsonville Nursing Center: Medicare and Medicaid
Watsonville Nursing Center is certified for both Medicare and Medicaid. Medicare Part A can cover a short skilled-nursing or rehab stay here after a qualifying hospital stay of at least three inpatient days (observation days don't count), for up to 100 days per benefit period. Medicaid can pay for long-term care for residents who meet California's income and asset rules. Being certified doesn't guarantee a Medicaid bed is open, so ask whether the home accepts residents whose Medicaid application is still pending.
In 2026 Medicare covers days 1–20 in full after the Part A deductible ($1,736 per benefit period); for days 21–100 you pay $217 a day; after day 100 you pay all costs. Medicare doesn't pay for long-term custodial care. Medicare's coverage rules.
Health inspections
The most recent standard inspection was on January 9, 2026 and found 10 deficiencies. In total, inspectors issued 41 citations in the last three years.
Each citation has a scope and severity letter from A to L. A–C: potential for minimal harm. D–F: potential for more than minimal harm. G–I: actual harm. J–L: immediate jeopardy to resident health or safety.
What the inspections found
Over the last three years, inspectors issued 41 citations at Watsonville Nursing Center across 3 inspection dates, 1 of them from complaint investigations. None were at the actual-harm or immediate-jeopardy levels; 38 were "potential for more than minimal harm" (D–F) and 3 were minimal (A–C). The most common areas cited were quality of life and care (10) and nutrition and dietary (9). The most serious was cited under the CMS rule to "procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards" (tag F0812, level F, August 19, 2024). 1 citation was under CMS's abuse, neglect and exploitation rules.
January 9, 2026 · 10 citations
EProvide safe, appropriate pain management for a resident who requires such services.
EEnsure food and drink is palatable, attractive, and at a safe and appetizing temperature.
EProcure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
EProvide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
DPASARR screening for Mental disorders or Intellectual Disabilities
DDevelop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
DEnsure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.
DProvide safe, appropriate dialysis care/services for a resident who requires such services.
DEnsure each resident’s drug regimen must be free from unnecessary drugs.
BProvide rooms that are at least 80 square feet per resident in multiple rooms and 100 square feet for single resident rooms.
August 19, 2024 · 17 citations · includes complaint inspection
FProcure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
EDevelop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
EEnsure 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.
EEnsure food and drink is palatable, attractive, and at a safe and appetizing temperature.
EProvide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
DHonor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
DEnsure that residents are fully informed and understand their health status, care and treatments.
DTimely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.
DCreate and put into place a plan for meeting the resident's most immediate needs within 48 hours of being admitted
DProvide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
DTry different approaches before using a bed rail. If a bed rail is needed, the facility must (1) assess a resident for safety risk; (2) review these risks and benefits with the resident/representative; (3) get informed consent; and (4) Correctly install and maintain the bed rail.
DProvide medically-related social services to help each resident achieve the highest possible quality of life.
DEnsure each resident’s drug regimen must be free from unnecessary drugs.
DEnsure medication error rates are not 5 percent or greater.
DProvide sufficient support personnel to safely and effectively carry out the functions of the food and nutrition service.
DEnsure menus must meet the nutritional needs of residents, be prepared in advance, be followed, be updated, be reviewed by dietician, and meet the needs of the resident.
CProvide rooms that are at least 80 square feet per resident in multiple rooms and 100 square feet for single resident rooms.
May 6, 2022 · 14 citations
FProcure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
EProvide safe, appropriate dialysis care/services for a resident who requires such services.
EEnsure menus must meet the nutritional needs of residents, be prepared in advance, be followed, be updated, be reviewed by dietician, and meet the needs of the resident.
EKeep all essential equipment working safely.
DAllow residents to self-administer drugs if determined clinically appropriate.
DProvide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
DProvide appropriate foot care.
DEnsure that feeding tubes are not used unless there is a medical reason and the resident agrees; and provide appropriate care for a resident with a feeding tube.
DProvide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.
DEnsure a licensed pharmacist perform a monthly drug regimen review, including the medical chart, following irregularity reporting guidelines in developed policies and procedures.
DEnsure 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.
DEnsure each resident receives and the facility provides food prepared in a form designed to meet individual needs.
DImplement a program that monitors antibiotic use.
CProvide rooms that are at least 80 square feet per resident in multiple rooms and 100 square feet for single resident rooms.
Questions to ask on a tour of Watsonville Nursing Center
- CMS cited the home under its abuse and neglect rules on August 19, 2024. How are staff trained, and how are concerns reported?
- Do you have a Medicaid bed open now, and will you admit someone whose Medicaid application is still pending?
- When is the first care-plan meeting, and can family attend?
Questions come from this home's CMS data: its inspections, staffing and ownership record.
Fines and payment denials
CMS reports no fines or payment denials for this home in the last three years.
Rating history
| CMS month | Overall | Inspection | Staffing | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| August 2026 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
Add this rating badge to your websiteFree. Shows Watsonville Nursing Center's Medicare star rating and updates itself.
Size and colour
Preview
Paste it where the badge should appear: in WordPress, a Custom HTML block or a footer widget; on other sites, any spot that accepts HTML. The badge updates itself when CMS publishes new ratings.
Location
Hospitals near Watsonville Nursing Center
The Medicare-certified hospitals closest to this nursing home, with their CMS data. Ask the home which hospital it usually sends residents to.
-
1.4 mi
Watsonville Community Hospital WatsonvilleEmergency room ★★☆☆☆ Medicare overall 2 of 5Median ER visit 2h 50m for patients treated and sent home
- 12.4 mi
-
12.8 mi
Dominican Hospital Santa CruzEmergency room ★★★★☆ Medicare overall 4 of 5Median ER visit 3h 3m for patients treated and sent home
Hospital ratings, ER visit times and more at Hospitals In Each State
Source: CMS Care Compare. Distances are approximate.
Nearby nursing homes
More nursing homes near Watsonville Nursing Center › All nursing homes in Watsonville ›
Compare Watsonville Nursing Center with the 3 closest homes side by side ›
Other Cambridge Healthcare Services nursing homes in California
- Country Manor La Mesa Healthcare Center · La Mesa · 5 stars
- Modesto Post Acute Center · Modesto · 5 stars
- Ontario Healthcare Center · Ontario · 5 stars
- Highland Care Center of Redlands · Redlands · 4 stars
- Glendale Healthcare Center · Glendale · 4 stars
- Watsonville Post Acute Center · Watsonville · 4 stars
Affiliation comes from CMS's affiliated-entity data, October 2026. All 32 Cambridge Healthcare Services nursing homes ›
Source: CMS Provider Data Catalog (provider information, health deficiencies, penalties), October 2026. Inspection citations and penalties cover the last three years. Nursing Homes In Each State is independent and not affiliated with CMS or Medicare. About the data · Report a problem with this listing. Is this your nursing home? Feature it here.