Vets home regains 5th star

The Southern Nevada State Veterans Home has gone through a rough few years that came to a head earlier this year when the facility lost its vaunted 5-star rating and got hit with a warning on their website advising of patient abuse.

But, bucking expectations of a years-long process for reversing those happenings, the facility recently saw its fifth star restored by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the warning symbol denoting a credible report of patient abuse removed. The change comes as a result of the home’s 2024 CMS annual survey.

The Nevada Department of Veterans Services issued a press release saying, “NDVS is pleased to announce that the Southern Nevada State Veterans Home (SNSVH) has earned a 5-Star quality rating, which is the highest overall rating possible from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The high rating comes following the completion of the 2024 CMS annual survey conducted at the home. This final CMS report restores the home’s 5-Star designation following a brief period of a 4-Star rating since last March.”

Since first receiving the five-star rating several years ago, the designation has become something of a bragging right. With reason, according to CMS, only 10% of skilled nursing care and rehabilitative facilities in each state receive the top 5-Star rating.

“The 5-Star rating system is provided as a tool to help families and caregivers compare quality between nursing homes,” said an NDVS spokesperson via email. “The system gives each nursing home a rating between one and five stars. CMS notes 5-Star nursing homes are considered to have above average quality and care.”

In an award-winning series of stories in 2023 and earlier this year, the Review documented a number of issues related to staffing and previous leadership not following Covid protocols, including for employee testing. After several patient deaths, Fred Wager, the former head of NDVS reportedly told senior staff that they were directly responsible for the deaths. Wager was relieved of his position by Gov. Joe Lombardo after these issues came to light.

The home has been through five head administrators since 2018. The current administrator, Jenni Fuller, took over shortly after former administrator Steven Pavlow was found by CMS inspectors to have engaged in verbal abuse of a patient.

“Restoring a 5-Star quality rating at the Southern Nevada State Veterans Home was a top priority for Director Devine and the Nevada Department of Veterans Services,” said Lombardo. “We owe our veterans the best care possible, and the NDVS team is to be congratulated for ensuring the highest level of care for Nevada’s heroes.”

NDVS Director Mary Devine notes the restoration of the 5-Star rating is an outstanding achievement.

“I’m proud of the SNSVH team and salute them for this incredible demonstration of their passion in serving Nevada’s veterans,” she said. “Our home always strives for 5-Star care and services in all we do for the residents and families we are proud to serve.”

Devine was appointed as head of NDVS after Wager was relieved of his duties.

SNSVH is a 180-bed skilled nursing care facility located on the outskirts of Boulder City. It serves veterans, their spouses and Gold Star parents offering 24-hour skilled nursing and rehabilitative care.

For more information on SNSVH visit: https://veterans.nv.gov/benefits-andservices/southern-nevada-state-veterans-home-boulder-city-nv/