Heron's Key: Staffing, Turnover, and Inspection Record
Heron's Key is a 30-bed nonprofit nursing home in Gig Harbor, Washington. In the CMS August 2026 release it reported 3.35 nurse aide hours per resident per day, 26% above the Washington average of 2.66, and 29.6% nursing staff turnover (Washington average 45.1%).
Heron's Key
4340 Borgen Blvd NWGig Harbor, WA 98332
Pierce County
CMS Care Compare, August 2026 release
How many staff hours residents get
CMS reports staffing as hours per resident per day, from the payroll records each home submits. At Heron's Key, nurse aides logged 3.35 hours per resident per day, 26% above the Washington average. With about 16 residents a day, that works out to roughly 54 aide hours a day, or about 7 eight-hour aide shifts across day, evening, and night. On weekends, total nursing hours per resident ran 7% below the all-days figure.
| Hours per resident per day | This home | Washington avg | US avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nurse aides (CNAs) | 3.35 | 2.66 | 2.32 |
| Licensed practical nurses | 0.70 | 0.77 | 0.86 |
| Registered nurses | 1.70 | 0.94 | 0.69 |
| All nursing staff | 5.75 | 4.37 | 3.86 |
| All nursing staff, weekends | 5.36 | 3.81 | 3.42 |
CMS Care Compare, August 2026 release: reported staffing hours from Payroll-Based Journal data, and CMS state and US averages.
Staff turnover
29.6% of nursing staff at Heron's Key left over the year CMS measured, against a Washington average of 45.1% and a US average of 45.8%. Registered nurse turnover was 44.4%. No administrators left over the same period.
Inspections and penalties
State inspectors last completed a standard health inspection on Feb 13, 2026. The most recent inspection cycle, which also counts complaint and infection-control inspections from the past 12 months, found 3 health deficiencies (Washington average 16.1). CMS lists 1 fine totaling $15,015 in the last three years.
| Inspection date | Penalty | Amount or length |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 31, 2023 | Fine | $15,015 |
CMS Penalties file, August 2026 release. A payment denial stops Medicare and Medicaid payment for new admissions for the days shown.
CMS star ratings
CMS rates every nursing home from one to five stars overall and on health inspections, staffing, and quality measures. Heron's Key holds 5 of 5 overall; the Washington average is 3.2.
About Heron's Key
- Ownership: Non profit - Corporation
- Legal name: Herons Key
- Medicare and Medicaid certified since: Jan 31, 2018
- Part of a continuing care retirement community
- Councils: resident and family councils
- Area: urban
Nursing homes near Heron's Key
The closest homes by distance, with the same CMS figures. Select a column to sort.
| Gig Harbor Health and Rehabilitation Gig Harbor · abuse citation | 4.2 | 120 | 2.24 | 3.94 | 67.9% | 2 | $127,781 |
| Cottesmore of Life Care Gig Harbor | 5.4 | 108 | 2.40 | 4.32 | 44.3% | 4 | $29,595 |
| Eliseo Tacoma | 7.5 | 187 | 2.72 | 4.33 | 43.2% | 3 | None |
| Avamere Transitional Care of Puget Sound Tacoma | 7.9 | 60 | 2.57 | 5.17 | 34.3% | 4 | $23,319 |
| Park Rose Care Center Tacoma | 9.3 | 139 | 3.07 | 5.14 | 49.1% | 2 | $241,815 |
| Agility Health and Rehabilitation University Place | 10.9 | 120 | 2.57 | 4.19 | 42.3% | 3 | None |
| Orchard Park Health Care & Rehab Center Tacoma · abuse citation | 10.9 | 147 | 1.82 | 3.66 | 45.6% | 1 | $136,055 |
| Avamere Rehabilitation at Ridgemont Port Orchard | 11.2 | 96 | 2.39 | 4.02 | 43.0% | 4 | None |
Aide hrs and all nurse hrs are staff hours per resident per day. Fines are the CMS total for the last three years. Turnover is the share of nursing staff who left over a year. All figures from CMS Care Compare.
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Source: CMS Care Compare Provider Information, State and US Averages, and Penalties files, August 2026 release. Figures are as CMS publishes them; check Medicare Care Compare for the latest. Methodology.