Good Samaritan - Lemars
1140 Lincoln Street Ne, Le Mars, IA 51031 · Plymouth County · (712) 546-4101
64 certified beds, about 61 residents a day · Non profit - Corporation · Medicare and Medicaid since 1994
Certified for Medicaid Certified for Medicare
Overall
4 of 5
Health inspections
4 of 5
Staffing
3 of 5
Quality measures
3 of 5
CMS Care Compare ratings, data as of September 1, 2026 · CCN 165205 · See it on Medicare.gov · Compare with other homes
The record in brief
At its most recent standard inspection, on May 14, 2026, inspectors cited 0 health deficiencies (the Iowa average is 6.5, the national average 9.2).
None of its 6 health citations since April 2024 was rated as actual harm or immediate jeopardy.
CMS lists no fines against this home in the last three years.
Nurses and nurse aides worked 3.17 hours per resident per day, against 3.82 across Iowa and 3.86 nationally. Registered nurses accounted for 0.71 of those hours.
47.4% of nursing staff left within the year CMS measured (Iowa average 44.0%).
CMS links it to Good Samaritan Society, an affiliated group of 92 nursing homes.
Health inspections
Federal rules call for a standard inspection at least every 15 months, plus a visit whenever a complaint is filed. Each mark below is one citation, colored by how serious inspectors rated it. How to read a citation.
Under each citation, the quoted text is the inspector's own summary from the federal statement of deficiencies (CMS form 2567), word for word apart from a privacy scrub; CMS removes residents' and staff names before it publishes the text. The full notes are on Medicare.gov.
204/24
404/25
005/26
Potential for minimal harm Potential for more than minimal harm Actual harm Immediate jeopardy Found on a complaint visit
Where its citations fall on CMS's grid
CMS rates every citation by how much harm it caused (rows) and how many residents it touched (columns). The count in each box is this home's, across all 6 health citations on file.
Severity
Isolated
Pattern
Widespread
Immediate jeopardy
0J
0K
0L
Actual harm
0G
0H
0I
Potential for more than minimal harm
5D
0E
1F
Potential for minimal harm
0A
0B
0C
May 14, 2026Standard inspection · 0 citations
April 17, 2025Standard inspection · 4 citations
- F Electronically submit to CMS complete and accurate direct care staffing information, based on payroll and other verifiable and auditable data.
Inspectors wroteBased on the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Payroll Based Journal (PBJ) Staffing Data Report from Fiscal Quarter 1, 2025 (October 1 - December 31) review, facility staffing review, and staff interviews, the facility failed to meet staffing requirements in three metrics. The facility reported a census of 57 residents.
- D Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment.
Inspectors wroteBased on record review and staff interview, the facility failed to accurately complete the Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessment for 1 of 14 resident's reviewed (Resident #38). The facility reported a census of 54 residents.
- D Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
Inspectors wroteBased on clinical record review and staff interview the facility failed to revise and update care plans to include and address high risk medications and side effects to watch for 1 out of 14 residents included in the comprehensive care plans (Resident #53). The facility reported a census of 57 residents.
- D 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.
Inspectors wroteBased on clinical record review and staff interview the facility failed to identify non-pharmacological interventions and targeted behaviors related to high risk medications in 1 of 5 residents reviewed (Resident #53). The facility reported a census of 57 residents.
April 11, 2024Standard inspection · 2 citations
- D Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.
Inspectors wroteBased on clinical record review and staff interview the facility failed to revise and update Care Plans to include and address high risk medications and side effects to watch for in 2 out of 15 sampled residents reviewed for Comprehensive Care Plans (Resident #17 & #30). The facility reported a census of 61 residents.
- D Provide enough nursing staff every day to meet the needs of every resident; and have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift.
Inspectors wroteBased on observation, document review, resident interview, and staff interview the facility failed to provide nursing staff to assure residents safety by not adequately responding to call lights in a timely manner. The facility reported a census of 61 residents.
Fire safety inspections
8 fire safety citations on file: 3 on May 14, 2026, 3 on April 17, 2025, 2 on April 11, 2024.
Every fire safety citation8 citations
- F Install corridor and hallway doors that block smoke.
- F To conduct inspection, testing and maintenance of fire doors by qualified individuals.
- F Ensure that testing and maintenance of electrical equipment is performed.
- F Use approved construction type or materials.
- F Install corridor and hallway doors that block smoke.
- F Install smoke barrier doors that can resist smoke for at least 20 minutes.
- D Install smoke barrier doors that can resist smoke for at least 20 minutes.
- D Meet requirements for the use of electrical equipment.
Fines and payment denials
CMS lists no fines or payment denials against this home in the last three years. The national average is 0.9 fines per home.
Staffing
Hours of care per resident per day, from the payroll records every home sends CMS. Higher means more staff time with each resident.
| Measure | This home | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| All nursing staff (RN, LPN and aides) | 3.17 | 3.82 | 3.86 |
| Registered nurses | 0.71 | 0.74 | 0.69 |
| All nursing staff on weekends | 2.83 | 3.37 | 3.42 |
| Nurse aides | 2.08 | ||
| Licensed practical nurses | 0.38 | ||
| Nursing staff turnover (share who left in a year) | 47.4% | 44.0% | 45.8% |
| Registered nurse turnover | 40.0% | 42.1% | 42.9% |
| Administrators who left | 0 |
CMS expects 3.41 hours a day for residents as sick as this home's (its case-mix figure). The staffing star compares the two.
Staffing by quarter, from daily payroll records
Every nursing home sends CMS its staff hours for each day (the Payroll Based Journal). Here they are added up by quarter. The latest quarter is the one behind the figures above. In January to March 2026, nursing staff hours per resident were 3.30 on weekdays and 2.83 on weekends, 14% lower on weekends (nationally, weekends ran 15% lower). Contract or agency staff worked 1.6% of nursing hours, against 5.3% nationally. Total nursing hours per resident went from 3.09 in April to June 2025 to 3.17 in January to March 2026.
| Quarter | All nursing staff | Registered nurses | Weekdays | Weekends | Contract staff share | Days with no RN hours | Residents a day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan to Mar 2026 | 3.17 | 0.71 | 3.30 | 2.83 | 1.6% | 0 of 90 | 61 |
| Oct to Dec 2025 | 3.20 | 0.67 | 3.33 | 2.86 | 1.4% | 0 of 92 | 60 |
| Jul to Sep 2025 | 3.21 | 0.67 | 3.36 | 2.84 | 1.5% | 0 of 92 | 61 |
| Apr to Jun 2025 | 3.09 | 0.56 | 3.24 | 2.73 | 2.4% | 0 of 91 | 60 |
| United States, Jan to Mar 2026 | 3.75 | 0.62 | 3.92 | 3.33 | 5.3% | 0.5% of days | |
| Iowa, Jan to Mar 2026 | 3.80 | 0.71 | 3.98 | 3.36 | 4.7% | 0.3% of days |
Hours per resident per day: staff hours in the quarter divided by resident days (the daily census CMS derives from resident assessments). Registered nurses include the director of nursing and RNs with administrative duties; aides include nurse aides in training and medication aides, as in CMS's own staffing measure. How these are calculated.
Quality measures
The measures CMS uses for the quality star. Lower is better for every one of them.
| Measure | This home | Iowa | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose need for help with daily activities has increased Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 19.0 | 17.1 | 13.9 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a catheter inserted and left in their bladder Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 0.8 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a urinary tract infection Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 3.6 | 2.4 | 1.6 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 4.5 | 3.8 | 3.2 |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who newly received an antipsychotic medication Short Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 0.0 | 2.1 | 1.6 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose ability to walk independently worsened Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 14.3 | 16.6 | 14.1 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with pressure ulcers Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 3.4 | 4.2 | 4.6 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antipsychotic medication Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 13.0 | 19.4 | 15.4 |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who were rehospitalized after a nursing home admission Short Stay residents, 20250101-20251231 | 22.2 | 20.9 | 23.8 |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who had an outpatient emergency department visit Short Stay residents, 20250101-20251231 | 8.1 | 13.2 | 12.0 |
| Number of hospitalizations per 1000 long-stay resident days Long Stay residents, 20250101-20251231 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.9 |
| Number of outpatient emergency department visits per 1000 long-stay resident days Long Stay residents, 20250101-20251231 | 2.8 | 2.1 | 1.8 |
Owners and operators
Legal business name: THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN GOOD SAMARITAN SOCIETY. CMS links this home to Good Samaritan Society, a group of 92 nursing homes averaging 3.1 stars overall.
| Name | Role | Type | Share | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sanford | 5% or greater direct ownership interest | Organization | 100% | 01/01/2019 |
| The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society | 5% or greater indirect ownership interest | Organization | 100% | 01/01/2019 |
| Brown, George | Corporate director | Individual | 01/01/2025 | |
| Dykhouse, Dana | Corporate director | Individual | 05/30/2024 | |
| Engbrecht, Wesley | Corporate director | Individual | 05/30/2024 | |
| Gassen, William | Corporate director | Individual | 05/30/2024 | |
| Gulsvig, Neil | Corporate director | Individual | 05/30/2024 | |
| Herseth Sandlin, Stephanie | Corporate director | Individual | 05/30/2024 | |
| Lundeen, Mark | Corporate director | Individual | 05/30/2024 | |
| McCausland, Maureen | Corporate director | Individual | 01/01/2025 | |
| Molbert, Lauris | Corporate director | Individual | 05/30/2024 | |
| North, Andrew | Corporate director | Individual | 05/30/2024 | |
| Schieffer, Kevin | Corporate director | Individual | 01/01/2025 | |
| Shulkin, David | Corporate director | Individual | 05/30/2024 | |
| Teiken, Brent | Corporate director | Individual | 05/30/2024 | |
| Ventling-Herrmann, Marnie | Corporate director | Individual | 05/30/2024 | |
| Wenzel, Thomas | Corporate director | Individual | 01/01/2025 | |
| Fluit, Joel | Corporate officer | Individual | 10/01/2022 | |
| Gassen, William | Corporate officer | Individual | 05/30/2024 | |
| Middleton, Aimee | Corporate officer | Individual | 01/27/2022 | |
| Olson, Nicholas | Corporate officer | Individual | 04/08/2024 | |
| Schema, Nathan | Corporate officer | Individual | 06/24/2019 | |
| Sanford | Operational/managerial control | Organization | 01/01/2019 | |
| The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society | Operational/managerial control | Organization | 01/01/2019 | |
| Meis, Steven | Operational/managerial control | Individual | 12/20/2018 | |
| Morrison, Tony | Operational/managerial control | Individual | 01/01/2019 | |
| Sandgren, Deeandra | Operational/managerial control | Individual | 07/16/2023 | |
| Whitcanack, Tyler | Operational/managerial control | Individual | 05/28/2024 | |
| Fluit, Joel | Individual is an owner, partner or trustee of any ADP of the SNF | Individual | 11/26/2025 | |
| Dtn Staffing Inc | Adp of the SNF | Organization | 08/02/2024 | |
| Focusone Solutions | Adp of the SNF | Organization | 03/04/2024 | |
| Grape Tree Medical Staffing LLC | Adp of the SNF | Organization | 04/13/2018 | |
| Sanford | Adp of the SNF | Organization | 01/01/2019 | |
| The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society | Adp of the SNF | Organization | 01/01/2019 | |
| Brown, George | Adp of the SNF | Individual | 01/01/2025 | |
| Dykhouse, Dana | Adp of the SNF | Individual | 05/30/2024 | |
| Engbrecht, Wesley | Adp of the SNF | Individual | 05/30/2024 | |
| Fluit, Joel | Adp of the SNF | Individual | 10/01/2022 | |
| Gassen, William | Adp of the SNF | Individual | 05/30/2024 | |
| Gulsvig, Neil | Adp of the SNF | Individual | 05/30/2024 | |
| Herseth Sandlin, Stephanie | Adp of the SNF | Individual | 05/30/2024 | |
| Lundeen, Mark | Adp of the SNF | Individual | 05/30/2024 | |
| McCausland, Maureen | Adp of the SNF | Individual | 01/01/2025 | |
| Meis, Steven | Adp of the SNF | Individual | 12/20/2018 | |
| Middleton, Aimee | Adp of the SNF | Individual | 01/27/2022 | |
| Molbert, Lauris | Adp of the SNF | Individual | 05/30/2024 | |
| Morrison, Tony | Adp of the SNF | Individual | 01/01/2019 | |
| North, Andrew | Adp of the SNF | Individual | 05/30/2024 | |
| Olson, Nicholas | Adp of the SNF | Individual | 04/08/2024 | |
| Sandgren, Deeandra | Adp of the SNF | Individual | 07/16/2023 | |
| Schema, Nathan | Adp of the SNF | Individual | 01/01/2022 | |
| Schieffer, Kevin | Adp of the SNF | Individual | 01/01/2025 | |
| Shulkin, David | Adp of the SNF | Individual | 05/30/2024 | |
| Teiken, Brent | Adp of the SNF | Individual | 05/30/2024 | |
| Ventling-Herrmann, Marnie | Adp of the SNF | Individual | 05/30/2024 | |
| Wenzel, Thomas | Adp of the SNF | Individual | 01/01/2025 | |
| Whitcanack, Tyler | Adp of the SNF | Individual | 05/28/2024 |
As listed in the CMS ownership file, which names owners with a 5% or greater stake and the people and companies with operational or managerial control.
Questions to ask on a visit
Chosen from this home's own inspection record.
- When is the care plan meeting, and can family attend it?Inspectors cited 3 problems in this area, most recently on April 17, 2025: "Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment."
- Who is the administrator and director of nursing, and how long have they been in the job?Inspectors cited 1 problem in this area, most recently on April 17, 2025: "Electronically submit to CMS complete and accurate direct care staffing information, based on payroll and other verifiable and auditable data."
- How are medications reviewed, and how often are antipsychotic or sedating drugs used?Inspectors cited 1 problem in this area, most recently on April 17, 2025: "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."
- How many nurses and aides work each shift, nights and weekends included?Inspectors cited 1 problem in this area, most recently on April 11, 2024: "Provide enough nursing staff every day to meet the needs of every resident; and have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift."
- Who is on the floor on Saturday and Sunday, and how many residents does each aide care for?Weekend nurse staffing here was 2.83 hours per resident per day, below the Iowa average of 3.37.
Other nursing homes nearby
- Accura Healthcare of Le Mars Le Mars, 1.3 mi · 3 of 5 stars · 22 citations
- Happy Siesta Health Care Center Remsen, 9.2 mi · 4 of 5 stars · 5 citations
- Prairie Ridge Care Center Orange City, 15.6 mi · 5 of 5 stars · 10 citations
- Kingsley Specialty Care Kingsley, 17.1 mi · 1 of 5 stars · 38 citations
- Heartland Care Center Marcus, 17.5 mi · 5 of 5 stars · 18 citations
- Crown Pointe Estates Care Center Sioux Center, 18.1 mi · 4 of 5 stars · 18 citations
- Akron Care Center, Inc Akron, 20.4 mi · 4 of 5 stars · 6 citations
- Accura Healthcare of Sioux City, LLC Sioux City, 21.6 mi · 4 of 5 stars · 21 citations
Iowa contacts for a concern about a nursing home
These are the official offices in Iowa. NursingHomeClear cannot take or act on complaints.
- Inspections and complaints: Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing, Health Facilities, the state agency that inspects nursing homes for CMS and takes complaints about care.
- Resident advocate: Iowa Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman, 866-236-1430. The long-term care ombudsman is a free, confidential advocate for residents and families, set up under the federal Older Americans Act.
- State inspection reports: Iowa Health Facility Database, Entity Search, where Iowa publishes its own records on licensed homes.
Common questions
- What is Good Samaritan - Lemars's Medicare star rating?
- CMS rates Good Samaritan - Lemars 4 out of 5 stars overall, with 4 for health inspections, 3 for staffing and 3 for quality measures (CMS data as of September 1, 2026).
- How many deficiencies did Good Samaritan - Lemars get at its last inspection?
- 0 health deficiencies at the standard inspection on May 14, 2026. The Iowa average is 6.5.
- Has Good Samaritan - Lemars been fined?
- CMS lists no fines in the last three years.
- Does Good Samaritan - Lemars accept Medicaid?
- It is certified to take Medicaid (CMS lists it as "Medicare and Medicaid"). Certification does not mean a Medicaid bed is open: ask the admissions office.
- Who owns Good Samaritan - Lemars?
- CMS lists 57 owners and managers, and links the home to Good Samaritan Society. Legal business name: THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN GOOD SAMARITAN SOCIETY.
Sources
- Ratings, staffing and fines: CMS Provider Information, released September 30, 2026, data as of September 1, 2026.
- Citations: CMS Health Deficiencies and Fire Safety Deficiencies.
- Owners: CMS Ownership. Penalties: CMS Penalties.
- Staffing by quarter: CMS Payroll Based Journal Daily Nurse Staffing, April 2025 to March 2026, summed by NursingHomeClear.
- Inspector summaries: CMS Full Statement of Deficiencies (CMS-2567 text), data as of September 1, 2026. Each quote is the part of the statement before the detailed findings.
- Inspection reports with the inspectors' full notes are on this home's Medicare.gov page.
- Something wrong on this page? Ask for a correction. We fix errors in our copy of the data; findings themselves can only be changed by CMS and the state.
- NursingHomeClear is independent and not affiliated with CMS, Medicare or any state agency. This page reports federal records; it does not rate, recommend or endorse any home, and it is not medical or legal advice.