Good Samaritan - Waukon
21 East Main Street, Waukon, IA 52172 · Allamakee County · (563) 568-3447
60 certified beds, about 52 residents a day · Non profit - Corporation · Medicare and Medicaid since 1994
Certified for Medicaid Certified for Medicare
Overall
2 of 5
Health inspections
2 of 5
Staffing
4 of 5
Quality measures
2 of 5
CMS Care Compare ratings, data as of September 1, 2026 · CCN 165240 · See it on Medicare.gov · Compare with other homes
The record in brief
At its most recent standard inspection, on April 30, 2026, inspectors cited 8 health deficiencies (the Iowa average is 6.5, the national average 9.2).
Of 16 health citations since July 2024, 1 was rated as actual harm or immediate jeopardy to residents (1 immediate jeopardy).
CMS lists 1 fine totaling $8,281 in the last three years; the largest was $8,281, and the latest is dated September 11, 2025.
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 0.89 of those hours.
43.5% 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.
207/24
101/25
404/25
109/25
804/26
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 16 health citations on file.
Severity
Isolated
Pattern
Widespread
Immediate jeopardy
1J
0K
0L
Actual harm
0G
0H
0I
Potential for more than minimal harm
11D
3E
0F
Potential for minimal harm
0A
1B
0C
April 30, 2026Standard inspection · 8 citations
- E Provide sufficient support personnel to safely and effectively carry out the functions of the food and nutrition service.
Inspectors wroteBased on observation, dishwasher instructional manual, document review, policy review, and staff interview, the facility failed to ensure staff were competent in procedures to test and document the hot water sanitation of the dishwasher. The facility identified a census of 57 residents.
- E Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Inspectors wroteBased on observation, policy review, and staff interview the facility failed to prevent bare hands from contacting food during food preparation and keep cold foods below 41 degrees Fahrenheit (F) during meal service. The facility reported a census of 57 residents.
- D Coordinate assessments with the pre-admission screening and resident review program; and referring for services as needed.
Inspectors wroteBased on an electronic health record (EHR) review, policy review, and staff interview, the facility failed to submit a new Preadmission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR) assessment for 1 of 4 residents reviewed (Resident #7). The facility reported a census of 57 residents.
- D Create and put into place a plan for meeting the resident's most immediate needs within 48 hours of being admitted
Inspectors wroteBased on record review, staff interviews, and policy review, the facility failed to implement a Baseline Care Plan for 1 of 3 newly admitted residents (Resident #21). The facility reported a census of 57 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 record review, staff interviews, and policy review, the facility failed to implement a Comprehensive Care Plan to include psychotropic medications for 1 of 3 newly admitted residents (Resident #21). The facility reported a census of 57 residents.
- 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 record review, staff interviews, and policy review the facility failed to revise 1 of 1 residents Care Plan after the resident had Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) symptoms and was put on an antibiotic for a UTI (Resident #16). The facility reported a census of 57 residents:
- D Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Inspectors wroteBased on record review, staff interviews, and policy review the facility failed to provide assessment and intervention for a resident who presented with Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) symptoms and obtain a Urinalysis (UA) timely after it was ordered by his Provider for 1 of 2 residents reviewed for UTI (Resident #16). The facility reported a census of 57 residents.
- D Provide appropriate care for a resident to maintain and/or improve range of motion (ROM), limited ROM and/or mobility, unless a decline is for a medical reason.
Inspectors wroteBased on record review and staff interviews the facility staff failed to provide 2 of 2 residents restorative programs as frequently as the program ordered (Resident #28 and Resident #4). The facility reported a census of 57 residents.
September 11, 2025Complaint inspection · 1 citation
- J Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Inspectors wroteBased on observation, document review, and staff interview, the facility's administrative staff failed to ensure the staff secured all locked exit doors, resulting in 1 of 3 reviewed residents (Resident #1) at risk for elopement exiting the facility without the nursing staff's knowledge. Due to the facility staff's failures, Resident #1 eloped from the building through the maintenance office door without the nursing staff's knowledge and was missing for approximately 45 minutes before the nursing staff realized Resident #1 was missing by locating Resident #1 laying outside on the ground. The facility's administrative staff identified a census of 51 residents at the time of the on-site investigation. The Iowa State Survey Agency (SA) notified the facility's administrative staff that the situation presented an Immediate Jeopardy situation on [DATE] at 6:00 PM. [...]
April 16, 2025Standard inspection · 4 citations
- E Have the Quality Assessment and Assurance group have the required members and meet at least quarterly
Inspectors wroteBased on record review, staff interview, and policy review the facility failed to maintain a quality assessment and assurance committee consisting at a minimum the Director of Nursing (DON), the Medical Director or his/her designee; at least three other members of the facility's staff, at least one of who must be the administrator, owner, a board member or other individual in a leadership role; and the Infection Preventionist (IP) were all in attendance for the first quarter of 2025 Quality Assurance (QA) meeting. The facility reported a census of 51 residents.
- D Encode each resident’s assessment data and transmit these data to the State within 7 days of assessment.
Inspectors wroteBased on electronic health record (EHR) review, Long-Term Care Facility Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) 3.0 user's manual review, and staff interviews the facility failed to submit six completed Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessments for 1 of 1 residents reviewed (Resident #201). The facility reported a census of 51 residents.
- D Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.
Inspectors wroteBased on record review, staff interview, and policy review the facility failed to recheck oxygen saturation levels for 1 of 1 residents with a respiratory illness to ensure it remained within set parameters to keep above 90% SpO2 (peripheral oxygen saturation) set by the Doctor and ensure oxygen was care planed and interventions implemented (Resident #26). The facility reported a census of 51 residents.
- D Ensure each resident’s drug regimen must be free from unnecessary drugs.
Inspectors wroteBased on clinical record review, policy review, and staff interview the facility failed to care plan high risk medications to include side effects to be monitored for 2 of 5 residents (Residents #20 and #29) reviewed for high risk medications. The facility reported a census of 51 residents.
January 30, 2025Complaint inspection · 1 citation
- D Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
Inspectors wroteBased on staff interview, record review, and policy review the facility failed to treat two out of three residents reviewed with dignity. The facility reported a census of 52 residents.
July 11, 2024Standard inspection · 2 citations
- D Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Inspectors wroteBased on observation, clinical record review, policy review, and staff interview the facility failed to provide appropriate catheter care to prevent potential cross contamination that could lead to a urinary tract infection (UTI) for 1 of 1 residents sampled (Resident #38). The facility identified a census of 52 residents.
- B Assess the resident when there is a significant change in condition
Inspectors wroteBased on clinical record review, Center for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) Long-Term Care (LTC) Facility Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) 3.0 User's Manual review, and staff interview the facility failed to complete a Significant Change in Status Assessment (SCSA) Minimum Data Set (MDS) within the required time frame for 2 of 2 residents sampled for hospice care (Resident #40 and #10). The facility reported a census of 52 residents.
Fire safety inspections
4 fire safety citations on file: 1 on April 16, 2025, 3 on July 11, 2024.
Every fire safety citation4 citations
- D Ensure proper usage of power strips and extension cords.
- F Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.
- E Install corridor and hallway doors that block smoke.
- D Have properly installed electrical wiring and gas equipment.
Fines and payment denials
| Date | Penalty | Amount or length |
|---|---|---|
| September 11, 2025 | Fine | $8,281 |
A payment denial means Medicare and Medicaid stopped paying for new admissions for that period.
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 | 0.89 | 0.74 | 0.69 |
| All nursing staff on weekends | 2.70 | 3.37 | 3.42 |
| Nurse aides | 1.81 | ||
| Licensed practical nurses | 0.47 | ||
| Nursing staff turnover (share who left in a year) | 43.5% | 44.0% | 45.8% |
| Registered nurse turnover | 18.2% | 42.1% | 42.9% |
| Administrators who left | 0 |
CMS expects 3.23 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 3.36 on weekdays and 2.70 on weekends, 20% lower on weekends (nationally, weekends ran 15% lower). Contract or agency staff worked 0.0% of nursing hours, against 5.3% nationally. Total nursing hours per resident went from 3.20 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 | 0.89 | 3.36 | 2.70 | 0.0% | 0 of 90 | 52 |
| Oct to Dec 2025 | 3.35 | 1.03 | 3.51 | 2.95 | 0.1% | 0 of 92 | 46 |
| Jul to Sep 2025 | 3.30 | 0.95 | 3.47 | 2.89 | 1.1% | 0 of 92 | 52 |
| Apr to Jun 2025 | 3.20 | 0.96 | 3.38 | 2.76 | 3.5% | 0 of 91 | 53 |
| 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 | 16.9 | 17.1 | 13.9 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a catheter inserted and left in their bladder Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 2.9 | 1.5 | 0.8 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a urinary tract infection Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 3.2 | 2.4 | 1.6 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 5.3 | 3.8 | 3.2 |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who newly received an antipsychotic medication Short Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 1.8 | 2.1 | 1.6 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose ability to walk independently worsened Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 20.1 | 16.6 | 14.1 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with pressure ulcers Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 7.2 | 4.2 | 4.6 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antipsychotic medication Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 18.5 | 19.4 | 15.4 |
| Number of hospitalizations per 1000 long-stay resident days Long Stay residents, 20250101-20251231 | 0.7 | 1.5 | 1.9 |
| Number of outpatient emergency department visits per 1000 long-stay resident days Long Stay residents, 20250101-20251231 | 1.9 | 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 |
| 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 | 01/01/2022 | |
| The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society | Operational/managerial control | Organization | 01/01/2019 | |
| Lederman, Mordechai | Operational/managerial control | Individual | 01/01/2020 | |
| Morrison, Tony | Operational/managerial control | Individual | 01/01/2019 | |
| Wilkins, Jessica | Operational/managerial control | Individual | 03/10/2024 | |
| Lederman, Mordechai | Adp of the SNF | Individual | 01/01/2020 | |
| Morrison, Tony | Adp of the SNF | Individual | 01/01/2019 | |
| Wilkins, Jessica | Adp of the SNF | Individual | 03/10/2024 |
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 6 problems in this area, most recently on April 30, 2026: "Coordinate assessments with the pre-admission screening and resident review program; and referring for services as needed."
- How do you prevent falls and pressure injuries, and how are families told when one happens?Inspectors cited 4 problems in this area, most recently on April 30, 2026: "Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals."
- Can we see a week of menus and the kitchen, and how are special diets handled?Inspectors cited 2 problems in this area, most recently on April 30, 2026: "Provide sufficient support personnel to safely and effectively carry out the functions of the food and nutrition service."
- 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 16, 2025: "Have the Quality Assessment and Assurance group have the required members and meet at least quarterly"
- Who is on the floor on Saturday and Sunday, and how many residents does each aide care for?Weekend nurse staffing here was 2.70 hours per resident per day, below the Iowa average of 3.37.
Other nursing homes nearby
- Northgate Care Center Waukon, 0.8 mi · 1 of 5 stars · 20 citations
- Thornton Manor Nursing and Care Center Lansing, 13.6 mi · 5 of 5 stars · 8 citations
- Wellington Place Decorah, 13.7 mi · 4 of 5 stars · 3 citations
- The Highlands Decorah, 16.3 mi · 2 of 5 stars · 26 citations
- Ossian Care Center Ossian, 17 mi · 2 of 5 stars · 19 citations
- Tweeten Lutheran Health Care Center Spring Grove, 21.5 mi · 1 of 5 stars · 37 citations
- Great River Care Center Mc Gregor, 22.4 mi · 4 of 5 stars · 5 citations
- Prairie Maison Prairie Du Chien, 23.1 mi · 2 of 5 stars · 16 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 - Waukon's Medicare star rating?
- CMS rates Good Samaritan - Waukon 2 out of 5 stars overall, with 2 for health inspections, 4 for staffing and 2 for quality measures (CMS data as of September 1, 2026).
- How many deficiencies did Good Samaritan - Waukon get at its last inspection?
- 8 health deficiencies at the standard inspection on April 30, 2026. The Iowa average is 6.5.
- Has Good Samaritan - Waukon been fined?
- Yes. CMS lists 1 fine totaling $8,281 in the last three years.
- Does Good Samaritan - Waukon 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 - Waukon?
- CMS lists 28 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.