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Salem Lutheran Home

2027 College Avenue, Elk Horn, IA 515317127644201Ownership: For profit - CorporationCertified beds: 64Avg. daily residents: 48Chain: Good Samaritan Society (92 facilities)County: Shelby

The complete public record on Salem Lutheran Home, a Medicare & Medicaid–certified nursing home in Elk Horn, Iowa, from the CMS Care Compare database (August 2026 release). Every figure below is published by federal regulators; ClearPath adds the state comparisons and the plain-English reading.

CMS Star Ratings

Overall rating
★☆☆☆☆
CMS’s composite of the three ratings below. Iowa average: 3.1 stars.
Health inspection
★☆☆☆☆
Based on the last three years of on-site inspections and complaint investigations — the rating CMS weights most heavily.
Staffing
★★★★☆
Nurse and aide hours per resident per day, adjusted for how much care residents need, plus staff turnover.
Quality measures
★★☆☆☆
Clinical outcomes CMS tracks, such as falls with injury, pressure ulcers and hospital readmissions.
Salem Lutheran Home holds a 1-star overall rating, in the bottom two tiers CMS assigns. Nursing staff turnover of 63% is well above the Iowa average of 44%; high turnover is one of the strongest predictors of inconsistent care. None of this tells you whether a bed is open, whether your insurance is in network, or whether the facility will accept a given level of care — confirm those three directly with the facility before you commit.

Staffing

3.86 total nurse staff hours per resident per day
about the state average (3.82)
0.64 RN hours per resident per day
below the state average (0.74)
3.17 weekend nurse staff hours per resident per day
63.0% total nursing staff turnover
above the state average (44.2)
80.0% RN turnover

Hours are per resident per day, from payroll-based journal data facilities submit to CMS. Turnover is the share of nursing staff who left over the past year.

Inspections & Penalties

June 26, 2025 most recent standard health inspection
17 health deficiencies cited in the most recent inspection cycle
above the state average (6.6)
14 health deficiencies in the two prior cycles combined
$0 in federal fines across 0 penalties (last 3 years)
0 payment denials
CMS withholding Medicare/Medicaid payment for new admissions until problems were fixed

Recent Inspection Citations

46 citations on record across recent inspections, 3 at the actual-harm or immediate-jeopardy level. Showing the most recent inspection. Severity uses CMS’s A–L scope-and-severity scale; G and above means residents were actually harmed.

InspectionTagWhat was citedSeverity
May 22, 20260760Ensure that residents are free from significant medication errors. ComplaintG · Actual harm
May 22, 20260550Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights. ComplaintD · Potential for more than minimal harm
May 22, 20260580Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the… ComplaintD · Potential for more than minimal harm
May 22, 20260609Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities. ComplaintD · Potential for more than minimal harm
May 22, 20260610Respond appropriately to all alleged violations. ComplaintD · Potential for more than minimal harm
May 22, 20260725Provide enough nursing staff every day to meet the needs of every resident; and have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift. ComplaintD · Potential for more than minimal harm
May 22, 20260761Ensure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all… ComplaintD · Potential for more than minimal harm
May 22, 20260842Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted… ComplaintD · Potential for more than minimal harm

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Source: CMS Care Compare (data.cms.gov), August 2026 monthly release. Figures are as published by CMS and change monthly; ClearPath refreshes automatically. ClearPath Senior Guide is an independent information service, accepts no referral fees or placement incentives from any facility, and does not recommend facilities. Verify current details with the facility.