Above average — CMS composite of the measures below.
The next survey window likely opens around April 2027
Estimate from public CMS data, current as of July 2026. Survey timing is at the state agency's discretion.
Citation history
Health deficiencies cited at Good Samaritan Society Howard during CMS and state inspections, most recent first.
A resident with hemiplegia after a stroke fell from the toilet after a CNA left him in the bathroom without his call light within reach. He reported that the stand aid was left in front of him with the brakes not locked, and when he reached for the call light cord, the device moved and he fell, hitting his head and sustaining a laceration to his arm. Staff interviews showed inconsistent practices for leaving the stand aid in the bathroom and ensuring the call light was accessible.
A CNA wore two pairs of gloves while assisting a resident with incontinent care and, with potentially soiled gloves, touched the resident’s wardrobe and retrieved clean clothing before removing the gloves. The CNA said this was a normal practice at the facility and confirmed she did not remove the outer gloves after peri-care. The DON stated this was not the facility’s normal practice and that staff were expected to remove soiled gloves and perform hand hygiene before touching clean clothes or the wardrobe; the PPE policy did not address double-gloving, and the hand hygiene policy required hand hygiene after glove removal.
Two residents experienced significant delays in call light response times, with instances exceeding an hour. Both residents are cognitively intact and reported prolonged waits for assistance, confirmed by call light reports. Staff interviews indicated systemic issues, including high acuity residents and increased wait times around meals, contributing to the delays.
Resident Fell From Toilet After Reaching for Call Light
Penalty
Summary
The nursing home failed to ensure an environment free from accident hazards and adequate supervision for a resident with hemiplegia following a cerebral infarction. The resident had diagnoses including left-sided hemiplegia after stroke, COPD, and atrial fibrillation, and his BIMS score indicated intact cognition. His care plan directed that he transfer with one staff member using the white stand-aid and noted he was at risk for falls with a history of falls. A care plan intervention added on 4/22/26 instructed staff to give him his call light while in the restroom and remind him to ensure he had it before staff left the room. The resident stated that a CNA took him into the bathroom and left him seated on the toilet without his call light within reach. He reported that the stand aid was left in front of him, but the brakes were not locked, and when he reached for the call light cord, the stand aid scooted forward and he fell. He hit his head on the floor and sustained a cut to his left arm. The bathroom layout placed the toilet in the southwest corner, the call light cord on the northwest wall, and the sink in the northeast corner, requiring him to lean to his left side to reach the cord with his right hand while seated on the toilet. Staff interviews showed inconsistent practice regarding the stand aid and call light placement. One CNA stated residents were left in the bathroom with the stand aid and the call light cord draped over it so they could pull it when finished, and another said the resident could be left with the stand aid if the brakes were locked. A different CNA said he removed the stand aid from the bathroom until the resident needed assistance again. The DON stated the incident occurred when the resident overreached for the call light cord while on the toilet and that staff could leave a resident in the bathroom with the stand aid only if the brakes were engaged, but also stated she could not guarantee staff always used them correctly. The facility policy on falls emphasized proactively recognizing fall risk factors and communicating interventions to reduce falls.
Infection Control Deficiency During Incontinent Care
Penalty
Summary
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program was deficient when a CNA did not follow standard infection prevention practices during care for a resident who had been incontinent of urine or bowel leakage. During observation, two CNAs assisted the resident with changing clothes after incontinence. One CNA wore two pairs of gloves and, while still wearing potentially soiled gloves, walked to the resident’s wardrobe, opened the doors, retrieved clean pants, and closed the doors before helping the resident into clean incontinence brief and pants. She then removed and discarded her gloves, revealing another pair of gloves underneath that she had been wearing during the care. During interview, the CNA stated she usually removed the outer layer of gloves after peri-care but did not do so for this resident, and she confirmed she touched the wardrobe door, handles, and the resident’s clean clothes with the soiled gloves. She also stated that wearing multiple pairs of gloves at one time was a normal practice at the facility. The DON stated that wearing multiple pairs of gloves was not the normal practice, was not part of the provider’s policy, and that staff were expected to remove soiled gloves and perform hand hygiene before touching the resident’s clean clothes and wardrobe. The facility’s PPE policy did not address wearing two pairs of gloves, and the hand hygiene policy required hand hygiene after glove removal and when entering healthcare zones such as supply drawers, linen drawers, or cupboards.
Delayed Call Light Response for Two Residents
Penalty
Summary
The provider failed to ensure timely response to call lights for two residents, leading to prolonged wait times for assistance. Resident 1, who is cognitively intact with a BIMS score of 15, has quadriplegia, major depressive disorder, and chronic pain. She reported waiting over an hour for staff to respond to her call light, which was confirmed by a review of her call light report showing 22 instances of response times over 20 minutes, with three exceeding an hour. Resident 5, also cognitively intact with a BIMS score of 15, experienced similar delays, with 13 instances of call light response times over 20 minutes, including two over an hour. Interviews with staff and residents revealed systemic issues contributing to the delays, such as high acuity residents requiring more time, increased wait times around meals, and the need for additional staff to assist with transfers. The facility's call light policy mandates prompt response, but the current system and staffing levels appear inadequate to meet this standard. The facility's administration acknowledged the issue and noted that call light response times are reviewed in quality assurance meetings, but the process is labor-intensive and lacks the ability to track individual room data effectively.
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Resident with a documented fall history left unattended on the patio; found on the ground with a hip fracture.
Walk-in cooler logs missing for 12 days; expired supplements in the medication room fridge.
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Nursing homes near Howard
How nearby facilities compare on the same public inspection record.
| Facility | Distance | Overall rating | Citations, 12 mo | Serious (J–L) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethel Lutheran Home | 20.7 mi | ★★★★★ | 0 | 0 |
| Good Samaritan Society De Smet | 25.4 mi | ★★★★★ | 3 | 0 |
| Good Samaritan Society Canistota | 31.2 mi | ★★★★★ | 11 | 0 |
| Firesteel Healthcare Center | 31.6 mi | ★★★★★ | 6 | 0 |
| Diamond Care Center | 31.8 mi | ★★★★★ | 13 | 0 |
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Trusted data, never guesswork. Every citation, penalty, rating and Plan of Correction on this page is sourced from public CMS records (latest release July 2026) and official state health department websites.