Nora Springs Care Center
Inspected within the last 6 months. Data reflects current conditions.
Nora Springs Care Center has received an impressive Trust Grade of A, indicating it is highly recommended and performs excellently compared to other nursing homes. It ranks #55 out of 392 facilities in Iowa, placing it in the top half, and #2 out of 3 in Floyd County, meaning only one local option is better. The facility is showing improvement, having reduced issues from one in 2024 to none in 2025. Staffing is a mixed bag; while the turnover rate of 39% is better than the Iowa average of 44%, the facility has less RN coverage than 98% of state facilities, which is concerning as RNs typically provide critical oversight for patient care. Notably, the facility has no fines, which is a positive sign, but there have been concerning incidents, such as staff failing to properly label food items to prevent contamination and a registered nurse using inappropriate language with a resident, indicating a need for better training and adherence to care standards.
- Trust Score
- A
- In Iowa
- #55/392
- Safety Record
- Low Risk
- Inspections
- Getting Better
- Staff Stability ○ Average
- 39% turnover. Near Iowa's 48% average. Typical for the industry.
- Penalties ✓ Good
- No fines on record. Clean compliance history, better than most Iowa facilities.
- Skilled Nurses ⚠ Watch
- Each resident gets only 19 minutes of Registered Nurse (RN) attention daily — below average for Iowa. Fewer RN minutes means fewer trained eyes watching for problems.
- Violations ✓ Good
- Only 5 deficiencies on record. Cleaner than most facilities. Minor issues only.
The Good
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Full Sprinkler Coverage · Fire safety systems throughout facility
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No fines on record
-
Staff turnover below average (39%)
9 points below Iowa average of 48%
Facility shows strength in fire safety.
The Bad
Near Iowa avg (46%)
Typical for the industry
Part of a multi-facility chain
Ask about local staffing decisions and management
The Ugly 5 deficiencies on record
Jul 2024
1 deficiency
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Food Safety
(Tag F0812)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation and staff interview, the facility failed to label and date food items when opened to reduce the risk of contamination and food-borne illness. The facility reported a census of 44 ...
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May 2023
4 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
📢 Someone Reported This
A family member, employee, or ombudsman was alarmed enough to file a formal complaint
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Resident Rights
(Tag F0550)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on staff interviews, family interview, and review of facility policy, the facility failed to provide care for 1 of 14 resi...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0657
(Tag F0657)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** 2. Resident #2's Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessment dated [DATE] identified a Brief Interview for Mental Status (BIMS) score of 1...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Medication Errors
(Tag F0758)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on staff interviews, clinical record review, and facility policy review, the facility failed to provide an appropriate cli...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Food Safety
(Tag F0812)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation, staff interview, and facility policy review, the facility failed to ensure staff used proper food handling procedures to prevent possible contamination of food. The facility repo...
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Understanding Severity Codes (click to expand)
Questions to Ask on Your Visit
- "Can I speak with families of current residents?"
- "What's your RN coverage like on weekends and overnight?"
Our Honest Assessment
- • Grade A (90/100). Above average facility, better than most options in Iowa.
- • No major safety red flags. No abuse findings, life-threatening violations, or SFF status.
- • No fines on record. Clean compliance history, better than most Iowa facilities.
- • Only 5 deficiencies on record. Cleaner than most facilities. Minor issues only.
- • No significant concerns identified. This facility shows no red flags across CMS ratings, staff turnover, or federal penalties.
About This Facility
What is Nora Springs Care Center's CMS Rating?
CMS assigns Nora Springs Care Center an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars, which is considered much above average nationally. Within Iowa, this rating places the facility higher than 99% of the state's 100 nursing homes. This rating reflects solid performance across the metrics CMS uses to evaluate nursing home quality.
How is Nora Springs Care Center Staffed?
CMS rates Nora Springs Care Center's staffing level at 3 out of 5 stars, which is average compared to other nursing homes. Staff turnover is 39%, compared to the Iowa average of 46%. This relatively stable workforce can support continuity of care.
What Have Inspectors Found at Nora Springs Care Center?
State health inspectors documented 5 deficiencies at Nora Springs Care Center during 2023 to 2024. These included: 5 with potential for harm.
Who Owns and Operates Nora Springs Care Center?
Nora Springs Care Center is owned by a for-profit company. For-profit facilities operate as businesses with obligations to shareholders or private owners. The facility is operated by CASCADE CAPITAL GROUP, a chain that manages multiple nursing homes. With 50 certified beds and approximately 43 residents (about 86% occupancy), it is a smaller facility located in Nora Springs, Iowa.
How Does Nora Springs Care Center Compare to Other Iowa Nursing Homes?
Compared to the 100 nursing homes in Iowa, Nora Springs Care Center's overall rating (5 stars) is above the state average of 3.1, staff turnover (39%) is near the state average of 46%, and health inspection rating (5 stars) is much above the national benchmark.
What Should Families Ask When Visiting Nora Springs Care Center?
Based on this facility's data, families visiting should ask: "Can I visit during a mealtime to observe dining assistance and food quality?" "How do you handle medical emergencies, and what is your hospital transfer rate?" "Can I speak with family members of current residents about their experience?"
Is Nora Springs Care Center Safe?
Based on CMS inspection data, Nora Springs Care Center has a clean safety record: no substantiated abuse findings (meaning no confirmed cases of resident harm), no Immediate Jeopardy citations (the most serious violation level indicating risk of serious injury or death), and is not on the Special Focus Facility watch list (a federal program monitoring the lowest-performing 1% of nursing homes). The facility has a 5-star overall rating and ranks #1 of 100 nursing homes in Iowa. While no facility is perfect, families should still ask about staff-to-resident ratios and recent inspection results during their visit.
Do Nurses at Nora Springs Care Center Stick Around?
Nora Springs Care Center has a staff turnover rate of 39%, which is about average for Iowa nursing homes (state average: 46%). Moderate turnover is common in nursing homes, but families should still ask about staff tenure and how the facility maintains care continuity when employees leave.
Was Nora Springs Care Center Ever Fined?
Nora Springs Care Center has no federal fines on record. CMS issues fines when nursing homes fail to meet care standards or don't correct problems found during inspections. The absence of fines suggests the facility has either maintained compliance or corrected any issues before penalties were assessed. This is a positive indicator, though families should still review recent inspection reports for the full picture.
Is Nora Springs Care Center on Any Federal Watch List?
Nora Springs Care Center is not on any federal watch list. The most significant is the Special Focus Facility (SFF) program, which identifies the bottom 1% of nursing homes nationally based on persistent, serious quality problems. Not being on this list means the facility has avoided the pattern of deficiencies that triggers enhanced federal oversight. This is a positive indicator, though families should still review the facility's inspection history directly.