Sibley Specialty Care
Inspected within the last 6 months. Data reflects current conditions.
Sibley Specialty Care in Sibley, Iowa has earned an impressive Trust Grade of A+, indicating it is an elite facility that provides high-quality care. Ranking #69 out of 392 nursing homes in Iowa places it in the top half, and it is the only option in Osceola County, meaning families have no local alternatives that rank better. The facility is showing improvement, with the number of identified issues decreasing from 4 in 2024 to 3 in 2025. Staffing is a notable strength, boasting a 4 out of 5-star rating and only 23% turnover, which is significantly lower than the state average of 44%. However, there are some concerns, including issues with food portioning and sanitation in the kitchen, as well as a failure to complete background checks for one employee, which could potentially affect resident safety. Overall, while Sibley Specialty Care has many strengths, families should be aware of these specific areas needing attention.
- Trust Score
- A+
- In Iowa
- #69/392
- Safety Record
- Low Risk
- Inspections
- Getting Better
- Staff Stability ✓ Good
- 23% annual turnover. Excellent stability, 25 points below Iowa's 48% average. Staff who stay learn residents' needs.
- Penalties ✓ Good
- No fines on record. Clean compliance history, better than most Iowa facilities.
- Skilled Nurses ✓ Good
- Each resident gets 58 minutes of Registered Nurse (RN) attention daily — more than average for Iowa. RNs are trained to catch health problems early.
- Violations ○ Average
- 9 deficiencies on record. Average for a facility this size. Mostly minor or procedural issues.
The Good
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4-Star Staffing Rating · Above-average nurse staffing levels
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5-Star Quality Measures · Strong clinical quality outcomes
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Low Staff Turnover (23%) · Staff stability means consistent care
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Full Sprinkler Coverage · Fire safety systems throughout facility
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No fines on record
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Staff turnover is low (23%)
25 points below Iowa average of 48%
Facility shows strength in staffing levels, quality measures, staff retention, fire safety.
The Bad
Part of a multi-facility chain
Ask about local staffing decisions and management
The Ugly 9 deficiencies on record
May 2025
3 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Infection Control
(Tag F0880)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation, infection control policy and staff interview, the facility failed to provide proper hand hygiene with wound care with 1 of 2 residents observed (Resident #18). The facility repor...
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CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0804
(Tag F0804)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
Based on review of the menu, observation, and staff interviews the facility failed to serve the full portions of food when preparing meals for residents (Residents #7, #16, #19, #22 and #28). The faci...
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CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Food Safety
(Tag F0812)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
Based on observations, staff interviews, and facility policy review the facility failed to ensure proper sanitary conditions in the kitchen area where staff prepared food, and failed to keep utensils ...
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Jun 2024
1 deficiency
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
Free from Abuse/Neglect
(Tag F0600)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on clinical record review, facility record review, staff interviews and facility policy the facility failed to appropriate...
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Apr 2024
3 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0582
(Tag F0582)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on clinical record review and staff interview, the facility failed to obtain the resident or resident representative signature for consent on notification of the Notice of Medicare Non-Coverage ...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Transfer Notice
(Tag F0623)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on clinical record review and staff interview the facility failed to notify the Long Term Care (LTC) Ombudsman for 2 of 2 ...
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CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Abuse Prevention Policies
(Tag F0607)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
Based on personnel file reviews, staff interviews, and facility policy review, the facility failed to ensure all employees had an Iowa Criminal Background check and dependent adult/child abuse registr...
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Mar 2023
2 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
PASARR Coordination
(Tag F0644)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on clinical record review and staff interview, the facility failed to refer 1 resident with a negative Level I result for ...
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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** Based on clinical record and staff interview the facility failed to include side effects of anti-depressant medication on a care...
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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+ (95/100). 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.
- • 23% annual turnover. Excellent stability, 25 points below Iowa's 48% average. Staff who stay learn residents' needs.
- • No significant concerns identified. This facility shows no red flags across CMS ratings, staff turnover, or federal penalties.
About This Facility
What is Sibley Specialty Care's CMS Rating?
CMS assigns Sibley Specialty Care 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 Sibley Specialty Care Staffed?
CMS rates Sibley Specialty Care's staffing level at 4 out of 5 stars, which is above average compared to other nursing homes. Staff turnover is 23%, compared to the Iowa average of 46%. This relatively stable workforce can support continuity of care.
What Have Inspectors Found at Sibley Specialty Care?
State health inspectors documented 9 deficiencies at Sibley Specialty Care during 2023 to 2025. These included: 9 with potential for harm.
Who Owns and Operates Sibley Specialty Care?
Sibley Specialty Care is owned by a non-profit organization. Non-profit facilities reinvest revenue into operations rather than distributing to shareholders. The facility is operated by CARE INITIATIVES, a chain that manages multiple nursing homes. With 46 certified beds and approximately 36 residents (about 78% occupancy), it is a smaller facility located in Sibley, Iowa.
How Does Sibley Specialty Care Compare to Other Iowa Nursing Homes?
Compared to the 100 nursing homes in Iowa, Sibley Specialty Care's overall rating (5 stars) is above the state average of 3.1, staff turnover (23%) is significantly lower than the state average of 46%, and health inspection rating (4 stars) is above the national benchmark.
What Should Families Ask When Visiting Sibley Specialty Care?
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 Sibley Specialty Care Safe?
Based on CMS inspection data, Sibley Specialty Care 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 Sibley Specialty Care Stick Around?
Staff at Sibley Specialty Care tend to stick around. With a turnover rate of 23%, the facility is 23 percentage points below the Iowa average of 46%. Low turnover is a positive sign. It means caregivers have time to learn each resident's needs, medications, and personal preferences. Consistent staff also notice subtle changes in a resident's condition more quickly. Registered Nurse turnover is also low at 25%, meaning experienced RNs are available to handle complex medical needs.
Was Sibley Specialty Care Ever Fined?
Sibley Specialty Care 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 Sibley Specialty Care on Any Federal Watch List?
Sibley Specialty Care 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.