Highland Park Care Center
Inspected within the last 6 months. Data reflects current conditions.
Highland Park Care Center has an impressive Trust Grade of A+, indicating it is an elite facility with top-tier care. It ranks #20 out of 177 nursing homes in Nebraska, placing it in the top half of the state, and is the best option out of 2 facilities in Box Butte County. The facility is on an improving trend, reducing issues from 5 in 2024 to just 1 in 2025. Staffing is a relative strength, with a rating of 4 out of 5 stars and a low turnover rate of 24%, which is well below Nebraska's average of 49%. On the downside, there have been several concerns noted, including the failure to properly label opened food items, which could pose a food safety risk, and lapses in handling contaminated linens and disinfecting equipment, which raise infection control concerns.
- Trust Score
- A+
- In Nebraska
- #20/177
- Safety Record
- Low Risk
- Inspections
- Getting Better
- Staff Stability ✓ Good
- 24% annual turnover. Excellent stability, 24 points below Nebraska's 48% average. Staff who stay learn residents' needs.
- Penalties ✓ Good
- No fines on record. Clean compliance history, better than most Nebraska facilities.
- Skilled Nurses ○ Average
- Each resident gets 31 minutes of Registered Nurse (RN) attention daily — about average for Nebraska. RNs are the most trained staff who monitor for health changes.
- Violations ○ Average
- 9 deficiencies on record. Average for a facility this size. Mostly minor or procedural issues.
The Good
-
4-Star Staffing Rating · Above-average nurse staffing levels
-
Low Staff Turnover (24%) · Staff stability means consistent care
-
Full Sprinkler Coverage · Fire safety systems throughout facility
-
No fines on record
-
Staff turnover is low (24%)
24 points below Nebraska average of 48%
Facility shows strength in staffing levels, 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
Aug 2025
1 deficiency
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0604
(Tag F0604)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** LICENSURE REFERENCE NUMBER 175 12-006.05(G)Based on record review, interviews, and observations, the facility failed to ensure o...
Read full inspector narrative →
Aug 2024
5 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Quality of Care
(Tag F0684)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Licensure Reference Number 175 NAC 12-006.09
Based on record review and interview, the facility failed to ensure a medication wa...
Read full inspector narrative →
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Respiratory Care
(Tag F0695)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Licensure Reference Number 175 NAC 12-006.09(H)(vi)(3)(g)
Based on observations, interview, and record review; the facility failed to ensure 1 (Resident 7) of 2 sampled residents received oxygen thera...
Read full inspector narrative →
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0757
(Tag F0757)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Licensure Reference Number 175 NAC 12-006.10
Based on record review and interview, the facility failed to ensure 1 (Resident 7) of 15 sampled residents did not receive medication in doses exceeding th...
Read full inspector narrative →
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0761
(Tag F0761)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
License Reference Number 175 NAC 12-006.10
Based on record reviews, observations and interviews, the facility failed to ensure labeled medications and medication orders listed on the Medication Admini...
Read full inspector narrative →
CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Infection Control
(Tag F0880)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
License Reference Number 175 NAC 12-006.18
Based on observations, interviews, and record reviews, the facility failed to handle contaminated linens for all residents who were residing within the facil...
Read full inspector narrative →
Jul 2023
3 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Medication Errors
(Tag F0758)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Licensure Reference Number 175 NAC 12-006.09D
Based on interviews and record review, the facility failed to ensure residents were free from unnecessary medications related to Resident 39's as needed p...
Read full inspector narrative →
CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Infection Control
(Tag F0880)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
Licensure Reference Number 175 NAC 12-006.17
Based on observation, record review and interview; the facility failed to disinfect reusable resident care equipment in accordance with manufacturer recomm...
Read full inspector narrative →
CONCERN
(F)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Food Safety
(Tag F0812)
Could have caused harm · This affected most or all residents
Licensure Reference Number 175 NAC 12-006.11E
Based on observation and interview the facility failed to label and date opened food items and failed to maintain cleanliness of ceiling vents to prevent ...
Read full inspector narrative →
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 Nebraska.
- • No major safety red flags. No abuse findings, life-threatening violations, or SFF status.
- • No fines on record. Clean compliance history, better than most Nebraska facilities.
- • 24% annual turnover. Excellent stability, 24 points below Nebraska'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 Highland Park Care Center's CMS Rating?
CMS assigns Highland Park Care Center an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars, which is considered much above average nationally. Within Nebraska, 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 Highland Park Care Center Staffed?
CMS rates Highland Park Care Center's staffing level at 4 out of 5 stars, which is above average compared to other nursing homes. Staff turnover is 24%, compared to the Nebraska average of 46%. This relatively stable workforce can support continuity of care.
What Have Inspectors Found at Highland Park Care Center?
State health inspectors documented 9 deficiencies at Highland Park Care Center during 2023 to 2025. These included: 9 with potential for harm.
Who Owns and Operates Highland Park Care Center?
Highland Park Care Center is owned by a non-profit organization. Non-profit facilities reinvest revenue into operations rather than distributing to shareholders. The facility is operated by VETTER SENIOR LIVING, a chain that manages multiple nursing homes. With 60 certified beds and approximately 56 residents (about 93% occupancy), it is a smaller facility located in Alliance, Nebraska.
How Does Highland Park Care Center Compare to Other Nebraska Nursing Homes?
Compared to the 100 nursing homes in Nebraska, Highland Park Care Center's overall rating (5 stars) is above the state average of 2.9, staff turnover (24%) is significantly lower than the state average of 46%, and health inspection rating (5 stars) is much above the national benchmark.
What Should Families Ask When Visiting Highland Park 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 Highland Park Care Center Safe?
Based on CMS inspection data, Highland Park 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 Nebraska. While no facility is perfect, families should still ask about staff-to-resident ratios and recent inspection results during their visit.
Do Nurses at Highland Park Care Center Stick Around?
Staff at Highland Park Care Center tend to stick around. With a turnover rate of 24%, the facility is 22 percentage points below the Nebraska 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.
Was Highland Park Care Center Ever Fined?
Highland Park 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 Highland Park Care Center on Any Federal Watch List?
Highland Park 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.