Morning Star Care Center
Within standard 12-15 month inspection cycle. Federal law requires annual inspections.
Morning Star Care Center in Fort Washakie, Wyoming, has a Trust Grade of B, indicating it is a good choice among nursing homes, falling in the 70-79 range. It ranks #9 out of 33 facilities in the state, placing it in the top half, and #2 out of 4 in Fremont County, meaning only one other local option is better. The facility is improving, with issues decreasing significantly from 9 in 2024 to just 1 in 2025. Staffing is a strength, with 0% turnover, which is well below the state average, suggesting that staff are committed and familiar with the residents. However, the facility has faced $7,950 in fines, which is average, indicating some compliance issues, and it has been noted that there were concerns about medication management, including failures to properly limit PRN orders for certain medications and ensure regular monitoring for residents on psychotropic drugs. Overall, while the facility has notable strengths in staffing and a solid reputation, potential families should be aware of the medication management issues that have been identified.
- Trust Score
- B
- In Wyoming
- #9/33
- Safety Record
- Low Risk
- Inspections
- Getting Better
- Staff Stability ○ Average
- Turnover data not reported for this facility.
- Penalties ○ Average
- $7,950 in fines. Higher than 72% of Wyoming facilities. Some compliance issues.
- Skilled Nurses ✓ Good
- Each resident gets 82 minutes of Registered Nurse (RN) attention daily — more than 97% of Wyoming nursing homes. RNs are the most trained staff who catch health problems before they become serious.
- Violations ⚠ Watch
- 16 deficiencies on record. Higher than average. Multiple issues found across inspections.
The Good
-
4-Star Staffing Rating · Above-average nurse staffing levels
-
Full Sprinkler Coverage · Fire safety systems throughout facility
-
No fines on record
Facility shows strength in staffing levels, fire safety.
The Bad
Below median ($33,413)
Minor penalties assessed
The Ugly 16 deficiencies on record
Apr 2025
1 deficiency
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Assessment Accuracy
(Tag F0641)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on medical record review, staff interview, and MDS 3.0 Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) manual review, the facility fa...
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Nov 2024
2 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
Transfer Requirements
(Tag F0622)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on medical record review, and resident representative and staff interview, the facility failed to ensure resident's transf...
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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
Deficiency F0745
(Tag F0745)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on medical record review, resident representative and staff interview, and Medicaid e-mail review, the facility failed to ...
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Jan 2024
7 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0578
(Tag F0578)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on medical record review, staff and resident interviews, and review of facility policies, the facility failed to ensure the resident's right to refuse treatment was protected for 1 of 10 sample ...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0661
(Tag F0661)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on medical record review and staff interview, the facility failed to ensure a discharge summary which included a recapitulation of stay was completed for 1 or 1 sample resident (#29) who was dis...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0697
(Tag F0697)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on medical record review, and staff and resident interviews, the facility failed to ensure pain management was provided to meet the needs of the resident for 1 of 1 sample resident (#2) reviewed...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Pharmacy Services
(Tag F0755)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on medical record review and staff and resident interviews, the facility failed to provide routine medications for 1 of 9 sample residents (#2) who were reviewed for medications. The findings we...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0883
(Tag F0883)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on medical record review, staff interview and review of facility policy and procedures, the facility failed to ensure resi...
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CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Drug Regimen Review
(Tag F0756)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
Based on medical record review and staff interview, the facility failed to ensure the pharmacist identified and reported irregularities to the physician during the monthly drug regimen review for 3 of...
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CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Medication Errors
(Tag F0758)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
Based on medical record review and staff interview, the facility failed to ensure residents on psychotropic medications received gradual dose reductions (GDRs) and PRN orders for psychotropic medicati...
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Jan 2023
6 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Report Alleged Abuse
(Tag F0609)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on medical record review, elder representative and staff interview, and policy and procedure review, the facility failed t...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Investigate Abuse
(Tag F0610)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on medical record review, elder representative and staff interview, and policy and procedure review, the facility failed t...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0637
(Tag F0637)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, medical record review, staff interview, and review of the CMS RAI manual version 3.0, the facility failed ...
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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
Based on elder representative and staff interview, and medical record review, the facility failed to ensure elders or elders' representative were included in care plan development for 1 of 12 sample e...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0688
(Tag F0688)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, elder and staff interview, medical record review, and policy and procedure review, the facility failed to ...
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CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Medication Errors
(Tag F0758)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on staff interview, medical record review, and policy and procedure review, the facility failed to ensure PRN (as needed) ...
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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
- • No major safety red flags. No abuse findings, life-threatening violations, or SFF status.
- • 16 deficiencies on record. Higher than average. Multiple issues found across inspections.
About This Facility
What is Morning Star Care Center's CMS Rating?
CMS assigns Morning Star Care Center an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars, which is considered above average nationally. Within Wyoming, 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 Morning Star Care Center Staffed?
CMS rates Morning Star Care Center's staffing level at 4 out of 5 stars, which is above average compared to other nursing homes.
What Have Inspectors Found at Morning Star Care Center?
State health inspectors documented 16 deficiencies at Morning Star Care Center during 2023 to 2025. These included: 16 with potential for harm.
Who Owns and Operates Morning Star Care Center?
Morning Star Care Center is owned by a government entity. Government-operated facilities are typically run by state, county, or municipal agencies. The facility operates independently rather than as part of a larger chain. With 45 certified beds and approximately 28 residents (about 62% occupancy), it is a smaller facility located in Fort Washakie, Wyoming.
How Does Morning Star Care Center Compare to Other Wyoming Nursing Homes?
Compared to the 100 nursing homes in Wyoming, Morning Star Care Center's overall rating (4 stars) is above the state average of 3.0 and health inspection rating (4 stars) is above the national benchmark.
What Should Families Ask When Visiting Morning Star 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 Morning Star Care Center Safe?
Based on CMS inspection data, Morning Star 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 4-star overall rating and ranks #1 of 100 nursing homes in Wyoming. While no facility is perfect, families should still ask about staff-to-resident ratios and recent inspection results during their visit.
Do Nurses at Morning Star Care Center Stick Around?
Morning Star Care Center has not reported staff turnover data to CMS. Staff turnover matters because consistent caregivers learn residents' individual needs, medications, and preferences. When staff frequently change, this institutional knowledge is lost. Families should ask the facility directly about their staff retention rates and average employee tenure.
Was Morning Star Care Center Ever Fined?
Morning Star Care Center has been fined $7,950 across 1 penalty action. This is below the Wyoming average of $33,158. While any fine indicates a compliance issue, fines under $50,000 are relatively common and typically reflect isolated problems that were subsequently corrected. Families should ask what specific issues led to these fines and confirm they've been resolved.
Is Morning Star Care Center on Any Federal Watch List?
Morning Star 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.