Home›Browse›Iowa›Elk Horn›Salem Lutheran Home

Nursing homeFAID #4113

Salem Lutheran Home

2027 COLLEGE AVENUE, ELK HORN, IA, 51531

(712) 764-4201

good-sam.com

64 licensed beds

★★★★★1/5CMS Five-Star overall1/5 health inspections4/5 staffing2/5 quality measuresSource: CMS Care Compare

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Address

2027 College Avenue

Elk Horn, IA 51531

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Public record summary

What we can show you for free.

Bed capacity

CMS facility ID

165155

Care type

Nursing home

County

Shelby

Facility name

Salem Lutheran Home

Street address

2027 COLLEGE AVENUE

City / state / ZIP

Elk Horn, IA 51531

Phone

(712) 764-4201

Website

good-sam.com

About this facility — Salem Lutheran Home

Salem Lutheran Home is a Medicare/Medicaid-certified skilled nursing facility in Elk Horn, Iowa. It is licensed for 64 beds — close to the median for skilled nursing facilities in Iowa (57 beds).

It is one of 1 senior care facility in Elk Horn and 389 skilled nursing facilities across Iowa. Families comparing options should weigh inspection history, ownership record, and litigation — not just the tour — before deciding.

Federal inspectors have cited Salem Lutheran Home 63 times across 12 inspections in the last three years, including 3 food-safety citations; no federal fines are on record. Every citation is listed, dated, and graded in the inspection record below.

This listing draws on federal CMS Nursing Home Compare records, and was last updated on August 31, 2026. Background reports are compiled from primary sources — state inspection files, federal CMS data, corporate registrations, and court records — at the time of order.

Facility background

What the public record shows.

Ownership & operator

Parent company

Good Samaritan Society

Ownership type

For profit - Corporation

Registered owners & officers

American Lutheran Church

Direct owner · Operational control · Additional disclosable party — 100% stake — since 2003

Blakestad, Alan

Officer — since 2020

Gude, Paul

Officer — since 2021

Nielsen, Phil

Officer — since 2016

Norby, Nicklos

Operational control — since 2020

Schechinger, Tami

Officer — since 2021

Shell, Stephen

Operational control · Additional disclosable party — since 2025

The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society

Operational control — since 2007

Regulatory standing

Federal court records

20 naming its parent company — view the cases (a listed case is not a finding of wrongdoing)

Licensed / certified since

1990-05-01

CMS overall rating

1 of 5 stars

Health deficiencies

17 at the last standard inspection

Federal fines

None on record

Last standard inspection

2025-06-26

Nurse staffing

3.9 hours per resident per day

Cost & payer profile (FY2023 cost report)

Average billed charges

$413 per day (≈ $12,560/month). Private-pay prices typically track billed charges; Medicare and Medicaid pay set rates.

Payer mix (resident days)

50% Medicaid · 9% Medicare · 42% private/other

Occupancy

74% (fiscal year 2023)

Vs. state median

21% above the IA median of $342/day — full state cost breakdown

Services & coverage

Licensed beds

Medicare

Accepted

Medicaid

Accepted

Compiled from CMS Nursing Home Compare; owners/officers from the CMS Ownership dataset; cost & occupancy from the facility's own CMS cost report · last verified 2026-08-31. Facilities can submit a correction.

Inspection record

Every citation, dated and graded.

Kitchen & food safety

Federal surveyors inspect the kitchen at every standard visit. This facility has 3 food-safety citations on its three-year record — flagged below among the inspections.

2026-05-22Health inspectionComplaint-triggered8 citations

F-0550

D · No harm foundFrom a complaint

Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.

Corrected 2026-06-05

F-0580

D · No harm foundFrom a complaint

Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident.

Corrected 2026-06-05

F-0609

D · No harm foundFrom a complaint

Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.

Corrected 2026-06-05

F-0610

D · No harm foundFrom a complaint

Respond appropriately to all alleged violations.

Corrected 2026-06-05

F-0725

D · No harm foundFrom a complaint

Provide enough nursing staff every day to meet the needs of every resident; and have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift.

Corrected 2026-06-05

F-0760

G · Actual harmFrom a complaint

Ensure that residents are free from significant medication errors.

Corrected 2026-06-05

F-0761

D · No harm foundFrom a complaint

Ensure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments, separately locked, compartments for controlled drugs.

Corrected 2026-06-05

F-0842

D · No harm foundFrom a complaint

Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.

Corrected 2026-06-05

2025-12-15Health inspectionComplaint-triggered1 citation

F-0550

D · No harm foundFrom a complaint

Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.

Corrected 2025-12-22

9 earlier / fire-safety inspections (54 citations)

2025-10-08Health inspectionComplaint-triggered1 citation

F-0677

D · No harm foundFrom a complaint

Provide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable.

Corrected 2025-10-10

2025-06-26Health inspectionComplaint-triggered7 citations

F-0584

D · No harm found

Honor the resident's right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment, including but not limited to receiving treatment and supports for daily living safely.

Corrected 2025-07-11

F-0607

D · No harm found

Develop and implement policies and procedures to prevent abuse, neglect, and theft.

Corrected 2025-07-11

F-0609

D · No harm foundFrom a complaint

Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.

Corrected 2025-07-11

F-0644

D · No harm found

Coordinate assessments with the pre-admission screening and resident review program; and referring for services as needed.

Corrected 2025-07-11

F-0684

D · No harm foundFrom a complaint

Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.

Corrected 2025-07-11

F-0695

D · No harm found

Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.

Corrected 2025-07-11

F-0880

D · No harm found

Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.

Corrected 2025-07-11

2024-10-22Health inspectionComplaint-triggered2 citations

F-0602

D · No harm foundFrom a complaint

Protect each resident from the wrongful use of the resident's belongings or money.

Corrected 2024-11-01

F-0658

E · No harm foundFrom a complaint

Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.

Corrected 2024-11-01

2024-08-11Health inspection10 citations

F-0625

D · No harm found

Notify the resident or the resident’s representative in writing how long the nursing home will hold the resident’s bed in cases of transfer to a hospital or therapeutic leave.

Corrected 2024-09-05

F-0644

D · No harm found

Coordinate assessments with the pre-admission screening and resident review program; and referring for services as needed.

Corrected 2024-09-05

F-0656

D · No harm found

Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.

Corrected 2024-09-05

F-0657

D · No harm found

Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.

Corrected 2024-09-05

F-0658

D · No harm found

Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.

Corrected 2024-09-05

F-0758

D · No harm found

Implement gradual dose reductions(GDR) and non-pharmacological interventions, unless contraindicated, prior to initiating or instead of continuing psychotropic medication; and PRN orders for psychotropic medications are only used when the medication is necessary and PRN use is limited.

Corrected 2024-09-05

F-0803

E · No harm foundFood safety

Ensure menus must meet the nutritional needs of residents, be prepared in advance, be followed, be updated, be reviewed by dietician, and meet the needs of the resident.

Corrected 2024-09-05

F-0812

F · No harm foundFood safety

Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.

Corrected 2024-09-05

F-0842

E · No harm found

Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.

Corrected 2024-09-05

F-0880

E · No harm found

Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.

Corrected 2024-09-05

2024-05-15Health inspectionComplaint-triggered2 citations

F-0725

D · No harm foundFrom a complaint

Provide enough nursing staff every day to meet the needs of every resident; and have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift.

Corrected 2024-05-31

F-0880

D · No harm foundFrom a complaint

Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.

Corrected 2024-05-31

2023-06-06Health inspection15 citations

F-0578

D · No harm found

Honor the resident's right to request, refuse, and/or discontinue treatment, to participate in or refuse to participate in experimental research, and to formulate an advance directive.

Corrected 2023-06-26

F-0580

D · No harm found

Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident.

Corrected 2023-06-26

F-0602

D · No harm found

Protect each resident from the wrongful use of the resident's belongings or money.

Corrected 2023-06-26

F-0610

D · No harm found

Respond appropriately to all alleged violations.

Corrected 2023-06-26

F-0657

D · No harm found

Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.

Corrected 2023-06-26

F-0658

D · No harm found

Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.

Corrected 2023-06-26

F-0684

G · Actual harm

Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.

Corrected 2023-06-26

F-0686

D · No harm found

Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.

Corrected 2023-06-26

F-0689

G · Actual harm

Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.

Corrected 2023-06-26

F-0698

D · No harm found

Provide safe, appropriate dialysis care/services for a resident who requires such services.

Corrected 2023-06-26

F-0727

E · No harm found

Have a registered nurse on duty 8 hours a day; and select a registered nurse to be the director of nurses on a full time basis.

Corrected 2023-06-26

F-0755

E · No harm found

Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist.

Corrected 2023-06-26

F-0804

E · No harm foundFood safety

Ensure food and drink is palatable, attractive, and at a safe and appetizing temperature.

Corrected 2023-06-26

F-0842

D · No harm found

Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.

Corrected 2023-06-26

F-0880

D · No harm found

Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.

Corrected 2023-06-26

2025-06-26Fire-safety inspection1 citation

K-0353

F · No harm found

Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.

Corrected 2025-07-29

2024-08-11Fire-safety inspection9 citations

E-0004

F · No harm found

Develop and maintain an Emergency Preparedness Program (EP).

Corrected 2024-09-13

K-0222

E · No harm found

Add doors in an exit area that do not require the use of a key from the exit side unless in case of special locking arrangements.

Corrected 2024-08-27

K-0345

F · No harm found

Have approved installation, maintenance and testing program for fire alarm systems.

Corrected 2024-09-12

K-0353

D · No harm found

Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.

Corrected 2024-08-28

K-0522

D · No harm found

Have an externally vented heating system.

Corrected 2024-08-28

K-0711

F · No harm found

Provide a written emergency evacuation plan.

Corrected 2024-09-05

K-0712

F · No harm found

Have simulated fire drills held at unexpected times.

Corrected 2024-09-05

K-0914

F · No harm found

Ensure receptacles at patient bed locations and where general anesthesia is administered, are tested after initial installation, replacement or servicing.

Corrected 2024-08-28

K-0923

D · No harm found

Have proper medical gas storage and administration areas.

Corrected 2024-08-27

2023-06-06Fire-safety inspection7 citations

E-0039

F · No harm found

Conduct testing and exercise requirements.

Corrected 2023-06-20

K-0353

F · No harm found

Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.

Corrected 2023-06-07

K-0362

E · No harm found

Ensure that corridors are separated from use areas by walls constructed to limit the passage of smoke.

Corrected 2023-06-21

K-0511

D · No harm found

Have properly installed electrical wiring and gas equipment.

Corrected 2023-06-09

K-0712

F · No harm found

Have simulated fire drills held at unexpected times.

Corrected 2023-06-08

K-0914

F · No harm found

Ensure receptacles at patient bed locations and where general anesthesia is administered, are tested after initial installation, replacement or servicing.

Corrected 2023-06-16

K-0920

E · No harm found

Ensure proper usage of power strips and extension cords.

Corrected 2023-06-09

Citations and penalties from the CMS Provider Data Catalog (three-year survey window, refreshed monthly). Severity codes follow the federal scope/severity grid; “Immediate jeopardy” is the most serious grade CMS issues. CCN 165155.

Inside your report

What unlocks when you order.

Ownership & corporate history

Primary tier

Prior operators & transfers

Corporate network & affiliates

Owners' other facilities

· · 2 more

Inspection citations — last 5 years

Locked

The 63 citations above are shown free. The report takes each one and explains it in plain English — what the tag requires, how serious the scope/severity grade really is, whether it recurred across surveys — plus the five-year pattern a single inspection can't show.

Civil & criminal lawsuits

Advanced tier only

Active civil suits

Federal dockets

CDC infection data

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Citations, owner history, lawsuits — decoded into one PDF.

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Original records

Sources we pull for this facility.

Source

CMS Nursing Home Compare

data.cms.gov Provider Data Catalog

Last verified 2026-08-31

Source

Secretary of State filings

Entity & officer search

Pulled when a report is ordered

Source

PACER federal dockets

pacer.uscourts.gov

Pulled when a report is ordered