Bethany Lutheran Home

Seven Elliott Street · Council Bluffs, IA · 51503 · 7123289500

112 certified beds Non profit - Other

Why this verdict

  • Inspectors found immediate jeopardy — danger of serious harm or death — in the most recent cycle (1 citation).
  • Inspection record is far worse than the national median (deficiency count and severity).
  • Federal penalties on record: $16,588 in fines in the last 24 months.
  • 3 citations involved actual harm to residents.
  • Inspection results have improved across recent cycles.

The complete Safety Report — $19

Everything on this page plus the full citation-by-citation history with inspector findings, the complete penalty record, staffing vs benchmarks, side-by-side nearby comparisons, and the printable tour checklist. One PDF, emailed in minutes, yours to keep and share with family.

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Red flags

1 immediate-jeopardy citation in the most recent inspection cycle

Immediate jeopardy is the most serious finding an inspector can make: a situation likely to cause serious injury, harm, or death.

Score breakdown

Inspection record 30% of score 39
Serious harm & abuse 20% 46
Staffing 20% 68
Federal penalties 15% 43
Trend 10% 88
Context 5% 100

Quality-measure stars are deliberately excluded — they're largely self-reported by facilities. Full method.

CMS ratings & staffing

Overall: 1 of 5 Inspections: 1 of 5 Staffing: 4 of 5 Quality measures: 2 of 5

Total nurse hours / resident-day3.923.48 min · 4.1 strong
RN hours / resident-day0.340.55–0.75
Weekend hours / resident-day3.52≈ weekday level
Nursing turnover / year36%median 45%
Fines (3-yr window)3 · $46,914

Inspection citations (42 in the current record)

  • Immediate jeopardy · J October 2, 2025 · found via complaint

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

    Corrected July 21, 2025 · Quality of Life and Care

  • Potential for harm · D October 2, 2025

    Assess the resident when there is a significant change in condition

    Corrected November 25, 2025 · Resident Assessment and Care Planning

  • Potential for harm · D October 2, 2025

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

    Corrected November 25, 2025 · Resident Assessment and Care Planning

  • Potential for harm · D October 2, 2025

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

    Corrected November 25, 2025 · Resident Assessment and Care Planning

  • Potential for harm · D October 2, 2025

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

    Corrected November 25, 2025 · Resident Assessment and Care Planning

  • Potential for harm · D October 2, 2025

    Ensure that residents are free from significant medication errors.

    Corrected November 25, 2025 · Pharmacy Service

  • Potential for harm · F October 2, 2025

    Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.

    Corrected November 25, 2025 · Infection Control

  • Potential for harm · E October 2, 2025 · found via 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 November 25, 2025 · Nursing and Physician Services

  • Actual harm · G May 30, 2025 · found via complaint

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

    Corrected April 5, 2025 · Resident Assessment and Care Planning

  • Potential for harm · D May 30, 2025 · found via complaint

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

    Corrected May 12, 2025 · Quality of Life and Care

  • Potential for harm · D March 13, 2025 · found via complaint

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

    Corrected February 14, 2025 · Resident Rights

  • Potential for harm · D March 13, 2025 · found via complaint

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

    Corrected February 14, 2025 · Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation

  • Potential for harm · D March 13, 2025 · found via complaint

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

    Corrected March 24, 2025 · Resident Assessment and Care Planning

  • Potential for harm · D March 13, 2025 · found via complaint

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

    Corrected March 24, 2025 · Resident Assessment and Care Planning

  • Potential for harm · D October 31, 2024

    Provide timely notification to the resident, and if applicable to the resident representative and ombudsman, before transfer or discharge, including appeal rights.

    Corrected January 2, 2025 · Resident Rights

  • Potential for harm · D October 31, 2024

    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 January 2, 2025 · Resident Rights

  • Potential for harm · D October 31, 2024

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

    Corrected January 2, 2025 · Resident Assessment and Care Planning

  • Potential for harm · E October 31, 2024

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

    Corrected January 2, 2025 · Nursing and Physician Services

  • Potential for harm · E October 31, 2024

    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 January 2, 2025 · Nursing and Physician Services

  • Potential for harm · D October 31, 2024

    Provide the appropriate treatment and services to a resident who displays or is diagnosed with dementia.

    Corrected January 2, 2025 · Quality of Life and Care

  • Potential for harm · E October 31, 2024

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

    Corrected January 2, 2025 · Nutrition and Dietary

  • Potential for harm · D October 31, 2024

    Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.

    Corrected January 2, 2025 · Infection Control

  • Actual harm · G August 12, 2024 · found via complaint

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

    Corrected August 20, 2024 · Quality of Life and Care

  • Potential for harm · D August 12, 2024 · found via complaint

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

    Corrected August 20, 2024 · Resident Assessment and Care Planning

  • Potential for harm · E May 14, 2024 · found via complaint

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

    Corrected May 30, 2024 · Resident Rights

Showing the 25 most recent. The Safety Report includes every citation with full findings.

Federal penalties

DateTypeAmount / length
October 2, 2025Fine$16,588
November 2, 2023Fine$11,183
August 21, 2023Fine$19,143

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Source: CMS Care Compare (public domain), data as of June 1, 2026 · CCN 165524 · certified since November 1, 2003. The score is a screen, not a verdict on any one resident's experience — read how it's computed, then visit in person.