Hearth Record

St Luke Lutheran Nursing Home

A nursing home in Spencer, Iowa 51301

1301 Saint Luke Drive, Spencer, Iowa 51301. (712) 262-5931.

CMS’s own record, on Care Compare

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The short answer

Record last released by CMS on Oct 28, 2026.

The last 24 months 20 citations in 3 months of the last 36. Last cited Sep 2025. Most serious: immediate jeopardy to health or safety (J). Every month

Each figure’s source sits beside it, in its section below.

What these words mean8
Star ratings
CMS rates some kinds of place from 1 to 5 stars, more stars meaning better on CMS’s own measures for that kind: for a nursing home, its health inspections, staffing and quality measures. A rating is CMS’s summary of those measures; it doesn’t promise good care. Source: CMS, Care Compare and the Five-Star Quality Rating System.
Inspection (survey)
A visit by state inspectors, often unannounced, who check a place against the rules it must meet. For nursing homes and other places Medicare pays, CMS calls these visits surveys: a standard survey of a nursing home comes at least every 15 months, and a complaint survey whenever a complaint calls for one. Source: CMS; 42 CFR 488.308.
Deficiency, citation, violation
What inspectors write up when a place didn’t meet a rule: the rule, what they saw, and when. CMS calls it a deficiency; states may say citation or violation. It is the inspectors’ finding, not a court’s, and the place is usually asked for a plan to correct it. Source: CMS, statement of deficiencies (Form CMS-2567); each state’s licensing agency.
Scope and severity (A to L)
CMS grades each nursing home deficiency with a letter. A to C: no actual harm, with potential for minimal harm. D to F: no actual harm, but potential for more. G to I: actual harm. J to L: immediate jeopardy. Within each band, the letter rises as more residents were affected or could be: one or a few, a pattern, or widespread. Source: CMS, nursing home scope and severity grid (State Operations Manual, chapter 7).
Nurse staffing hours
The hours registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and nurse aides worked, per resident per day, from the payroll records each home sends CMS. Source: CMS, Payroll-Based Journal.
Fines and payment denials
A fine (civil money penalty) is money CMS makes a nursing home pay when it falls short of federal rules. A payment denial means Medicare and Medicaid stop paying for new admissions until the home meets the rules again. Source: CMS; 42 CFR 488.430 and 488.417.
Immediate jeopardy
CMS’s most serious finding: the place’s failure to meet a rule caused, or was likely to cause, serious injury, harm, impairment or death to someone in its care. Source: CMS; 42 CFR 489.3.
Capacity
The most people the licence or certification lets the place care for at once: residents, children, beds or apartments, as the state counts them. It isn’t how many are there now. Source: Each state’s licensing agency.

What did inspectors find?

9 health citations at the latest inspection cycle

The Iowa average is 6.6.

Last standard inspection Sep 4, 2025.

Most serious in three years: immediate jeopardy to health or safety (J), at a standard and complaint inspection on Sep 4, 2025

Source:

CMS, Provider Information, State and US Averages and Health Deficiencies. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated monthly.

When those citations happened

20 citations in 3 months of the last 36. Last cited Sep 2025. Most serious: immediate jeopardy to health or safety (J). The last 3 years, to Nov 5, 2026.

20 citations by month over the last 3 years. Each cell is one month.
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
2023 Dec
2024 JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
2025 JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
2026 JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNov

Hover or focus a month to read it.

No visit on record Visited, nothing cited A stronger orange is more serious, on its source’s own levels, read onto four bands: from the least serious it publishes to the most
Source:

Hearth Record drew this from the dates and levels in the source’s own records.

All 20 citations in the last three years

Grouped by inspection, newest first. Each carries , from A, the least serious, to L, the most. 9 came from complaint inspections.

Source:

CMS, Health Deficiencies. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated monthly.

Sep 4, 2025: standard inspection5 citations

  • Ensure that each resident is free from the use of physical restraints, unless needed for medical treatment.

    Rule F0604. D: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: Sep 17, 2025.

  • Provide the required documentation or notification related to the resident’s needs, appeal rights, or bed-hold policies.

    Rule F0628. D: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: Sep 17, 2025.

  • Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment.

    Rule F0641. D: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: Sep 17, 2025.

  • Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.

    Rule F0880. D: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: Sep 17, 2025.

  • Give their staff education on dementia care, and what abuse, neglect, and exploitation are; and how to report abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

    Rule F0943. E: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: Sep 17, 2025.

Sep 4, 2025: standard and complaint inspection4 citations

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

    Rule F0689. J: immediate jeopardy to health or safety. From a complaint. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: Sep 17, 2025.

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

    Rule F0550. E: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. From a complaint. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: Sep 17, 2025.

  • Keep residents’ personal and medical records private and confidential.

    Rule F0583. D: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. From a complaint. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: Sep 17, 2025.

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

    Rule F0609. D: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. From a complaint. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: Sep 17, 2025.

Aug 22, 2024: standard inspection6 citations

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

    Rule F0550. D: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: Sep 12, 2024.

  • 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.

    Rule F0578. E: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: Sep 12, 2024.

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

    Rule F0657. D: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: Sep 12, 2024.

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

    Rule F0686. D: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: Sep 12, 2024.

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

    Rule F0695. E: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: Sep 12, 2024.

  • Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.

    Rule F0880. E: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: Sep 12, 2024.

Aug 22, 2024: standard and complaint inspection1 citation

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

    Rule F0689. J: immediate jeopardy to health or safety. From a complaint. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: Sep 5, 2024.

Apr 25, 2024: complaint inspection4 citations

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

    Rule F0609. D: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. From a complaint. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: May 25, 2024.

  • Respond appropriately to all alleged violations.

    Rule F0610. D: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. From a complaint. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: May 25, 2024.

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

    Rule F0725. E: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. From a complaint. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: May 25, 2024.

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

    Rule F0812. E: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. From a complaint. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: May 25, 2024.

Is it certified, and in good standing?

  • Certified for Medicare and Medicaid since Jul 7, 2003.
  • Not on CMS’s special focus list.
  • No abuse icon from CMS.
  • No change of ownership in the last 12 months.
  • CMS lists its ownership as non profit, corporation.
  • 79 certified beds.
Source:

CMS, Provider Information. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated monthly.

Has it been fined or penalized?

  • 2 fines in the last three years, $90,076 in all.
  • 1 Medicare payment denial in the last three years.
  • 9 citations in the last three years came from complaint inspections.
Source:

CMS, Penalties and Health Deficiencies. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated monthly.

Fines and payment denials, newest first
DateKindAmount
Sep 4, 2025Fine$81,679
Aug 22, 2024Medicare payment denialNot given
Aug 22, 2024Fine$8,397

Who does the caring?

3.66 nurse hours per resident per day

The Iowa average is 3.86.

CMS publishes staffing about four months after the fact.

Source:

CMS, Provider Information and State and US Averages. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated monthly.

Staffing measures
MeasureThis homeIowa average
Nurse hours per resident per day3.663.86
Of which registered nurses0.900.74
At weekends3.363.38
Nursing staff turnover40%44.1%
Registered nurse turnover15.4%42.1%
Administrators who left0Not given

Who owns it?

  • 19 owners or officers are people: Nancy Mills (runs it (operational or managerial control)); Gary Halverson (corporate director, 0%); Ken Nelson (runs it (operational or managerial control)); Ken Nelson (additional disclosable party (controls, leases property to, or provides services to the home)); Dean Stein (runs it (operational or managerial control), 0%); Katie Chindlund (runs it (operational or managerial control)); Mary Hughes (runs it (operational or managerial control)); Amanda Klein (runs it (operational or managerial control)); Jerry Clausen (corporate director); Kenneth R Hunziker (runs it (operational or managerial control)); Kenneth R Hunziker (additional disclosable party (controls, leases property to, or provides services to the home)); Deborah Sue Mechler (corporate officer); Dean H Pingel (corporate director, 0%); David A Hoye (corporate director); Doug Kading (corporate director, 0%); Sandi Schmidt (corporate officer); Jane Kruse (corporate officer); Jenna Jacobsen (additional disclosable party (controls, leases property to, or provides services to the home)); Mike Koenecke (corporate director, 0%).
  • No private-equity firm among the owners CMS lists.
  • No real-estate investment trust among the owners CMS lists.
Source:

CMS, All Owners. Checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated monthly.

CMS, Provider Information. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated monthly.

Organisations CMS lists
OrganisationRoleShareSince
Thrifty Drug Stores Inc.Additional disclosable party (controls, leases property to, or provides services to the home)Jan 1, 2025
Gcs Tech Inc.Additional disclosable party (controls, leases property to, or provides services to the home)Jan 1, 2025
Cattail Inc.Additional disclosable party (controls, leases property to, or provides services to the home)Oct 1, 2024
BCG Holdings Inc.Additional disclosable party (controls, leases property to, or provides services to the home)Oct 1, 2024
Iowa Health Care AssociationAdditional disclosable party (controls, leases property to, or provides services to the home)Oct 1, 2024
Ecsi Inc.Additional disclosable party (controls, leases property to, or provides services to the home)Oct 1, 2024
Millennium Rehab & Consulting Inc.Additional disclosable party (controls, leases property to, or provides services to the home)Jun 30, 2023
Cattail Bcg LLCAdditional disclosable party (controls, leases property to, or provides services to the home)Oct 1, 2024
Winther Stave & Co LLPAdditional disclosable party (controls, leases property to, or provides services to the home)Oct 17, 2012
Brighton Consulting Group LLCAdditional disclosable party (controls, leases property to, or provides services to the home)Oct 1, 2024

How do residents fare?

  • CMS rates its quality measures 3 of 5 (Iowa average 3.4).
Source:

CMS, Provider Information and State and US Averages. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated monthly.

CMS’s star ratings, from 1 to 5
MeasureRating
Overall rating2 of 5
Health inspections1 of 5
Staffing5 of 5
Quality measures3 of 5

How does it compare nearby?

  • Among the 12 nearest homes, within 24.8 miles, this one had the 3rd most health citations at the latest inspection cycle (9; the middle value was 6.5).
Source:

CMS, Provider Information. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated monthly.

The 12 nearest, by straight-line distance
PlaceMiles awayCitations, latest cycle
St Luke Lutheran Nursing Home This nursing home9
Spencer Post Acute Rehabilitation Center2.216
Ruthven Community Care Center11.52
Accura Healthcare of Milford14.20
Community Memorial Health Center18.58
Accura Healthcare of Spirit Lake20.67
Palo Alto County Hospital22.01
Lakeside Lutheran Home22.42
Emmetsburg Care Center22.616
Laurens Care Center24.16
Good Samaritan - Estherville24.86
Estherville Community Care Center24.88

What the record doesn’t say

  • Complaints that didn’t lead to a citation aren’t published.
  • Inspections reach CMS’s data about six weeks after they happen, and staffing about four months after.
  • CMS publishes the inspectors’ full written findings in a separate monthly file, which isn’t loaded yet.
  • Fines and Medicare payment denials are the only enforcement CMS publishes; state licence actions aren’t included.

Sources

  • Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Provider Information (4pq5-n9py).

    Released Oct 28, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated monthly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).

  • Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Health Deficiencies (r5ix-sfxw).

    Released Oct 28, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated monthly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).

  • Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Penalties (g6vv-u9sr).

    Released Oct 28, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated monthly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).

  • Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, All Owners (afe44b85-cc6d-40d7-b5df-00ae8910d1d2).

    Checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated monthly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).

  • Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, State and US Averages (xcdc-v8bm).

    Released Oct 28, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated monthly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).

If you believe something here is wrong, a correction starts with the agency whose record this copies: CMS. CMS’s own record is on Care Compare. If Hearth Record copied something wrongly, it will fix it and log the correction publicly, with its date: how corrections work.

Source:

This copy of the record was made on Nov 5, 2026.

From the home

The public record above comes first. Anything the home adds will appear here, below it, and say who wrote it.

Replies

None. Replies aren’t open yet. When they open, the home will be able to answer any finding for free, and the reply will show beside that finding, unedited and dated.

Paid listing

None. Paid listings aren’t open yet. When they open, anything paid for will say “Paid by the home”, and paying will never change a finding, a rating or the order of results.

How to read a record

Four things every record does, shown on an example record made up for this guide.

An example record, made up for this guide

An example nursing home

Made up for this guide: no real place is shown

Not fully inspected in over two years (CMS flag)

11 health citations at the latest inspection cycle

The state average is 14.3.

Source:

CMS, State and US Averages and Health Deficiencies. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated monthly.

From the homeNone yet. Replies and paid listings aren’t open, and when they open they will sit here, below the record.

1 of 4

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Who published it, when, and how often it changes sit beside each fact, with a link to the agency’s own file.

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