PALO ALTO COUNTY HOSPITAL

The information listed below provides an in-depth look into the type and quality of care offered at Palo Alto County Hospital. It is important to note that when evaluating if a nursing home is right for you or a loved one, ratings should not be taken as the sole deciding factor, but as one of many aspects to be considered.

Address

PALO ALTO COUNTY HOSPITAL
3201 FIRST STREET
EMMETSBURG, IA 50536
(712) 852-5520

Nursing Home Ratings

Health Inspections
Quality Measures
Nursing Staff
R.N. Staff Only
Overall Rating

Percent of Beds Occupied

100%

Number of Residents and Certified Beds

  • Residents: 22
  • Certified Beds: 22

This Facility Accepts

  • Medicaid

Operational Details

  • Operated By Government - County
  • Offers Both Resident and Family Counseling Services
  • Located Inside of a Hospital Facility
  • This Facility is Not Part of a Chain or Franchise

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Nearby Cities:

West Bend | Laurens | Rolfe

Rating Details For Palo Alto County Hospital

Nursing Staff -

The nursing staff is the most important part of what determines the quality of care and comfort of a resident in a nursing home. Government regulations set expectations on time spent with each resident based on the services being provided. The breakdown below lists the nursing types (RN, LPN, LVN, CNA) and a comparison of the reported and expected hours per resident per day.

Nursing Hours Per Resident Per DayReportedExpected
Registered Nurse (RN) Hours53 Minutes43 Minutes
Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse (LPN/LVN) Hours28 Minutes30 Minutes
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Hours2 Hours and 12 Minutes1 Hour and 55 Minutes
Total Licensed Nurse Hours1 Hour and 21 Minutes1 Hour and 14 Minutes
Total Nurse Hours3 Hours and 33 Minutes3 Hours and 9 Minutes

Quality of Care -

Medicare determines quality of care ratings for nursing facilities by surveying several "quality measures", which are broken down into long-term and short-term stay residents, as well as if the action is preventive or if there is a deficiency in the quality of care. State averages for Iowa are also provided for comparison purposes. Note: Figures below are averaged over the past nine months.

This FacilityIowa Average

Long-Term Stay Preventive Actions

Percent of Long-Stay Residents Given Influenza Vaccination During the Flu Season90-100%93%
Percent of Long-Stay Residents Who Were Assessed and Given Pneumococcal Vaccination90-100%94%

Long-Term Stay Deficiencies

Percent of Low-Risk Long-Stay Residents Who Lose Control of Their Bowels or Bladder53%44%
Percent of Long-Stay Residents Who Were Physically Restrained-4%
Percent of Long-Stay Residents Who Have/Had a Catheter Inserted and Left in Their Bladder-6%
Percent of Long-Stay Residents Whose Ability to Move About in and Around Their Room Got Worse2%10%
Percent of Long-Stay Residents Whose Need for Help with Daily Activities Has Increased5%13%
Percent of Long-Stay Residents Who Are More Depressed or Anxious5%16%
Percent of High-Risk Long-Stay Residents Who Have Pressure Sores-8%
Percent of Long-Stay Residents Who Spend Most of Their Time in Bed or in a Chair-2%
Percent of Long-Stay Residents Who Lose Too Much Weight11%6%
Percent of Long-Stay Residents Who Had a Urinary Tract Infection2%9%
Percent of Long-Stay Residents Who Have Moderate to Severe Pain3%4%

Health Inspection Details -

All Medicare and/or Medicaid certified nursing home must undergo health inspections on average once a year, but may be more frequent if the facility is peforming poorly. These inspections cover most aspects of life in a nursing home, and are broken down into deficiencies types, which including: Pharmacy Service, Administration, Resident Rights, Nutrition and Dietary, Resident Assessment, Environmental, and Mistreatment. Below are the list of deficiencies found by inspectors in the past few years along with the degree of harm and how many residents may have been affected. Note: The most recent health survey was on 11/05/2010.

Degree of Harm

  • - Potential for Minimal Harm
  • - Minimal Harm or Potential for Harm
  • - Resident Harmed
  • - Immediate Jeopardy to Resident Health

Residents Affected

  • - Isolated
  • - Some Residents
  • - Many Residents
Deficiencies Found By InspectorsDegree of HarmResidents Affected

Administration

Post Nurse Staffing Information.
  • Inspection Date: 03/06/2009
  • Correction Date: 04/02/2009

Environmental

Make Sure That the Nursing Home Area is Free of Dangers That Cause Accidents.
  • Inspection Date: 03/06/2009
  • Correction Date: 04/02/2009
Have a Program to Keep Infection from Spreading.
  • Inspection Date: 12/29/2009
  • Correction Date: 01/06/2010
Provide Needed Housekeeping and Maintenance.
  • Inspection Date: 11/05/2010
  • Correction Date: 12/03/2010
Make Sure That the Nursing Home Area is Free of Dangers That Cause Accidents.
  • Inspection Date: 11/05/2010
  • Correction Date: 12/03/2010
Have a Program to Keep Infection from Spreading.
  • Inspection Date: 11/05/2010
  • Correction Date: 12/03/2010

Nutrition and Dietary

Store, Cook, and Give out Food in a Safe and Clean Way.
  • Inspection Date: 12/29/2009
  • Correction Date: 01/06/2010

Quality Care

Give Professional Services That Meet a Professional Standard of Quality.
  • Inspection Date: 03/06/2009
  • Correction Date: 04/02/2009
Give Each Resident Care and Services to Get or Keep the Highest Quality of Life Possible.
  • Inspection Date: 03/06/2009
  • Correction Date: 04/02/2009
Use a Registered Nurse at Least 8 Hours a Day, 7 Days a Week.
  • Inspection Date: 03/06/2009
  • Correction Date: 04/02/2009
Give Professional Services That Meet a Professional Standard of Quality.
  • Inspection Date: 11/05/2010
  • Correction Date: 12/03/2010
Give Each Resident Care and Services to Get or Keep the Highest Quality of Life Possible.
  • Inspection Date: 11/05/2010
  • Correction Date: 12/03/2010
Make Sure That Residents Who Cannot Care for Themselves Receive Help with Eating/Drinking, Grooming and Hygiene.
  • Inspection Date: 11/05/2010
  • Correction Date: 12/03/2010

Resident Rights

Tell Each Resident Who Can Get Medicaid Benefits About 1) Which Items and Services Medicaid Covers and Which the Resident Must Pay For; or 2) How to Apply for Medicaid, Along with the Names and Addresses of State Groups That Can Help.
  • Inspection Date: 03/06/2009
  • Correction Date: 04/02/2009
Allow Residents to Easily See the Results of the Nursing Home's Most Recent Survey.
  • Inspection Date: 03/06/2009
  • Correction Date: 04/02/2009

Fire Safety

Nursing homes certified by Medicare and/or Medicaid are required to have fire safety inspections to meet Life Safety Code (LSC) standards. Below is a list of deficiencies that Palo Alto County Hospital had in recent fire safety inspections. This information can be used to see if all standards were met, the degree of harm, the number of residents affected, and the date when deficiencies were corrected. Note: The most recent fire safety survey was on 11/10/2010.

Degree of Harm

  • - Potential for Minimal Harm
  • - Minimal Harm or Potential for Harm
  • - Resident Harmed
  • - Immediate Jeopardy to Resident Health

Residents Affected

  • - Isolated
  • - Some Residents
  • - Many Residents
Deficiencies Found By InspectorsDegree of HarmResidents Affected

Automatic Sprinkler Systems

Automatic Sprinkler Systems That Have Been Maintained in Working Order.
  • Inspection Date: 11/10/2010
  • Correction Date: 12/10/2010

Corridor Walls and Doors

Corridor and Hallway Doors That Block Smoke.
  • Inspection Date: 03/11/2009
  • Correction Date: 03/11/2009
Corridor and Hallway Doors That Block Smoke.
  • Inspection Date: 12/29/2009
  • Correction Date: 12/30/2009

Electrical

Weekly Inspections and Monthly Testing of Generators.
  • Inspection Date: 03/11/2009
  • Correction Date: 03/20/2009

Emergency Plans and Fire Drills

Record of Quarterly Fire Drills for Each Shift Under Varying Conditions.
  • Inspection Date: 03/11/2009
  • Correction Date: 03/13/2009
Record of Quarterly Fire Drills for Each Shift Under Varying Conditions.
  • Inspection Date: 11/10/2010
  • Correction Date: 12/07/2010

Fire Alarm Systems

An Approved Installation, Maintenance and Testing Program for Fire Alarm Systems.
  • Inspection Date: 03/11/2009
  • Correction Date: 03/23/2009
Properly Maintained Smoke Detectors.
  • Inspection Date: 11/10/2010
  • Correction Date: 11/12/2010

Furnishings and Decorations

Restrictions on the Use of Flammable Curtains.
  • Inspection Date: 03/11/2009
  • Correction Date: 03/20/2009

Hazardous Area

Construction That Can Resist Fire for One Hour or an Approved Fire Extinguishing System.
  • Inspection Date: 03/11/2009
  • Correction Date: 03/19/2009
Construction That Can Resist Fire for One Hour or an Approved Fire Extinguishing System.
  • Inspection Date: 12/29/2009
  • Correction Date: 12/30/2009
Construction That Can Resist Fire for One Hour or an Approved Fire Extinguishing System.
  • Inspection Date: 11/10/2010
  • Correction Date: 11/10/2010

Illumination and Emergency Power

Emergency Lighting That Can Last at Least 1 1/2 Hours.
  • Inspection Date: 12/29/2009
  • Correction Date: 12/30/2009
Source: Medicare Nursing Home Compare; Department of Inspections and Appeals of Iowa - Health Facilities Division - Retrieved 2011