Here are 5 Nursing Homes in Palo Alto County, IA

Nurse hours

3.33 /day

Staff turnover

35%

Serious cites

0

Ruthven Community Care Center runs 46 certified beds as a nonprofit, and its recent inspection history is genuinely clean for a home this size, six deficiencies on record, none of them causing harm or jeopardy, and the last survey closed out in October 2025. The tradeoff sits in the daily staffing numbers: 3.33 nurse hours per resident, roughly 14% under the national average, and weekends drop about another 10% below the home's own weekday level. Turnover at 35% is better than the 45.8% national figure, which matters for consistency of care. The quality and inspection ratings both land at 4 out of 5. Ask about weekend coverage and which shift the abuse-related citation involved.

Nurse hours

3.07 /day

Staff turnover

18%

Serious cites

0

Palo Alto County Hospital runs a small 22-bed unit, and the numbers suggest it's well run. Staff turnover sits at 17.6%, very low next to the 45.8% national figure, which matters for familiarity and continuity in a place this size. The tradeoff is hours: 3.07 nurse staffing hours per resident day is about 21% under the national average, and weekends drop roughly 25% below the home's own weekday levels. One deficiency on the current record, none at harm level, no abuse findings, and a recent July 2025 inspection back that up. County-owned and financially steady, it looks like a home that keeps its people, with fewer hands on weekends.

Nurse hours

2.94 /day

Staff turnover

n/a

Serious cites

0

West Bend Health and Rehabilitation runs 45 certified beds under corporate ownership, and its nurse staffing sits at 2.94 hours per resident day, roughly a quarter below the national average of 3.86. Weekends dip about 10% below what the home staffs on weekdays, so coverage thins out right when families tend to visit. The inspection record shows 24 deficiencies, none at the harm or jeopardy level and none abuse-related, with the most recent survey completed May 1, 2025. CMS rates its quality measures 5 out of 5, which reflects good clinical outcomes on paper, but the staffing and inspection scores land at 3. If you're weighing this one, ask how the weekend schedule actually gets covered.

Nurse hours

4.11 /day

Staff turnover

37%

Serious cites

0

Lakeside Lutheran Home runs on 4.11 nurse hours per resident day, roughly 7% above the national average, and it holds a five-star staffing rating. Weekend coverage dips about 8% below its own weekday level. Turnover sits at 37.2%, better than the 45.8% national figure. The tradeoff shows up in care quality: a one-star quality measure rating and a three-star inspection rating, with 22 deficiencies on record, one at harm level and seven tied to abuse. State inspectors were last in the building in February 2026. Nonprofit ownership, steady staffing, and a thin quality record point in different directions, worth asking about the abuse deficiencies directly.

Nurse hours

3.66 /day

Staff turnover

57%

Serious cites

0

Emmetsburg Care Center is a 46-bed for-profit home where the numbers point in different directions. Nurse staffing sits at 3.66 hours per resident day, a bit under the national average, and it thins out further on weekends, dropping about 11% below its own weekday levels. Staff turnover is the bigger concern: 56.9% a year against a national average of 45.8%, meaning more than half the nursing staff leaves annually. Its inspection record shows 22 deficiencies, including two at the harm or jeopardy level and one tied to abuse, with a $25,695 fine. The most recent inspection was July 2025. Quality measures score well, but that sits against the weakest possible inspection rating.