Inspection Report

Good Samaritan Society - Larimore Infection Control ND

September 27, 2025

Larimore, ND

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LARIMORE, ND - Federal inspectors cited Good Samaritan Society - Larimore for operating without a properly trained infection control specialist, a violation that potentially exposed all residents, staff, and visitors to infectious disease risks during a February inspection.

Critical Staffing Gap in Infection Prevention

The facility's most significant violation involved the absence of an Infection Control Preventionist (ICP) with specialized training required by federal regulations. During the February 13, 2025 inspection, surveyors discovered that despite having a written policy requiring such expertise, the nursing home had no staff member meeting these qualifications.

The facility's own policy, updated in December 2024, explicitly stated that their infection preventionist "must have completed specialized training in infection prevention and control." However, when investigators interviewed an administrative nurse on February 10, the staff member confirmed the facility lacked anyone with this specialized training.

This staffing gap represents a fundamental breakdown in infection control infrastructure. Federal regulations mandate that nursing homes designate a qualified infection preventionist to oversee comprehensive infection prevention and control programs - a requirement that became even more critical following lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Medical Significance of Infection Control Expertise

Infection control in nursing homes requires specialized knowledge that goes far beyond basic healthcare training. Proper infection prevention involves understanding complex protocols for outbreak investigation, surveillance systems, environmental cleaning standards, and isolation procedures specific to long-term care settings.

Without specialized training, facilities may miss early warning signs of infectious disease outbreaks, fail to implement appropriate containment measures, or inadequately protect vulnerable residents. Nursing home residents face heightened infection risks due to advanced age, compromised immune systems, and close living quarters that can facilitate rapid disease transmission.

The absence of qualified infection control oversight can lead to preventable infections including respiratory illnesses, gastrointestinal diseases, and antibiotic-resistant organisms. These infections can result in hospitalization, extended illness, and in severe cases, death among vulnerable elderly residents.

Industry Standards for Infection Prevention

Federal regulations require nursing homes to maintain robust infection prevention programs led by individuals with demonstrated expertise. This includes specialized training in epidemiology, microbiology, and facility-specific infection control protocols.

Qualified infection preventionists should possess certification from recognized organizations such as the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology, or have completed specialized coursework in infection prevention and control. They must understand surveillance methods, outbreak response procedures, and evidence-based prevention strategies.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services strengthened these requirements following the pandemic, recognizing that effective infection control requires dedicated expertise rather than assignment as an additional duty to existing staff members.

Regulatory Response and Facility Accountability

The violation received a "minimal harm or potential for actual harm" classification, affecting "many" residents according to the inspection report. While no specific infection outbreaks were documented during the survey period, the regulatory citation emphasizes the preventive nature of infection control requirements.

The facility's administrative nurse's acknowledgment that no qualified staff member existed demonstrates awareness of the compliance gap. This suggests the violation resulted from inadequate staffing decisions rather than misunderstanding of regulatory requirements.

Federal surveyors noted that the failure to employ properly trained infection control personnel placed all facility occupants at risk for acquiring infectious diseases. This broad impact assessment reflects the central role infection prevention plays in nursing home safety.

Healthcare Implications and Best Practices

Effective infection control programs require systematic approaches to prevention, detection, and response. Specialized training ensures staff can recognize infection patterns, implement appropriate isolation measures, and coordinate with public health authorities during outbreaks.

Modern infection control protocols involve complex decision-making about personal protective equipment, environmental cleaning standards, resident placement decisions, and staff cohorting during infectious disease events. These decisions require expertise that general nursing training may not provide.

The violation highlights the importance of investing in qualified personnel rather than treating infection control as a secondary responsibility. Facilities must ensure their infection preventionists possess current knowledge of evolving pathogens, resistance patterns, and evidence-based prevention strategies.

The inspection underscores ongoing challenges nursing homes face in maintaining specialized staffing while managing operational costs. However, the potential consequences of inadequate infection control - including preventable illness, regulatory penalties, and reputation damage - far exceed the investment in proper training and certification.

Full Inspection Report

The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Good Samaritan Society - Larimore from 2025-02-13 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.

Additional Resources

Editorial Standards

Data source: Official federal inspection data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Editorial process: AI-synthesized regulatory data, reviewed for accuracy by our editorial team.

Professional review: All content reviewed by Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr., NH EMT & BU-trained Paralegal.

Last verified: June 20, 2026 · Our methodology

Quick Answer

GOOD SAMARITAN SOCIETY - LARIMORE in LARIMORE, ND was cited for violations during a health inspection on February 13, 2025.

This staffing gap represents a fundamental breakdown in infection control infrastructure.

Health inspections identify deficiencies that facilities must correct. Violations range from minor documentation issues to serious safety concerns. Review the full report below for specific details and facility response.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened at GOOD SAMARITAN SOCIETY - LARIMORE?

This staffing gap represents a fundamental breakdown in infection control infrastructure.

How serious are these violations?

Violation severity varies from minor documentation issues to serious safety concerns. Review the inspection report for specific deficiency codes and scope. All violations must be corrected within required timeframes and are subject to follow-up verification inspections.

What should families do?

Families should: (1) Ask facility administration about specific corrective actions taken, (2) Request to see the follow-up inspection report verifying corrections, (3) Check if this represents a pattern by reviewing prior inspection reports, (4) Compare this facility's ratings with other nursing homes in LARIMORE, ND, (5) Report any new concerns directly to state authorities.

Where can I see the full inspection report?

The complete inspection report is available on Medicare.gov's Care Compare website (www.medicare.gov/care-compare). You can also request a copy directly from GOOD SAMARITAN SOCIETY - LARIMORE or from the state Department of Health. The report includes specific deficiency codes, facility responses, and correction timelines. This facility's federal provider number is 355097.

Has this facility had violations before?

To check GOOD SAMARITAN SOCIETY - LARIMORE's history, visit Medicare.gov's Care Compare and review their inspection history, quality ratings, and staffing levels. Look for patterns of repeated violations, especially in critical areas like abuse prevention, medication management, infection control, and resident safety.