Zearing Health Care: Dignity and Cell Phone Violations - IA
The inspection at Zearing Health Care, LLC, a facility on East Garfield Street in this central Iowa town, turned up deficiencies under a federal tag covering residents' right to dignity, privacy, and respectful care. Inspectors classified the harm level as minimal or potential, with few residents affected. But the violations cut across three separate areas where the facility had already put policies in writing, reviewed them as recently as October 2024, and still fell short.
The facility's own Resident Dignity policy, last reviewed in October 2024, committed the home to treating every resident with respect, preserving individuality and autonomy, and fostering an environment where choices and self-determination are honored at all times. Staff, contractors, volunteers, and visitors were all bound by it. What inspectors found did not match that commitment.
The cell phone violation is the kind that tends to surface in complaint inspections rather than routine surveys, because it usually takes a specific report to prompt a closer look. The facility's Cell Phone policy, also reviewed in October 2024, was explicit: personal cell phone use during work hours must not interfere with resident care or the professional atmosphere of the facility, and staff are strictly prohibited from using cell phones in ways that compromise resident confidentiality. The inspection found that prohibition was not being followed.
The wheelchair finding is more concrete in its potential consequences. The facility's own Wheelchair Foot Pedal Use policy required foot pedals to be in place whenever a resident is being transported, without exception based on how independent that resident is. The policy's stated purpose was to prevent lower-limb injury and maintain safe positioning. Inspectors found residents were being moved without foot pedals in place.
Foot pedals on wheelchairs are not a comfort feature. When a resident's feet hang unsupported during transport, the risk is direct contact with the floor or wheels, which can cause abrasions, fractures, or worse, particularly for residents with fragile skin, circulation problems, or reduced sensation in their legs. The facility understood this well enough to write it down and review the policy less than a year before inspectors arrived.
What the inspection record shows is a facility that had done the paperwork. The dignity policy was reviewed. The cell phone policy was reviewed. The wheelchair policy was reviewed. All three within the twelve months before the August 2025 survey. The gap was between the paper and the floor.
Complaint inspections are triggered by reports from residents, family members, or staff. The inspection record does not identify who filed the complaint that brought inspectors to Zearing Health Care, or which specific residents were involved. CMS practice is to protect that information. What the record does show is that inspectors found enough to cite the facility across all three areas under a single deficiency tag.
Zearing is a town of fewer than 600 people in Story County. Zearing Health Care is among the few care options in the immediate area for residents who need long-term nursing support. For families in small rural communities, the absence of nearby alternatives makes the quality of care at a single facility matter more, not less.
The facility's plan of correction was not included in the inspection documents reviewed for this report. CMS directs anyone seeking that information to contact the nursing home or the Iowa state survey agency directly.
The residents affected by these violations were not named in the inspection record. They remain, in the official language, "few."
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Zearing Health Care, LLC from 2025-08-27 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
Additional Resources
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: July 1, 2026 · Our methodology
Zearing Health Care, LLC in Zearing, IA was cited for violations during a health inspection on August 27, 2025.
Inspectors classified the harm level as minimal or potential, with few residents affected.
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.