Dermott City Nursing Home's last administrator resigned in July 2025, but the facility never hired a replacement or even interviewed candidates for the position, according to a December state inspection.
The violation came to light during a complaint investigation triggered by a serious injury. On December 2, a nursing assistant improperly transferred a resident, causing an acute right femur fracture that required surgery. When the facility filed its required incident report with state regulators, the compliance officer signed her name in the space designated for the administrator.
But the compliance officer told inspectors she was not the administrator and did not hold an administrator's license. During the inspection's entrance conference on December 19, the director of nursing referred to the compliance officer as an "interim administrator," though no such appointment had been made.
The facility's own job description, revised in October 2022, states the administrator's primary purpose is "to direct the day-to-day functions of the facility in accordance with current, federal, state and local standards, guidelines and regulations that govern the nursing facilities to assure the highest degree of quality care can be provided to residents at all times."
The position requires "a current unencumbered nursing home Administrator's license or meet the license requirements of the state."
Human Resources confirmed the previous administrator's last day was July 28, 2025. The compliance officer told inspectors on December 23 that "no candidates had been interviewed for the Administrator position since July 2025."
The facility has been advertising the opening on an internet job site and in the local newspaper, she said.
Federal regulations require nursing homes to have qualified administrative oversight to ensure proper care and regulatory compliance. The facility's own policy, revised in January 2025, emphasizes that the governing body is responsible for oversight of facility care and services in accordance with professional standards.
Inspectors attempted to reach the facility's board president by phone on December 23, leaving a voicemail requesting a return call. No response was received by the end of the inspection.
The Key Personnel Sheet provided to state inspectors during the December visit did not list anyone in the administrator position, confirming the vacancy that had persisted for nearly five months.
The compliance officer's dual role became problematic when she signed incident reports in the administrator's capacity despite lacking the required credentials. State regulations require licensed administrators to oversee nursing home operations and ensure compliance with health and safety standards.
The administrator vacancy affected the facility's ability to properly manage the serious injury incident involving the resident's broken femur. While the compliance officer filed the required paperwork, she lacked the licensing and authority to fulfill the administrator's regulatory responsibilities.
The facility's governing body policy states that oversight responsibilities include ensuring care and services meet professional standards. Without a licensed administrator, the nursing home operated outside federal requirements designed to protect residents through qualified leadership.
The violation affected "many" residents, according to the inspection report, as the entire facility lacked proper administrative oversight during the five-month period. Federal inspectors classified the harm level as minimal, though the absence of required leadership created potential for actual harm to residents.
The inspection revealed a pattern of administrative neglect, with the facility failing to actively recruit qualified candidates despite the extended vacancy. The compliance officer's acknowledgment that no interviews had been conducted since July highlighted the facility's lack of urgency in filling the critical position.
Dermott City Nursing Home's inability to maintain required administrative staffing left residents without the federally mandated oversight designed to ensure their safety and care quality. The December inspection documented this ongoing violation five months after it began.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Dermott City Nursing Home from 2025-12-23 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.