Lincoln County Care Center: Care Plan Failures - ID
Federal inspectors found the facility violated requirements to provide written care plan summaries to residents or their representatives in language they could understand. The April inspection revealed documentation gaps for residents with serious conditions including Parkinson's disease, prostate cancer, and spinal fractures.
Resident 10 entered the facility with muscle wasting and respiratory failure. His medical record contained no documentation that staff provided or discussed his baseline care plan with him or his representative.
Resident 30 arrived with Parkinson's disease and malignant prostate cancer. The facility failed to document providing his care plan summary despite his complex medical needs requiring ongoing treatment decisions.
Resident 35 was admitted twice to the care center, most recently with a stable lumbar vertebra fracture and a history of repeated falls. Her medical record also lacked any documentation that she or her representative received her baseline care plan.
The facility's own policy required staff to provide residents with written care plan summaries and document this provision in medical records. Version 1.2 of the Care Plans - Baseline policy specifically stated that residents and representatives must receive summaries in understandable language, with documentation required in medical records.
On April 14, the Registered Nurse Coordinator acknowledged the documentation failures during an inspector interview. The RNC confirmed no records existed showing the residents or their representatives had received copies of their baseline care plans.
The violation placed residents at risk of being excluded from decisions about their own medical care. Without baseline care plans, residents and families cannot understand treatment goals, participate in care decisions, or advocate for necessary changes to their treatment approach.
Federal regulations require nursing homes to involve residents in their care planning process as a fundamental right. The baseline care plan serves as the foundation for all subsequent care decisions and must be shared with residents within specific timeframes after admission.
For Resident 30, the oversight was particularly concerning given his Parkinson's disease diagnosis. This chronic nervous system disorder causes fine, slowly spreading tremors and requires careful coordination between medical staff and families to manage symptoms and maintain quality of life.
Resident 35's case highlighted additional risks. Her history of repeated falls and recent spinal fracture required detailed safety protocols and fall prevention strategies that should have been clearly communicated to her and her representative through the baseline care plan.
The muscle wasting and respiratory failure affecting Resident 10 demanded immediate attention to nutritional support and breathing assistance. Without a shared understanding of his care plan, his representative remained uninformed about critical treatment decisions that could affect his recovery and comfort.
Lincoln County Care Center's failure extended beyond simple paperwork problems. The missing documentation suggested a systemic breakdown in the facility's admission process and care coordination between medical staff and residents' families.
The inspection classified the violation as causing minimal harm or potential for actual harm to residents. However, the breakdown in communication between staff and families created ongoing risks for residents who depend on advocates to help navigate complex medical decisions.
The facility operates under policies requiring clear communication with residents and families about treatment plans. The documented failures indicated staff either neglected to provide the required summaries or failed to maintain proper records of these crucial conversations.
For families placing loved ones in long-term care, receiving baseline care plans represents a critical first step in understanding what treatment their relatives will receive. The missing documentation at Lincoln County Care Center left three families operating without this essential information about their loved ones' medical care and treatment goals.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Lincoln County Care Center from 2026-04-15 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: June 16, 2026 · Our methodology
Lincoln County Care Center in Shoshone, ID was cited for violations during a health inspection on April 15, 2026.
The April inspection revealed documentation gaps for residents with serious conditions including Parkinson's disease, prostate cancer, and spinal fractures.
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 Lincoln County Care Center?
- The April inspection revealed documentation gaps for residents with serious conditions including Parkinson's disease, prostate cancer, and spinal fractures.
- 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 Shoshone, ID, (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 Lincoln County Care Center 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 135056.
- Has this facility had violations before?
- To check Lincoln County Care Center'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.