Good Samaritan Society - International Falls
Good Samaritan Society - International Falls in INTERNATIONAL FALLS, MN — inspection on January 14, 2026.
Found 3 citations. Severity: Standard violations.
Health inspections identify deficiencies that facilities must correct within required timeframes. Violations range from minor documentation issues to serious safety concerns and are subject to follow-up verification.
Inspection Findings
During an observation on 1/13/26 at 9:28 a.m., nursing assistant (NA)-A and NA-B assisted R8 to toilet and lie down in bed.
NA-A nor NA-B offered R8 shaving.During an observation on 1/13/26 at 2:10 p.m., R8 was lying in bed and was covered with blankets to his chest. R8 continued to have an approximately 1/4 inch beard growth.
During an interview on 1/13/26 at 2:21 p.m., NA-A stated residents were only shaved on their bath days due to staffing and it's just too hectic down here.
During an interview on 1/13/26 at 5:01 p.m., licensed practical nurse (LPN)-A stated residents were shaved on their bath days or if the resident requested to do it. If a resident was unable to request, shaving would only occur on their bath days.
During an interview on 1/13/26 at 5:10 p.m., family member (FM)-A stated R8 always shaved every day, and she tried to have to staff shave R8 at least every other day. I don't like it, but I have a hard time to get anyone to do it.
During an interview on 1/14/26 at 10:15 a.m., registered nurse (RN)-A stated staff were not expected to shave male residents every day, but it depended on the resident's preference. RN-A stated she was unaware of any resident that wanted to be clean shaven every day and shaving usually happened on shower days. If family wanted a resident shaved more often, staff should be doing that and directed in the resident's care plan.
The facility policy Activities of Daily Living revised 12/1025, identified Any resident who is unable to carry out activities of daily living will receive necessary services to maintain good nutrition, grooming and personal and oral hygiene.
Based on the resident's comprehensive assessment, the center will ensure the resident's ability in activities of daily living (ADL) does not decline except when unavoidable for reasons of disease progression, deterioration of physical condition associated with disability or refusal of care/treatment by the resident or legal representative.
Evidence of any of these reasons will be reflected in the medical record. ADLs are those necessary tasks conducted in the normal course of a resident's daily life.
Included in these are the following: general personal, daily hygiene/grooming: care of hair, hands, face, shaving, applying makeup, skin, nails and oral care.
Any deficiency statement ending with an asterisk (*) denotes a deficiency which the institution may be excused from correcting providing it is determined that other safeguards provide sufficient protection to the patients. (See instructions.) Except for nursing homes, the findings stated above are disclosable 90 days following the date of survey whether or not a plan of correction is provided.
For nursing homes, the above findings and plans of correction are disclosable 14 days following the date these documents are made available to the facility. If deficiencies are cited, an approved plan of correction is requisite to continued program participation.
LABORATORY DIRECTOR'S OR PROVIDER/SUPPLIER TITLE (X6) DATE REPRESENTATIVE'S SIGNATURE
245318 01/14/2026
Good Samaritan Society - International Falls 2201 Keenan Drive International Falls, MN 56649
During interview on 1/13/26, at 11:31 a.m. registered nurse (RN)-B stated there was an order to draw lab work for P4 in November.
The medical center's laboratory staff came weekly to draw resident's labs. RN-B obtained the laboratory results in the residents shared one chart and printed them. If lab work was normal, she put it in the facility scanning pile to be scanned by activity staff. If there were abnormal laboratory results RN-B would call the resident's primary care provider and document that in the resident's progress notes. RN-B was unable to locate P4's laboratory results from lab work in November or documentation of lab work in P4's progress notes. RN-B was able to locate the ordered laboratory results in P4's shared one chart and printed the results to be scanned into P4's medical record. P4's laboratory results completed on 11/18/25, identified a blood sample was obtained to complete a CBC, BMP, PTT, TSH and ferritin level. An abnormal ferritin level was identified with a high value of 574-unit nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml) with normal reference range of 5 to 204 ng/ml. R4's progress notes 11/18/25 to 1/13/26 and rounding provider visit notes on 11/25/25 and 12/17/25, lacked documentation of review of lab results obtained on 11/18/25, or provider notification of the abnormal ferritin level.
During interview on 1/13/26, at 11:53 a.m. RN-A stated it was not the facility's practice to document labs drawn or lab results into the resident charts.
The nurse managers printed off the lab results from the resident's shared one chart and put them in to be scanned into the resident's facility chart after reviewing the results. It would be difficult to determine if the lab results had been reviewed or if the primary care provider had been notified of abnormal results.
Sometimes RN-A called the provider, or the provider called the facility to address abnormal labs. RN-A was unable to find provider documentation of the lab results from lab work obtained 11/18/25 and stated it would be important to know the provider was aware of any abnormal lab work and she was unable to find documentation R4's lab elevated ferritin level had been reviewed by the provider.
During interview on 1/14/26, at 10:44 a.m. the director of nursing (DON) stated the facility's practice was to have nurse managers go into the resident's shared one chart and obtain lab results as the results rarely got sent to them automatically. If lab work had abnormal results, the nurse manager should let the provider know.
The nurse managers should be documenting the lab results in the resident's medical record, and the DON did not feel that was currently being done.
For P4's elevated ferritin level, the facility should have called the provider to ensure the abnormal level was addressed.
The facility's policy Laboratory Services dated 12/1/25, identified laboratory services would be done only when ordered by a physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist.
Findings would be reported to the medical provider who ordered the test in a timely fashion.
Laboratory results would be noted by a licensed nurse and scanned int the resident's medical record.
245318 01/14/2026
Good Samaritan Society - International Falls 2201 Keenan Drive International Falls, MN 56649
During an interview on 1/13/26 at 10:08 a.m., NA-A stated she should have washed her hands the second she took off her gloves after R8's perineal cares so I don't spread germs around the room.
Also, NA-A stated she should have either washed her hands or used hand sanitizer before entering R5's room.
During an interview on 1/14/26 at 10:15 a.m., registered nurse (RN)-A stated staff should have washed hands after doing bowel movement incontinence cares or any peri-care before moving on to clean areas.
Additionally, staff were expected to either wash hands or used hand sanitizer before moving on to the next resident.
The facility policy Hand Hygiene revised 11/13/25, identified the purpose of the policy was to establish hand hygiene as the single most important factor in preventing the spread of disease-causing organisms to patients and personnel in healthcare settings.
All employees in patient care areas (unless otherwise noted in their policy will adhere to the 4 Moments of Hand Hygiene and 2 Zones of Hand Hygiene.1.
Entering Room2.
Before Clean Task3.
After Bodily Fluid/Glove Removal4.
Exiting Room5.
Zones: Patient zone and Health-care zones.