Buchanan County Health Center: Staffing, Turnover, and Inspection Record
Buchanan County Health Center is a 39-bed government-run nursing home in Independence, Iowa. In the CMS August 2026 release it reported 2.62 nurse aide hours per resident per day, 4% above the Iowa average of 2.51, and 26.3% nursing staff turnover (Iowa average 44.0%).
Buchanan County Health Center
1600 First Street EastIndependence, IA 50644
Buchanan County
CMS Care Compare, August 2026 release
How many staff hours residents get
CMS reports staffing as hours per resident per day, from the payroll records each home submits. At Buchanan County Health Center, nurse aides logged 2.62 hours per resident per day, 4% above the Iowa average. With about 35 residents a day, that works out to roughly 90 aide hours a day, or about 11 eight-hour aide shifts across day, evening, and night. On weekends, total nursing hours per resident ran 19% below the all-days figure.
| Hours per resident per day | This home | Iowa avg | US avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nurse aides (CNAs) | 2.62 | 2.51 | 2.32 |
| Licensed practical nurses | 0.35 | 0.56 | 0.86 |
| Registered nurses | 1.22 | 0.74 | 0.69 |
| All nursing staff | 4.19 | 3.82 | 3.86 |
| All nursing staff, weekends | 3.38 | 3.37 | 3.42 |
CMS Care Compare, August 2026 release: reported staffing hours from Payroll-Based Journal data, and CMS state and US averages.
Staff turnover
26.3% of nursing staff at Buchanan County Health Center left over the year CMS measured, against a Iowa average of 44.0% and a US average of 45.8%. Registered nurse turnover was 12.5%.
Inspections and penalties
State inspectors last completed a standard health inspection on Mar 19, 2026. The most recent inspection cycle, which also counts complaint and infection-control inspections from the past 12 months, found 1 health deficiency (Iowa average 6.5). CMS lists 1 fine totaling $4,011 in the last three years.
| Inspection date | Penalty | Amount or length |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 26, 2024 | Fine | $4,011 |
CMS Penalties file, August 2026 release. A payment denial stops Medicare and Medicaid payment for new admissions for the days shown.
CMS star ratings
CMS rates every nursing home from one to five stars overall and on health inspections, staffing, and quality measures. Buchanan County Health Center holds 5 of 5 overall; the Iowa average is 3.1.
About Buchanan County Health Center
- Ownership: Government - County
- Legal name: Legal Business Name Not Available
- Medicare and Medicaid certified since: Oct 1, 1974
- Located inside a hospital
- Councils: resident council
- Area: rural
Nursing homes near Buchanan County Health Center
The closest homes by distance, with the same CMS figures. Select a column to sort.
| Rehabilitation Centers of Independence West Campus Independence | 0.2 | 70 | 2.11 | 3.18 | 60.4% | 3 | $22,740 |
| Oelwein Health Care Center Oelwein | 14.0 | 61 | 2.26 | 3.07 | 32.5% | 3 | None |
| Grandview Healthcare Center Oelwein | 14.1 | 72 | 3.06 | 4.15 | 27.0% | 4 | None |
| Laporte City Specialty Care La Porte City | 20.2 | 46 | 1.94 | 3.24 | 25.7% | 4 | None |
| Virginia Gay Nursing & Rehab, LLC Vinton · many days without an RN | 21.6 | 40 | 3.25 | 4.37 | 65.9% | 5 | None |
| Good Neighbor Home Manchester | 22.3 | 112 | 2.81 | 4.33 | 27.2% | 3 | None |
| The Vinton Lutheran Home Vinton | 22.7 | 61 | 2.97 | 4.12 | 40.0% | 2 | None |
| Northcrest Specialty Care Waterloo | 22.9 | 94 | 1.96 | 3.29 | 46.7% | 2 | None |
Aide hrs and all nurse hrs are staff hours per resident per day. Fines are the CMS total for the last three years. Turnover is the share of nursing staff who left over a year. All figures from CMS Care Compare.
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Source: CMS Care Compare Provider Information, State and US Averages, and Penalties files, August 2026 release. Figures are as CMS publishes them; check Medicare Care Compare for the latest. Methodology.