Federal inspection record · CMS data as of October 1, 2026
Hillcrest Firethorn
8601 Firethorn Lane, Lincoln, NE · (531) 739-3500
- Certified beds
- 72
- Residents per day
- 66
- Ownership
- For-Profit
- Chain
- No chain reported
- Medicare / Medicaid
- Medicare + Medicaid
- Certified since
- December 7, 2017
1
How this home got 3 stars
The overall rating isn't an average. CMS starts from the inspection rating and nudges it at most two steps. Here is the arithmetic for this home, using CMS's own rules.
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Health inspections
★★★★★starting point
Everything starts from what state inspectors found on site. This is a ranking against other homes in Nebraska.
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Staffing
★★★★★no change
Only a 5-star staffing rating adds a star, and only a 1-star rating removes one. Ratings of 2 to 4 change nothing.
-
Quality measures
★★★★★no change
Same rule: 5 stars adds one, 1 star takes one away. These measures are mostly reported by the home itself.
-
Overall
★★★★★3 of 5
Matches the rating CMS publishes on Care Compare.
2
Where it sits among Nebraska homes
Hillcrest Firethorn carries 47 inspection points. That is fewer than 46% of Nebraska's 178 rated homes.
Inspectors' citations earn points by how serious and how widespread they were (the grid below). CMS then ranks every home in Nebraska: the 10% with the fewest points get 5 stars, the 20% with the most get 1 star, and the middle 70% split evenly into 2, 3 and 4.
- 5★ 0–9 pts
- 4★ 9–31 pts
- 3★ 31–50 pts
- 2★ 50–94.25 pts
- 1★ over 94.25 pts
Bars show every rated home in Nebraska by its weighted inspection score. CMS recalibrates the cut points monthly but holds a home's rating until its own score changes, so a home can sit just outside today's band.
3
What inspectors found
15 health citations on record since 2024. Each one gets a letter: the row says how badly residents were affected, the column how many.
Immediate jeopardyResidents at risk of serious injury or death
Actual harmA resident was hurt
Potential for harmNo one was hurt, but could have been
Minimal harmPaperwork-level problems
Read the rows, not the total. Most citations nationwide are a D: one problem, nobody hurt. Rows G–I mean a resident was harmed; J–L mean inspectors found residents in immediate danger of serious injury or death.
Small numbers in each cell are the inspection points CMS assigns per citation. Those points are what the state curve above ranks.
Harm and immediate-jeopardy citations (1)
-
G
Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Everything else, by area of care
Nutrition and Dietary4F
- F
Ensure food and drink is palatable, attractive, and at a safe and appetizing temperature.
- E
Dispose of garbage and refuse properly.
- F
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
- F
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Resident Rights3E
- E
Ensure that residents are fully informed and understand their health status, care and treatments.
- D
Allow residents to self-administer drugs if determined clinically appropriate.
- D
Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident.
Infection Control3F
- D
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
- D
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
- F
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning2D
- D
Coordinate assessments with the pre-admission screening and resident review program; and referring for services as needed.
- D
Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.
Quality of Life and Care1D
- D
Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Pharmacy Service1D
- D
Ensure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments, separately locked, compartments for controlled drugs.
Inspection history
2026-08-06
5 health deficiencies · 8 fire-safety deficiencies
Top issue: Nutrition and Dietary (2 deficiencies)
2025-04-01
6 health deficiencies · 3 fire-safety deficiencies
Top issue: Resident Rights (2 deficiencies)
2024-04-11
4 health deficiencies · 9 fire-safety deficiencies
Top issue: Resident Assessment and Care Planning (2 deficiencies)
4
Nursing time per resident, per day
Each resident here gets about 3 h 51 min of nursing staff time a day, 31 min of it from a registered nurse.
This home
3 h 51 min
Nebraska average
4 h 7 min
U.S. average
3 h 54 min
- Registered nurse
- Licensed practical nurse
- Nurse aide
Turnover: 34% of nursing staff and 33% of registered nurses left in the past year, along with 1 administrator.
Reported hours from payroll data the home submits to CMS, divided by its daily resident count. Not adjusted for how sick residents are.
5
Resident outcomes
Quality measures compared with state and national averages. Most come from assessments the home itself reports.
| Measure | This home | State | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of hospitalizations per 1000 long-stay resident days0.7 pts worse | 2.4 | 1.7 | 1.8 |
| Number of outpatient emergency department visits per 1000 long-stay resident days0.7 pts better | 1.2 | 1.9 | 1.7 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine7 pts better | 100.0% | 93.0% | 93.7% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine4.4 pts better | 100.0% | 95.6% | 95.3% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury3.8 pts better | 0.7% | 4.5% | 3.2% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who have depressive symptoms4.4 pts better | 0.0% | 4.4% | 13.5% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who lose too much weight4.1 pts better | 1.0% | 5.1% | 5.1% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antianxiety or hypnotic medication11.5 pts worse | 30.5% | 19.0% | 19.5% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antipsychotic medication8.6 pts better | 12.1% | 20.7% | 15.4% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who were physically restrained0.3 pts better | 0.0% | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose ability to walk independently worsened3.6 pts worse | 20.4% | 16.8% | 12.7% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose need for help with daily activities has increased3.6 pts better | 15.4% | 19.0% | 13.5% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a catheter inserted and left in their bladder1.3 pts better | 0.0% | 1.3% | 0.7% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a urinary tract infection1.9 pts better | 0.8% | 2.7% | 1.5% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with new or worsened bowel or bladder incontinence2 pts better | 23.0% | 25.0% | 18.3% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with pressure ulcers1.4 pts worse | 5.4% | 4.0% | 4.5% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine18.4 pts better | 99.7% | 81.3% | 82.3% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who had an outpatient emergency department visit2.3 pts better | 8.5% | 10.8% | 11.8% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who newly received an antipsychotic medication1.8 pts better | 0.3% | 2.1% | 1.5% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who were assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine24.7 pts better | 98.6% | 73.9% | 80.1% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who were rehospitalized after a nursing home admission0.8 pts worse | 21.9% | 21.1% | 23.4% |
·
Who owns and runs it
10 owners and managers reported to CMS. The last column counts how many nursing homes each one is tied to.
Show ownership list
| Name | Role | Share | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hillcrest Operating Ventures, LLC | 5% Or Greater Direct Ownership Interest · Organization | 100% | 2 facilities |
| Aswege-Mezenberg, Debra | Operational/Managerial Control · Individual | 0% | 4 facilities |
| Hillcrest Health Systems Inc | Operational/Managerial Control · Organization | 0% | 4 facilities |
| Janicki, James | Corporate Officer · Individual | 0% | 4 facilities |
| Janicki, James | Operational/Managerial Control · Individual | 0% | 4 facilities |
| Mulhearn, Kevin | Corporate Officer · Individual | 0% | 4 facilities |
| Mulhearn, Kevin | Operational/Managerial Control · Individual | 0% | 4 facilities |
| Oestmann, Matthew | Corporate Officer · Individual | 0% | 4 facilities |
| Oestmann, Matthew | Operational/Managerial Control · Individual | 0% | 4 facilities |
| Svendgard, Staci | W-2 Managing Employee · Individual | 0% | 1 facilities |
·
Fire safety
20 life-safety citations (sprinklers, exits, alarms). These don't count toward the star rating.
Gas, Vacuum, and Electrical Systems7F
- F
Have generator or other power source capable of supplying service within 10 seconds.
- F
Meet requirements for the use of electrical equipment.
- E
Ensure proper usage of power strips and extension cords.
- F
Ensure proper usage of power strips and extension cords.
- F
Ensure that testing and maintenance of electrical equipment is performed.
- E
Meet requirements for the use of electrical equipment.
- E
Ensure proper usage of power strips and extension cords.
Smoke6F
- F
Ensure that special areas are constructed so that walls can resist fire for one hour or have an approved fire extinguishing system.
- F
Provide properly protected cooking facilities.
- F
Install smoke barrier doors that can resist smoke for at least 20 minutes.
- F
Install smoke barrier doors that can resist smoke for at least 20 minutes.
- E
Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.
- E
Install corridor and hallway doors that block smoke.
Miscellaneous3F
- F
Provide a written emergency evacuation plan.
- F
Have simulated fire drills held at unexpected times.
- F
To conduct inspection, testing and maintenance of fire doors by qualified individuals.
Services2F
- F
Meet other general requirements that are deficient.
- F
Meet other general requirements that are deficient.
Egress2F
- E
Add doors in an exit area that do not require the use of a key from the exit side unless in case of special locking arrangements.
- F
Add doors in an exit area that do not require the use of a key from the exit side unless in case of special locking arrangements.
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Other homes nearby
-
Holmes Lake Rehabilitation & Care Center
Lincoln, NE
★★★★★- Worst citation, 3 yrs
- F
- Nursing / resident / day
- 3 h 21 min
- Fines
- $0
-
Emerald Nursing & Rehab Brookside LLC
Lincoln, NE · Emerald Healthcare
★★★★★- Worst citation, 3 yrs
- J
- Nursing / resident / day
- 3 h 23 min
- Fines
- $37,998
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St. Jane de Chantal
Lincoln, NE
★★★★★- Worst citation, 3 yrs
- E
- Nursing / resident / day
- 7 h 31 min
- Fines
- $0