(An IOWA CAPITAL DISPATCH report) – Over the past five years, there have been at least 15 cases of Iowa nursing home workers being accused of taking photos or videos that violated residents’ right to privacy and dignity, an Iowa Capital Dispatch review of state records shows. The most recent case involves a northern Iowa nursing home that was cited for failing to report an employee’s allegations that a caregiver streamed video of a partially undressed resident to the social-media platform Snapchat. The Nora Springs Care Center, which is 10 miles east of Mason City, has been fined $500 for failing to report to the state inspections department an employee’s allegation of resident abuse. According to state inspectors, a certified nursing assistant was working the evening shift on Sept. 6, 2025, when she went to the care center’s shower room to obtain a wheelchair.

The CNA allegedly reported that after she knocked and opened the door to announce that she was entering the room, she saw another staffer in the room, kneeling down in front of a resident who had known cognitive issues. The CNA allegedly reported she could see that a cell phone was propped up against the wall and was recording on the Snapchat app, a social media program that streams video but typically limits the viewability of the content to a brief period before it becomes inaccessible. According to inspectors, the CNA alleged the worker who was kneeling in front of the resident appeared startled and quickly stood up. Upon fully entering the shower room, the CNA allegedly reported, she could see her own leg come into view on the video recording, and she could also see the resident’s leg on the phone screen. She allegedly stated that after she grabbed the wheelchair, she turned back to leave the room, and her colleague was standing in the doorway with no cell phone in sight.

At that point, the resident was sitting in a shower chair with a shirt and briefs on, but their pants were not fully on. The CNA left the shower room and immediately reported the incident to the nurse on duty. The resident was interviewed by the care facility’s staff three days later and allegedly stated he had no concerns regarding improper treatment and had not witnessed any improper cellphone use. According to inspectors, the facility conducted a “comprehensive investigation” that included interviews with the staffs and found “no evidence” to support the CNA’s allegations. According to the inspectors, the facility’s administrator allegedly confirmed Nora Springs Care Center had not notified the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing of the incident as required.

An Iowa Capital Dispatch review of state inspection records shows that since 2021, there have been at least 15 other instances of care facility workers taking photos or videos that resulted in the homes being cited for violating residents’ rights. In most of those cases, the photos or videos were shared with others via social media. Read more about those facilities HERE.