Deficiency in Policy for Outside Food Storage
Summary
The facility failed to have a comprehensive policy regarding the use and storage of food brought to residents by family and other visitors. The existing policy did not include the facility's responsibility for storing such food, stating that the facility cannot store outside food. This deficiency was identified during a review of the facility's Policies and Procedures, which indicated that all food brought into the facility must be cleared through the charge nurse and that perishable food kept at bedside should not exceed one meal that can be consumed within four hours. The policy aimed to ensure compliance with diet orders and prevent foodborne illness, but it lacked provisions for safe storage of perishable items. Interviews with facility staff, including the Dietary Director, Licensed Vocational Nurse, Director of Nursing, and Administrator, revealed inconsistencies in the handling and storage of outside food. The Dietary Director acknowledged the lack of refrigeration for outside food, while the Licensed Vocational Nurse mentioned a refrigerator in the kitchen but not in other units. The Director of Nursing and Administrator both emphasized the importance of consuming perishable food within four hours and encouraged families to bring food in single-serving portions. Despite these efforts, the absence of a clear policy and adequate storage facilities posed a risk of food spoilage and potential foodborne illness, affecting 117 of 161 residents who could experience decreased food intake, weight loss, and psychosocial harm.
Penalty
Resources
Below are regulatory guidelines relevant to this citation:
Several residents with personal refrigerators had food stored without consistent temperature monitoring or proper labeling, and expired food items were found during observations. Staff interviews revealed confusion over responsibility for monitoring, and the facility's policy lacked clear procedures for temperature checks, resulting in non-compliance with safe food storage practices.
Surveyors found that staff failed to monitor and safely store food brought in by families and visitors, resulting in unlabeled and moldy food items in a resident lounge refrigerator. The refrigerator was also found to be soiled and sticky, and there was confusion among staff about who was responsible for monitoring and discarding perishable foods, contrary to facility policy.
The facility failed to ensure safe handling and storage of food brought in from outside, affecting 41 residents. Observations revealed unlabeled and undated food items in resident refrigerators, lack of temperature monitoring logs, and improper storage of employee foods and breast milk. The facility's policy requires labeling and dating of all food items, with immediate disposal of unlabeled items.
The facility failed to provide adequate refrigeration for residents to store food brought in by family or visitors, affecting six residents. Residents reported no designated refrigerator for their use, and existing refrigerators were either full or for staff use. Observations showed unlabeled and undated items in a refrigerator, and the Dietary Manager confirmed the facility did not store outside food due to content uncertainty. The facility's policy allowed food from outside but did not ensure storage space availability.
Failure to Monitor and Maintain Safe Food Storage in Resident Room Refrigerators
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to implement and enforce its policy regarding the use and storage of food in resident room refrigerators, specifically in relation to temperature monitoring for food safety. Observations and interviews revealed that several residents had personal refrigerators in their rooms, but there was inconsistency and confusion among staff regarding who was responsible for monitoring refrigerator temperatures. Some staff believed it was the responsibility of maintenance, others thought it was the CNAs, and some stated it was the nurses' responsibility. Multiple residents reported that their refrigerators were either not checked regularly or they were unaware of any monitoring taking place. Direct observations of the refrigerators in the rooms of four residents found that temperature monitoring logs were either missing, incomplete, or outdated. In one instance, a refrigerator contained expired food items, including a container of beef stew past its expiration date and a container of parmesan cheese that had expired over a year prior. The facility's policy required that food items be labeled, dated, and discarded after three days, and that unsafe or expired foods be removed by staff, but did not specify procedures for maintaining or monitoring refrigerator temperatures. The lack of clear procedures and consistent monitoring led to a situation where food safety could not be assured for residents storing personal food in their room refrigerators. The facility identified seven residents with personal refrigerators, but there was no systematic approach to ensure compliance with the policy or to safeguard against the storage of expired or unsafe food items.
Failure to Monitor and Safely Store Outside Food in Resident Refrigerator
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure proper monitoring and safe storage of foods brought in by family and visitors for residents. During an observation of the second-floor resident lounge refrigerator, surveyors found the exterior of the refrigerator heavily soiled with dried food, fingerprints, and a sticky handle. Inside, there was a paper plate with two cheeseburgers and an open package of microwavable chicken patties, both lacking resident names and dates. The chicken patties were visibly moldy and emitted a bad odor. Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) confirmed the presence of mold and the lack of labeling, stating that dietary staff were supposed to monitor the refrigerator. Further interviews revealed confusion regarding responsibility for monitoring the unit refrigerators, with the Dietary Director believing nursing staff were responsible. Review of the facility's policy indicated that perishable foods must be stored in resealable containers labeled with the resident's name, item, and use-by date, and that nursing staff are responsible for discarding perishable foods on or before the use-by date. The failure to follow these procedures had the potential to affect 36 residents on the second floor, with one resident identified as receiving nothing by mouth.
Deficiency in Safe Food Handling and Storage
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure the safe handling and storage of food brought in from outside for residents, which could potentially affect 41 residents who received food from the kitchen. During an observation, the Dietary Manager (DM) noted several issues with the resident refrigerator on the south resident hall, including three unlabeled and undated meat sandwiches, and a lack of temperature monitoring logs for the refrigerator. Additionally, the unit microwave was found to have dried food particles stuck to its ceiling and sides. These findings were confirmed by the DM at the time of observation. Further inspection of the resident refrigerator on the skilled hallway revealed multiple concerns, such as an unlabeled and undated plastic container of ice cream, an open and undated bottle of ketchup, and several other food items that were either expired or not labeled with a resident's name. An undated and unlabeled bag of employee-pumped breast milk was also found, which was against facility policy. The Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON) confirmed that employee foods and breast milk should not be stored in the resident refrigerator. The facility's policy mandates that all food brought in for residents must be labeled with the resident's name and date, and any unlabeled items should be discarded immediately. This deficiency was investigated under Complaint Number OH00159004.
Inadequate Refrigeration for Resident Food Storage
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide adequate refrigeration for residents to store food brought in by family or visitors, affecting six residents. Residents reported that there was no designated refrigerator for their use, and the existing refrigerators were either full or intended for staff use. One resident mentioned being reprimanded for having homemade lemonade stored in the kitchen, which she eventually had to discard. Another resident noted that while there was a refrigerator at the nursing station, it had limited space and residents were not allowed to have personal appliances in their rooms. Observations revealed that the refrigerator on the 100 hall contained meals, soda, and condiments, none of which were labeled or dated. The Dietary Manager confirmed that the facility did not store food from outside sources due to uncertainty about its contents. The facility's policy stated that residents could bring in food as long as safe storage guidelines were followed, but it did not ensure the availability of storage space. This deficiency was investigated under Complaint Number OH00157418.
Trusted data from CMS and state health departments
Every citation, penalty and Plan of Correction is sourced from public CMS records (latest release May 27, 2026) and official state health department websites — never guesswork.
Trusted by long-term care providers and associations.
