Deficiencies in Food Storage and Preparation Practices
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure safe and sanitary food storage and preparation practices in the kitchen, as observed during a survey. Two dented cans were found stored with non-dented cans, which the Dietary Manager (DM) confirmed should have been separated to prevent potential cross-contamination. The DM acknowledged that the dented cans were missed during the daily inspection by kitchen staff, emphasizing the importance of separating them to avoid using compromised cans that could release harmful chemicals. Additionally, an opened bag of crushed graham crackers was found without a date label indicating when it was opened. The DM confirmed that all opened items in the kitchen should be labeled with the date they were opened to ensure they are used within the recommended shelf life. The lack of labeling on the graham crackers meant staff could not determine if the product was beyond its recommended shelf life of one month, as per the facility's product shelf-life guide. These deficiencies had the potential to result in harmful bacterial growth and cross-contamination, posing a risk of foodborne illness to 128 of 150 medically compromised residents.
Plan Of Correction
Residents as a dented can may have a broken seal and can release chemicals which can cause cross-contamination on or before 3/19/2025. Food products must be dated when opened to assure staff knows when to discard the product. The Registered Dietitian will complete a kitchen sanitation audit, at a minimum of quarterly, to identify sanitation concerns including but not limited to presence of dented cans and opened, undated food products. A copy of the audit will be provided to the administrator and Dietary Manager for review and correction. D. How the facility plans to monitor its performance to make sure solutions are sustained: The Dietary Manager/designee will monitor food storage, including the presence of dented cans and opened food products, to ensure the open date is documented on the product weekly. The Dietary Manager/designee will report trends identified in the RD and DM audits to the QAPI/QAA Committee at least quarterly for the purpose of process improvement through root cause analysis and committee-recommended interventions to ensure continued compliance with this plan of correction. Allegation of Compliance Date: 3/25/2025. --- F 812 F880 Infection Prevention & Control CFR(s): 483.80(a)(1)(2)(4)(e)(f) A. How corrective action(s) will be accomplished for those residents found to have been affected by the deficient practice: 1. The Infection Prevention Nurse re-educated Certified Nurse Assistant 2 regarding the facility policy and procedure Oxygen Therapy, with emphasis on placing resident oxygen tubing in a bag and discarding tubing that has been on the floor to reduce the potential for respiratory infection on 2/25/25. Resident 101's oxygen tubing was discarded and new tubing was labeled, dated, and replaced on 2/25/2025 at the time of observation during the survey. 2. The Infection Prevention Nurse re-educated CNA 1 on the facility policy "Hand Hygiene," with emphasis on performing handwashing prior to and following providing ADL care to residents and grooming assistance; and on the facility policy and procedure Enhanced Barrier Precautions, with emphasis on donning required PPE prior to providing close contact assistance for residents who have this precaution on 2/25/2025. 3. The DSD completed a Hand Hygiene competency with CNA 1 to ensure CNA 1 has the