Failure to Honor Resident Food Preferences
Penalty
Summary
Staff failed to honor a resident's documented food preferences, resulting in the resident being served items she had previously identified as dislikes. The resident, who was cognitively intact with a BIMS score of 15 and had diagnoses including Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, unspecified anemia, and unspecified anxiety disorder, reported that she did not like rice or greens and had communicated this to staff months prior. Despite this, her lunch tray included rice and mustard greens, both of which were listed as dislikes on her meal ticket and dietary records. Observations confirmed the presence of these items on her tray, and the resident stated that her preferences had not been respected over time. Interviews with facility staff, including a registered nurse, the dietary manager, and the administrator, confirmed that the resident's dislikes were clearly documented and should have been honored. The dietary manager acknowledged that the kitchen staff were responsible for following the meal tickets, which included the resident's preferences, and admitted that the resident should not have received the disliked foods. The administrator also confirmed that the facility's process required honoring resident food choices and that the failure to do so was an error on the part of the staff.