Deficient Food Storage, Preparation, and Distribution Practices
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to store, prepare, distribute, and serve food in accordance with professional standards, as evidenced by multiple observations and interviews. The ice maker was found to have a black substance build-up inside, despite a contracted cleaning company having recently serviced it and a policy stating it should be cleaned at least monthly. There was no internal schedule for cleaning the ice machine outside of the contracted service every six months, and both the DON and Administrator acknowledged the risk of illness from using ice from a dirty machine. Additionally, water pitchers and ice chests containing ice from the machine were observed being used for resident hydration. Further deficiencies were observed in the handling and storage of food and drink items. Two open, undated, and unlabeled food containers were found in the medication refrigerator, which the DON confirmed should not have contained food items. Multiple open containers of thickened lemon-flavored water and nutritional drinks intended for residents were found unrefrigerated on medication carts, despite manufacturer instructions requiring refrigeration after opening. Staff interviews revealed a lack of awareness regarding proper storage requirements, and the facility practice was to keep these items unrefrigerated on the carts. The DON disagreed with the need for refrigeration and deferred to the facility pharmacist, but no follow-up was provided before the survey concluded.