Deficiencies in Food Labeling, Storage, and Hand Hygiene Practices
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to store, prepare, distribute, and serve food in accordance with professional standards for food service safety. During observations in the kitchen and storage areas, multiple food items were found without proper labeling, preparation dates, or expiration dates. Some items, such as containers of cranberry juice, orange juice, Kool-Aid, unsweet tea, salami lunch meat, rotini pasta, and cilantro, were either missing required information or were not discarded after expiration. The Dietary Manager confirmed that all food items should be labeled and dated with receive, open, and expiration dates, and that staff had been in-serviced on these requirements. Additionally, a CNA was observed not sanitizing her hands between passing meal trays on one of the facility's halls. The CNA admitted to forgetting to sanitize her hands and stated she was aware of the requirement to do so between passing trays. The charge nurse and DON were not initially aware of the incident but confirmed that staff are expected to sanitize hands between meal tray distribution. The DON and Administrator both stated that hand hygiene is important for infection control and that in-services on hand hygiene are conducted, though neither could recall the exact timing of the last in-service for all staff. Record reviews of facility policies confirmed that all food items must be labeled, dated, and stored according to state and federal guidelines, and that hand hygiene procedures must be followed to prevent the spread of infections. The failure to follow these procedures was observed directly by surveyors and confirmed through staff interviews and record reviews.