Failure to Provide Prescribed Finger Foods Diet
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide food in a form designed to meet the individual needs of a resident who required finger foods to promote self-feeding due to physical and cognitive impairments. The resident, a female with a history of stroke, dysphagia, hemiplegia, and moderate cognitive impairment, had physician orders and a care plan specifying a regular diet with thin liquids, low concentrated sweets, and special instructions for finger foods. On the observed lunch meal, the resident was served a regular tray with spaghetti noodles, meatballs with sauce, vegetables, and a dessert, rather than food items prepared as finger foods. The meal ticket indicated finger foods, but the food was not separated or cut into pieces suitable for self-feeding, and the resident was unable to feed herself as a result. Staff interviews confirmed that the resident was the only individual on a finger foods diet and that the kitchen was responsible for preparing the food accordingly, with nursing staff expected to verify the diet before serving. Both the DON and Dining Services Manager acknowledged that the meal provided did not meet the finger foods requirement, as the items were not separated or cut into appropriate sizes. The oversight was attributed to a failure in the kitchen to prepare the meal as ordered, and the nursing staff did not identify the discrepancy before serving. The facility's inservice materials described the finger foods diet as providing bite-sized pieces or sandwiches to promote self-feeding for residents with difficulty using utensils.