Failure to Ensure Onsite Dietician Oversight and Kitchen Sanitation
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that a registered dietician (RD) consultant was able to conduct required onsite sanitation inspections and observe food safety and handling practices for the majority of residents consuming food prepared in the kitchen. The RD, who worked remotely, stated she was unable to perform these onsite tasks, and since the previous onsite RD left in March 2025, no monthly sanitation audits had been conducted. This resulted in a lack of oversight for kitchen sanitation and food safety practices. Observations revealed multiple sanitation issues in the kitchen, including yellow and gray dried residue with small white particles on the steam table knob, dried food residue on stove knobs and the stainless-steel base, and dried brown residue and food particles inside the oven. The oven door and metal shelves also showed discoloration and residue. Additionally, outside the kitchen, dumpsters were found uncovered and surrounded by litter and cardboard boxes, contrary to facility policy requiring dumpsters to be kept closed and the area free of clutter. Interviews with the Certified Dietary Manager (CDM) and the Administrator confirmed that the facility had not maintained expected sanitation standards and had not followed established policies regarding garbage disposal and kitchen cleanliness. The CDM acknowledged the lack of recent sanitation audits and the presence of residue and buildup on kitchen equipment. The Administrator confirmed that the facility had only remote RD coverage, which did not allow for required onsite inspections, and that the facility was not meeting its own expectations or policies for sanitation and refuse disposal.