Failure to Label and Date Resident Food Brought in by Visitors
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to follow its own policy and procedure regarding the labeling and storage of food items brought in by visitors for residents. During an observation in the Unit B staff breakroom, several food items, including ice cream, coffee, ice, and soda, were found in the refrigerator without labels indicating the resident's name or the date the items were brought in. Interviews with the assistant director of nursing (ADON) and a registered nurse confirmed that these items were not labeled as required by facility policy. A review of the facility's policy titled 'Food Brought in by Visitors' revealed that all food from outside sources should be stored in sealable containers labeled with the resident's name and the date the food was brought in. The policy also specified that perishable food should be discarded after two hours at bedside, and if refrigerated, it should be labeled, dated, and discarded after 48 hours. The failure to label these items was acknowledged by staff and was not in accordance with the established procedures.