Failure to Honor Resident's Vegetarian Diet Preference
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when the facility failed to honor the food preferences of a resident who had a physician's order for a vegetarian diet. The resident, who had diagnoses including spondylosis, anxiety disorder, depression, and borderline personality disorder, was cognitively intact and able to make daily decisions. Despite documentation in the care plan and physician's orders specifying a vegetarian diet, the resident was served pizza containing a small piece of chicken. This incident was confirmed by both the cook and a registered nurse after the resident reported the issue. The facility's policy required that individual food preferences be assessed upon admission, communicated to the interdisciplinary team, and documented in the care plan. The policy also stated that if a resident is unhappy with their diet, a care plan should be created to address their satisfaction. In this case, the resident's food preference was not honored, as evidenced by the presence of meat on her meal tray, contrary to her dietary restrictions and documented preferences.