Failure to Label and Properly Store Perishable Food Brought by Visitors
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to follow its policy and procedure regarding the labeling and storage of food items brought in by family or visitors for three residents. In each case, perishable food items that required refrigeration after opening were found at the residents' bedsides, unlabeled and undated, and not stored in a refrigerator as required by the manufacturer's instructions and facility policy. Staff did not ensure that these food items were properly labeled with the resident's name and date, nor did they offer to store the items in a refrigerator. One resident with diabetes mellitus and end stage renal disease was observed with an opened, unlabeled bottle of ranch dressing at the bedside, which indicated it should be refrigerated after opening. The resident stated that staff did not offer to store the bottle in the refrigerator and could not recall when it was opened. Another resident with dementia and diabetes had two bottles of lemonade at the bedside, both labeled to be kept refrigerated, but neither was labeled with the resident's name or date. The resident and a CNA were unaware of how long the lemonade had been at the bedside. A third resident with diabetes and a local skin infection had an opened, unlabeled, and undated jar of jalapenos at the bedside. The resident reported receiving the jar the previous day, and staff confirmed that there was no labeling or dating on the item. The facility's dietary supervisor and infection preventionist both acknowledged that the facility did not have a refrigerator for residents' food items and that perishable foods should be consumed immediately or discarded. However, staff did not ensure compliance with these procedures, resulting in the presence of potentially perishable and improperly stored food items in resident rooms.