Failure to Monitor and Document Personal Refrigerator Temperatures
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure proper monitoring and documentation of personal refrigerators used by residents for food storage. Observations revealed that several residents' personal refrigerators were missing required temperature log sheets and thermometers. Specifically, one resident's refrigerator had multiple days with missing temperature checks and staff initials, while another resident's refrigerator had no documentation of temperature checks at all. Additional refrigerators were found without log sheets or thermometers, and in some cases, residents were unaware of the missing items or stated that staff were responsible for maintaining them. Interviews with staff, including the Director of Nursing (DON) and Housekeeping Director, confirmed that facility policy requires daily temperature checks and documentation for each resident's personal refrigerator. Staff are expected to record the temperature and their initials on a log sheet every shift, and each refrigerator should be equipped with a thermometer. The purpose of these checks is to ensure that food is stored at safe temperatures to prevent spoilage and potential illness. However, the observed lack of documentation and missing equipment indicated that these procedures were not consistently followed. The residents affected by these deficiencies had various medical conditions, including weakness, abnormalities of gait and mobility, repeated falls, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses. Some residents were cognitively intact and able to report on the situation, while others were unable to participate in interviews due to altered mental status. Despite the presence of food in the refrigerators, there were no immediate concerns about the condition of the food itself, but the absence of required monitoring and documentation represented a failure to comply with facility policy and safe food storage practices.