Failure to Employ Qualified Dietary Staff and Complete In-Person Nutritional Assessments
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to employ a qualified dietary staff member to oversee kitchen operations and did not ensure that residents' nutritional assessments were completed in-person by a qualified dietary staff member. The individual serving as the dietary manager had not received certification in dietary management or food service, despite being responsible for completing quarterly nutritional assessments. No staff member in the facility was a certified dietary manager or certified food service manager. The registered dietician (RD) hired by the facility worked exclusively remotely, had never been in the facility or its kitchen, and did not provide education to kitchen staff. The RD completed admission and significant change nutritional assessments remotely, without in-person assessment or direct resident interviews, relying instead on staff input. Interviews with facility staff confirmed awareness that the dietary manager was not certified and that the RD worked only remotely. The facility did not have a job description or policy outlining the roles of a certified dietary manager or registered dietician. These failures had the potential to affect all 51 residents residing in the facility at the time of the survey.