Failure to Maintain Cleanliness and Proper Food Labeling in Nourishment Refrigerators
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain proper food storage and sanitation practices in two of three nourishment refrigerators located on the Teal and Mauve 1 hallways. Observations revealed that temperature logs for the refrigerators and freezers were not documented for several days, and the interiors of the refrigerators contained water, yellowish-red stains, and light yellowish stains. Additionally, there were multiple instances of unlabeled and undated food items, including a protein shake bottle, a bag of raw seafood mix, and an open fast-food milkshake container. The raw seafood mix was identified as belonging to a resident who had ordered it from a grocery store, but it was not labeled or dated as required. Interviews with staff indicated confusion and lack of clarity regarding responsibilities for labeling food, recording temperatures, and cleaning the refrigerators. The Dietary Manager stated that nursing staff were responsible for labeling residents' food, while dietary staff were to record temperatures. Housekeeping staff were reported to clean the nourishment refrigerators weekly, but the Housekeeping Manager clarified that their staff only cleaned the exterior and not the inside of the refrigerators. The Administrator confirmed that all three departments—Dietary, Nursing, and Housekeeping—were responsible for keeping the refrigerators clean and ensuring that no raw food was stored in them, and that all residents' foods should be labeled with names and dates.