Failure to Ensure Consistent Portion Sizes During Meal Service
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that menus were followed in regard to serving sizes, specifically with the portioning of turkey during a meal service. Observations of the kitchen serving line revealed that turkey slices varied in size and were not weighed to confirm the correct portion was being served, as required by residents' meal tickets, which specified portions ranging from two to six ounces. Toward the end of the serving line, residents were served broken pieces of turkey rather than uniform slices. The facility's policy required tray cards to be checked for accuracy and proper portions to be served according to menu extensions. Interviews with the Dietary Manager indicated that the meat slicer was broken, necessitating hand-cutting of the turkey, which resulted in inconsistent slice sizes. The Dietary Manager described portion sizes in terms of the number of slices rather than weight, and was unable to confirm the actual amount of turkey being served to residents. The Registered Dietician was unaware of the equipment issue and stated that there should be a method to measure portion sizes. The deficiency had the potential to affect 120 of 124 residents who consumed meals from the facility's kitchen.