Failure to Maintain Kitchen Sanitation and Cleanliness
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain proper sanitation and cleanliness in its kitchen, as evidenced by observations and staff interviews. During an initial tour of the kitchen, surveyors noted that the handwashing sink had a brown substance on its sides and in the bowl, and the kitchen floor was sticky with visible debris such as wrappers and crumbs in multiple locations. Staff present at the time confirmed that the handwashing sink and kitchen floor were not clean, attributing the lack of cleanliness to the previous shift's failure to perform required cleaning tasks. Further interviews with dietary aides and other staff revealed inconsistencies in cleaning responsibilities and understanding of the cleaning schedule. Some staff stated that the kitchen was clean when they left their shifts, while others acknowledged specific spills, such as a bag of juice that had burst, which may have contributed to the sticky floor. The cleaning schedule for the relevant date had been initialed as completed, but direct observation contradicted these records, indicating that cleaning tasks were either not performed or not performed adequately. The facility's own policies require that all kitchen areas, equipment, and utensils be kept clean and sanitary to prevent contamination and infection control issues. Despite these policies, both administrative and dietary staff acknowledged that the kitchen was not in a sanitary condition during meal preparation, with the administrator and dietician specifically noting the potential for infection control problems due to the unsanitary environment. No residents were directly mentioned as being affected at the time of the deficiency.