Failure to Obtain and Honor Resident Food Preferences Upon Admission
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to obtain and honor the food preferences of a resident upon admission, as required by its own policy. The policy states that the Dining Service Director or designee must complete a Food Preference Interview with the resident or their representative within 48 hours of admission to identify individual preferences for dining location, mealtimes, and food and beverage choices. Review of the resident's records showed that this interview was not conducted, and no food preferences were documented for the resident. The resident, who was admitted with a diagnosis of Guillain-Barre Syndrome and had no cognitive impairment, reported that he had lost weight because he did not like the food and could not eat it. The Registered Dietician confirmed that no preferences were in place for this resident and that she had not been contacted by nursing staff regarding the resident's dietary needs. The care plan indicated the resident was at risk for weight loss or malnutrition, but the lack of documented food preferences meant his dietary needs and choices were not addressed.