Failure to Remove Leftover Food from Resident Room Within Required Timeframe
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure proper sanitation and food handling practices when a resident's leftover food was not removed from the bedside after four hours. Specifically, a resident with diagnoses including normal pressure hydrocephalus, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and major depressive disorder, who was cognitively intact but dependent on staff for most activities of daily living, had a baked custard left on the bedside table for an extended period. The resident reported that the custard had been in the room for a couple of days, and staff confirmed it was served during lunch the previous day. Facility policy, as reviewed with the Dietary Supervisor, requires that leftover food not be stored in resident rooms for more than four hours due to the lack of temperature control and the risk of foodborne illness. Observations and interviews with nursing and dietary staff confirmed that the custard was not removed within the required timeframe, and the policy was not followed. The failure to remove the food in a timely manner created a situation where the resident could have consumed contaminated food.