Deficiencies in Food Storage, Sanitation, and Staff Hygiene
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified multiple deficiencies in food storage, preparation, and sanitation practices within the facility's kitchen and food service areas. In the dry storage room, plastic portion cup lids and a box of white plastic forks were found spilling out of their plastic bags and not covered, contrary to facility policy and the Food Service Director's (FSD) statements that these items should be kept covered and in their bags. In the reach-in refrigerator, a half-empty blue sports drink bottle was found without a date or label, and the FSD acknowledged it should not have been there and discarded it. Additionally, the kitchen floor by the stove and food prep area, as well as the bottom shelf of the food prep area, were observed to have debris, despite staff claims that floors were cleaned every shift. During observation of the lunch meal tray line, two dietary aides were noted to have hair not fully covered by their hair nets, with long strands of hair exposed. The FSD confirmed that hair nets should fully cover all hair. Review of facility policies indicated requirements for maintaining clean kitchen and dining areas, proper employee hygiene including hair restraints, and correct storage of dry foods and disposable items. These observations demonstrated failures to consistently follow professional standards for food service safety and the facility's own policies, potentially compromising food safety and sanitation.
Plan Of Correction
Food Procurement, Store/Prepare/Serve-Sanitary 1. Address how corrective action will be accomplished for those residents found to have been affected by the deficient practice: No residents were identified nor immediately affected. All areas of concern were addressed immediately by the Food Service Director and Nursing Home Administrator. The items in the dry storage were covered right away, the floor was immediately cleaned, the beverage in the refrigerator was immediately removed, the floor in front of the stove was immediately cleaned, and the staff hair nets were fixed immediately. 2. Address how the facility will identify other residents having the potential to be affected by the same deficient practice: All residents have the potential to be affected by this deficient practice. 3. Address what measures will be put into place or systemic changes made to ensure that the deficient practice will not recur: Food Service Director or designee in-serviced dietary department staff on the facility policy on sanitation, employee hygiene including hair nets and dry food storage. 4. Indicate how the facility plans to monitor its performance to make sure that solutions are lasting: The Food Service Director or designee will audit dry storage supplies, sanitation, and employee hygiene via audits to be conducted weekly x 4 weeks, then every other week for 4 weeks, and then monthly x 3 months. The results of the audit will be reported to the facility QAPI committee until compliance is determined to be sustained.