Failure to Prepare Pureed Foods to Required Consistency
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that pureed foods were prepared to the appropriate consistency for three residents who required pureed/level four texture diets due to conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, dementia, depression, and dysphagia. Record reviews confirmed that these residents were prescribed pureed diets, and observations in the kitchen revealed that staff blended foods, such as ham and tomato soup, to a runny, pourable consistency rather than the required pudding-like texture. The staff member responsible for preparing these foods did not use any standardized tests or tools to verify the correct consistency, instead relying on visual estimation. Additionally, there was no recipe available for pureed tomato soup, and the recipe for pureed ham specified a pudding-like consistency that was not achieved. Further observations showed that pureed corn served for dinner did not hold its shape on a spoon and dripped continuously through fork prongs, failing to meet the facility's own IDDSI guidelines for pureed foods. The facility's policy and IDDSI handouts specified that pureed foods must hold their shape on a spoon, fall off in a single spoonful, and not separate into liquids and solids, with specific tests to confirm the correct texture. Despite these guidelines and policies, the pureed foods prepared and served did not meet the required standards for residents on pureed diets.