Deficient Food Storage and Hand Hygiene Practices Observed
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed multiple deficiencies in food storage, labeling, and hand hygiene practices within the facility's dietary services. During a kitchen tour, opened packages of waffles, hashbrowns, pancakes, ham, Parmesan cheese, and hot dogs were found in the freezer and refrigerator without proper labeling, dating, or storage in sealed containers or bags. These practices were not in accordance with the facility's policy, which requires all foods to be labeled and dated upon receipt and stored in a manner that ensures safety and prevents contamination. Additionally, during meal tray pass observations, a dietary staff member was seen repeatedly failing to perform hand hygiene after removing gloves and between resident interactions. The staff member handled food, utensils, and beverages for multiple residents and a visitor without washing hands or changing gloves as required. Other dietary staff interviews indicated awareness of proper procedures, but the observed actions did not align with these standards. The facility's policies direct staff to follow strict hand hygiene and food handling protocols, which were not adhered to during these observations.