Failure to Store and Handle Food According to Professional Standards
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to store and handle food in accordance with professional standards and its own policies, as evidenced by multiple observations and staff interviews. Surveyors observed five rolls of frozen ground beef thawing at room temperature in the kitchen, contrary to the facility's policy requiring thawing in the refrigerator or as part of the cooking process. Additionally, a commercially prepared container of sliced meat and a can of soda were found in the reach-in refrigerator without labels or dates. Snacks, including meat sandwiches and milk, were observed left unrefrigerated on the nurse's station counter ahead of scheduled distribution times. Further deficiencies were noted in the storage of nourishment and snacks on the North and South Units. The North Unit nourishment refrigerator contained a box from a fast food restaurant and a lunch box with energy drinks, both unlabeled and undated. The South Unit nourishment refrigerator held a shopping bag with fruit and crackers belonging to a staff member, as well as another bag with apples and chocolate milk, all unlabeled and undated. Staff interviews confirmed that personal food items were sometimes stored in resident nourishment refrigerators, and that snacks were often delivered to nurse's stations and left unrefrigerated for extended periods before distribution. Interviews with dietary and nursing staff, as well as facility leadership, revealed inconsistent adherence to food safety policies regarding labeling, dating, and proper storage of food items. Staff acknowledged that meat was sometimes left to thaw at room temperature and that snacks were delivered and left out on counters rather than being promptly refrigerated. Facility leadership confirmed that only resident items, properly labeled and dated, should be stored in nourishment refrigerators, and that staff food should be kept in designated staff areas.