Failure to Employ Qualified Food and Nutrition Services Staff
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to employ a full-time registered dietician (RD) or a qualified culinary director (CD) to oversee the food and nutrition services, which had the potential to affect all 135 residents. Documentation showed that while the dietician held a valid license, her timecards did not specify the exact hours or days spent at the facility, and she split her time between multiple buildings. The administrator stated that 30 hours per week was considered full-time for the dietician, but the records did not clearly confirm her presence at the facility for those hours. Additionally, the dietician herself confirmed she was not a Certified Dietary Manager (CDM) and that her hours varied week to week. The culinary director (CD) and assistant culinary director (ACD) also lacked the required qualifications. The CD had a certificate from Le Cordon Bleu but was not a CDM, had not completed coursework in food management, and did not have an associate's degree or higher. The CD was reportedly being enrolled in a CDM program at the time of the survey. The ACD had a bachelor's degree in culinary arts and was a Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM), but proof of credentials and certifications was not available in the personnel file. The ACD had only recently started working at the facility and had not yet provided documentation of his qualifications. Interviews with staff and administrators revealed confusion and inconsistencies regarding the credentials and roles of the dietician, CD, and ACD. The facility was unable to provide complete personnel files or clear documentation of staff qualifications and hours worked. Job descriptions for the CD and ACD outlined requirements for education and experience, but the individuals in these roles did not meet all the stated qualifications, and supporting documentation was incomplete or missing.