Staff Failed to Wear Hair Net While Serving Food
Penalty
Summary
A staff member was observed serving food to residents in the 400-unit dining room without wearing a hair net, as required by facility policy and professional standards. The staff member, a trained medication aide (TMA), was seen dishing food from a steam table and delivering it to residents while wearing gloves but not a hair net. This occurred while seven residents were present in the dining room and one resident was eating in their room. The TMA stated that she routinely served food in this manner and had not been instructed to wear a hair net during food service. Further interviews revealed that nursing staff, rather than dietary staff, were responsible for serving food in the 300-unit and 400-unit dining rooms, and that all staff were expected to wear gloves and hair nets when serving food. Facility policies and the FDA Food Code require the use of hair restraints to prevent hair from contaminating food and to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. The facility's infection control and employee hygiene policies both specify the need for hair nets or caps during food handling, but the observed practice did not align with these requirements.