Failure to Offer Alternative Meal for Resident Food Preference
Penalty
Summary
A nursing assistant (NA) delivered a breakfast tray to a resident that included toast, which the resident stated she did not eat. The NA did not respond to the resident's comment, did not offer an alternative food item, and did not notify the kitchen of the resident's preference. Instead, the NA continued passing trays to other residents and did not return to address the issue. The NA later confirmed he was unaware of an alternate menu and had not received training on how to handle such situations, typically offering a snack like Jello when a resident disliked a food item. The director of nursing stated that staff are expected to offer an alternative food item with equal nutritional value when a resident voices a dislike for a food item. Review of the facility's Resident Food Preference policy showed that while it required documenting preferences and offering a variety of foods, it did not specify procedures for when a resident receives food they cannot or will not eat. This resulted in the resident not being provided with an appropriate alternative meal option.