Failure to Maintain Clean and Safe Pantry Environments
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain a homelike environment that was clean, safe, and sanitary in three of five unit pantries. During inspections, surveyors observed multiple cleanliness and maintenance issues: white debris inside a microwave, a damaged cabinet drawer, and an aluminum pan with white debris in one pantry; light brown debris on a wall next to a refrigerator in another; and powdery debris on a wall vent, black sticky residue on a wall, a loose rack, and brown dry debris inside cabinets in a third pantry. These observations were made in the presence of LPNs and unit managers, who acknowledged that such conditions should not exist and that housekeeping is responsible for daily cleaning of the pantries. Interviews with staff confirmed that housekeeping is tasked with cleaning pantry areas, while nursing staff are responsible for maintaining edible items in refrigerators and cabinets. Maintenance is responsible for repairs, which are to be reported by nursing staff through an electronic system. The facility's policy states that housekeeping and maintenance services are to be provided as necessary to maintain a sanitary, orderly, and comfortable environment. No information about residents' medical history or condition at the time of the deficiency was provided in the report.