Failure to Honor Resident Food Preferences and Choices
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to honor a resident's food preferences as documented in her menu selections. The resident, who required small bites of food, ordered a grilled steak for dinner but was instead served a beef and Asian noodle dish. The resident saved the uneaten meal from the previous night and presented her menu selection sheet, which clearly indicated her choice of grilled steak. The Dietary Manager later explained that he substituted the beef lo Mein for the grilled steak, believing it was an appropriate alternative due to the same meat content and the resident's need for small bites. Additionally, the same resident ordered strawberry ice cream for her noon meal but was served chocolate ice cream instead. The resident had handwritten her preference for two strawberry ice creams on her menu, which was verified by the CNA who delivered the meal. The Dietary Manager acknowledged that this may have been a mistake. The facility's policy states that menus are developed to meet resident choices, and the Director of Nursing confirmed that residents are provided with alternate meal options to accommodate their preferences.