Failure to Serve Mechanical Soft Diets as Prescribed
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide meals in the appropriate form for residents requiring a mechanical soft diet. Review of the facility's summer cycle menu and accompanying spreadsheet indicated that residents on a mechanical soft diet were to receive chopped Italian blend mixed vegetables. However, during an observation of the lunch meal service, it was noted that the Italian blend mixed vegetables were not chopped as required for these residents. Instead, the vegetables were served directly from the steam table without modification. This deficiency was confirmed when the dietary manager verified the menu requirements and consulted with the facility's dietitian, who also confirmed that the vegetables should have been chopped for residents on a mechanical soft diet. Seven residents identified as requiring a mechanical soft diet were potentially affected by this failure to follow prescribed dietary modifications.