Insufficient Dietary Staffing and Poor Kitchen Sanitation
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide sufficient staff with the necessary competencies and skill sets to carry out the functions of the food and nutrition services after the Dietary Manager was terminated. Policy review indicated that support services staff, including dietary, are required to ensure resident needs are met. Observations over several days revealed the kitchen lacked standard cleaning schedules, with evidence of poor sanitation such as dried substances and loose particles on food containers, unclean stainless steel tables and storage racks, and a powdery substance on the floor and boxes in the dry storage area. The ice machine was also found with dried spills and white streaks both inside and outside. Interviews confirmed that the Dietary Department was operating without a Dietary Manager, and the Registered Dietitian (RD) admitted to not knowing how to perform the necessary job functions, including ordering adequate food supplies. The RD also confirmed the absence of a required 3-day emergency food supply, stating that the previous Dietary Manager would deplete this supply to compensate for insufficient regular food orders. The Administrator verified that the Dietary Manager had been let go due to lack of competencies and skill sets necessary for the role.