Personal Items Improperly Stored in Kitchen Pantry
Penalty
Fine: $16,149
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Summary
During a kitchen inspection, surveyors observed employee personal items, including a purse, keys, and a jacket, stored on a chair in the kitchen pantry room. This storage practice was confirmed by the Corporate District Manager, who acknowledged that staff had been using this area for their personal belongings. The presence of these items in the pantry room was not in accordance with professional standards for food service safety, as required for proper food storage and handling. The deficiency was identified through direct observation and staff interviews, with the potential to affect multiple residents given the facility's census of 53. No specific residents or their medical conditions were mentioned in relation to this deficiency.