Failure to Properly Store and Label Resident Food and Maintain Safe Refrigerator Temperatures
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified that the facility failed to store, prepare, distribute, and serve food in accordance with professional standards for food service safety in one of three resident unit refrigerators. Specifically, food items stored in the refrigerator were not labeled with resident names or dates, and some items were not dated at all. The facility's own policy required all perishable food brought in by family or visitors to be labeled with the resident's name, date received/opened, and discard date, and for nursing staff to monitor and document this daily. However, observations revealed unlabeled and undated food items, including Styrofoam containers and a plate with only a resident's name but no date. Additionally, the refrigerator temperature was consistently above the recommended safe range for food storage. The temperature gauge inside the refrigerator was observed at 68 degrees Fahrenheit, and a review of the temperature log from January through June showed all recorded temperatures were above 41 degrees Fahrenheit, with most readings between 48-52 degrees. The facility's policy and posted instructions required refrigerator temperatures to be maintained between 37-41 degrees Fahrenheit. Despite this, the temperature log was regularly initialed as if the refrigerator was within range, and no corrective action was documented in response to the out-of-range temperatures.