Failure to Provide Proper Food Texture for Mechanical Soft Diets
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide food in the appropriate texture for nine residents who were prescribed a mechanical soft diet. During a lunch observation, residents on this diet received pot roast meat that was not ground or chopped to the required size, but instead contained whole coarse strands approximately one inch in size. The vegetables served were also in large chunks, similar to those provided to residents on a regular diet. The Registered Dietician (RD) confirmed that the meat and vegetables did not meet the texture and consistency requirements for a mechanical soft diet, which should be chopped or ground to half an inch or smaller and vegetables in small chunks. The facility's diet manual and menu spreadsheet both specified these requirements, but they were not followed during the observed meal service. Additionally, residents on a mechanical soft diet were served potatoes with skin, contrary to the facility's diet manual and menu spreadsheet, which indicated that potatoes should be served without skin for this diet type. The RD confirmed that no alternative potatoes were prepared and acknowledged that potato skins should not have been served to these residents. The failure to provide food in the correct texture and form was observed for all nine residents with a mechanical soft ground diet order during the meal service.