Deficient Food Safety and Infection Control Practices During Meal Service
Penalty
Summary
Staff failed to adhere to professional standards for food safety and infection control during food service and storage. Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) were observed assisting multiple residents with feeding and handling their cups without performing hand hygiene between residents. One CNA handled the drinking surface of a resident's cup, and another CNA did not sanitize her hands after leaving a resident's room before touching and shifting lunch trays on the meal cart. These actions were contrary to the facility's hand hygiene policy, which requires hand sanitization before and after resident contact and before handling food items or trays. Additionally, the facility's dry food storage area was found to be in poor condition, with shelving that had peeling paint, a rough texture, and black residue. The Certified Dietary Manager acknowledged the unsatisfactory state of the shelves. According to the FDA Food Code, food storage areas must be maintained in good repair and food must be stored in clean locations to prevent contamination. The observed conditions and staff practices had the potential to result in bacterial or physical contamination of food served to residents.