Lack of Certified Dietary Staff in Food Service Department
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to employ certified dietary staff in the kitchen, as required by their own policy and regulatory standards. On the date of the survey, interviews with the cook and the administrator confirmed that there was no Dietary Manager currently employed, and none of the kitchen staff held a food manager certification. The previous Dietary Manager had left the facility approximately two weeks prior, and no current staff had obtained the necessary certification in the interim. The administrator acknowledged that no one in the kitchen was certified and that someone from an external dining service was handling ordering and menu planning, but this individual was not present at the facility daily. Observation and record review further confirmed that at the time of the survey, there were no certified dietary staff present or working in the kitchen. Facility documentation outlined a policy requiring at least one individual in the food service department to be certified in sanitation during hours of operation, with certification to be kept current and renewed as directed. Despite this policy, the facility did not have any certified staff available, potentially affecting all 74 residents residing in the facility.