Failure to Maintain Safe and Palatable Food Temperatures During Meal Service
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that food was delivered to residents at an appropriate and palatable temperature, as evidenced by observations and interviews during the survey process. A resident reported that meals consistently arrived cold, and this was corroborated by a test tray temperature observation, which showed that both hot and cold foods were not maintained at their required temperatures. Specifically, hot foods such as eggs and hot cereal were below the expected temperature, and cold items like milk and juice were above the recommended cold holding temperature. Staff interviews revealed that meal carts were left open during distribution, which contributed to the temperature decline of the food. Both nursing and dietary staff acknowledged that the expectation was to keep meal carts closed when not actively serving, but this was not consistently followed. The deficiency was further supported by direct observation of meal service practices, where only one Geriatric Nursing Assistant was distributing trays, and the meal cart was left open and unattended at times. Staff interviews confirmed that trays should be delivered immediately upon arrival to the unit and that the responsibility for maintaining food temperature was shared among GNAs and nurses. Despite these expectations, the observed practices did not align, resulting in food being served at improper temperatures. The issue was identified as having the potential to affect all residents receiving meals from the facility.