Failure to Follow Physician-Ordered Therapeutic Diet for Resident
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that a therapeutic diet was served as ordered for one resident. The resident had a physician's order for a controlled carbohydrate diet with no additional salt due to medical conditions including hypertension, epilepsy, and dementia. Despite this order, the resident was provided with salt packets upon request. The dietary supervisor confirmed that the resident frequently asked for additional salt and was given salt packets, even though the order specified no added salt. Mrs. Dash, a salt-free seasoning, was offered as an alternative but was refused by the resident. There was no documentation that the dietary supervisor communicated with the resident's family or the physician regarding the resident's requests for additional salt or the provision of salt packets. The facility's policy required collaboration with the resident or representative if a therapeutic diet was declined, but there was no evidence that such collaboration or communication occurred in this case. The failure to follow the physician's diet order and lack of documentation led to the deficiency.