Failure to Honor Resident Dietary Preferences
Penalty
Summary
A resident was observed during a lunch meal with a container of food pushed aside, stating she did not eat the meal because it contained pork, which she does not consume. The resident reported that the facility repeatedly served her pork products despite her clear communication that she did not eat pork. She also mentioned previous instances where she was served eggs mixed with pork products. The meal ticket for that day confirmed that pork tenderloin was served to her. Interviews with the Registered Dietician (RD) and the Director of Nursing (DON) revealed that dietary assessments are typically completed within seven days of admission, and any dietary preferences expressed prior to that should be communicated to both the RD and kitchen staff. The DON confirmed that nursing staff are expected to relay residents' food preferences to dietary staff. Despite these protocols, the resident's dietary preferences were not consistently honored, resulting in her frustration.