Failure to Label and Date Resident Food in Pantry Refrigerator
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed that the facility failed to store, prepare, distribute, and serve food in accordance with professional standards for food service safety. During an inspection of the resident pantry refrigerator, multiple food items including berries, desserts in foam containers, a half sandwich, and a cookie were found without any labels or dates. The refrigerator had signage instructing that all food should be labeled with the resident's name, room number, and date when placed into storage, and that unlabeled food would be disposed of. However, these instructions were not followed, as confirmed by staff interviews. Interviews with the Administrator and DON confirmed that the facility's expectation was for nursing staff to inspect the resident pantry refrigerator daily to ensure all food items were properly labeled and dated. The facility's policy required all resident food items to be labeled with the resident's name, the item, and a use-by date, and specified that partially eaten food should not be kept in the refrigerator. Despite these policies, the observed food items were not labeled or dated, and partially eaten food was present, indicating a failure to adhere to established food safety protocols.