Failure to Follow Menu-Directed Portion Sizes for Mechanical Soft Diets
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to follow its planned menu spreadsheets and portion guidelines for residents on mechanical soft (dental soft) diets, resulting in incorrect entrée portions being served. The diet menu spreadsheet for a Tuesday (week 2) specified that residents were to receive a 4 oz portion of bacon wrapped beef, and for those on dental soft diets, the spreadsheet directed use of a #8 gray scoop of ground chopped beef steak with gravy, which the facility’s color-coded scoop chart identified as equivalent to 4 oz. During an observed meal service in the kitchen steam table area, the server (V16) instead used a #12 green scoop, equivalent to 3 oz, to serve the ground chopped beef steak to four residents on dental soft diets (R73, R96, R117, and R119), contrary to the menu spreadsheet instructions. The registered dietitian (V17) later confirmed that the scoop size shown on the menu should have been used to ensure residents received the correct portions to meet their planned caloric and nutritional needs, and the diet roster printed shortly before the observation verified that these residents were ordered dental soft (mechanical soft) diets. The deficiency centers on the discrepancy between the facility’s written menu and portion control system and the actual practice observed during meal service, specifically the use of a smaller scoop than prescribed for the main entrée for residents requiring mechanical soft diets.
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