Expired and Unlabeled Food Items in Nourishment Room Refrigerators
Penalty
Summary
Failure to properly manage food storage in nourishment room refrigerators occurred when staff did not discard expired or spoiled food items and did not label and date resident personal food items. In the Main Unit nourishment room refrigerator, surveyors observed a partially used jar of strawberry preserves with a use-by date that had passed, an unopened high-protein milkshake with a best-if-used-by date that had passed, and three unopened bottles of a nutritional energy drink with a use-by date that had passed. Additionally, there were multiple beverage containers, including a 2-liter soft drink bottle half full of an orange liquid, and two 500-milliliter bottles containing purplish and brownish liquids, none of which were labeled or dated. Staff present during the observation acknowledged that nursing staff were supposed to ensure all nourishment refrigerator items were labeled, dated, and that expired items were discarded. In the Locked Unit nourishment room refrigerator, surveyors observed a cup of yogurt with an expiration date that had passed and a package of three prepackaged apples with an opened-by and best-by date that had passed, with two apples showing grayish fuzz. The Locked Unit Charge Nurse stated that nurses were responsible for labeling food items, checking expiration dates, and that she should have checked the refrigerator at the beginning of her shift to ensure expired items were discarded to prevent foodborne illnesses. The DON and the Administrator both stated their expectation that nursing staff inspect nourishment refrigerators to ensure there were no outdated items and that all food items were labeled and dated.
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