Failure to Maintain Sanitary Food Service and Monitor Resident Refrigerator Use
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to maintain sanitary conditions and safe food handling practices in the food and nutrition services department, as well as failure to monitor food storage in a resident’s personal refrigerator. During an initial tour of the kitchen, surveyors observed dirt and debris on the floor throughout the kitchen, two uncovered sheet cakes on a rolling rack inside the walk-in refrigerator, a dust-covered ceiling vent above the ice machine, and two heavily stained ceiling tiles near the dishwasher. The dishwasher had been inoperable for about one month, and the Food Service Director (FSD) reported that paper products and plastic silverware were being used for meal service while the three-compartment sink was used to clean and sanitize non-disposable equipment. Further observations showed additional unsanitary conditions and lack of cleaning oversight. There was an accumulation of dirt and debris underneath the tray line area, and four food delivery carts identified as clean had visible food stains on interior and exterior surfaces. The steam table wells contained water with food debris from prior meals, and the FSD stated the steam table water was changed weekly. Review of facility records revealed there were no documented cleaning schedules for December or January. Review of Daily Food Temperature Logs showed incomplete documentation, with missing breakfast and lunch temperature recordings on multiple days, despite the facility’s policy requiring food temperatures of hot and cold items to be recorded for all menu items at each meal. The facility also failed to ensure safe and sanitary use of a resident-owned refrigerator. The Resident Refrigerators policy required leftover food to be dated and discarded within three days, and nursing or housekeeping staff were to perform at least weekly checks, including discarding noncompliant food and monitoring refrigerator temperatures. In one resident’s room, surveyors observed a covered plastic container of food in the personal refrigerator without any date, and an LPN could not determine how long the food had been stored or whether it exceeded the three-day discard timeframe. The Cooler Temperature Log posted on the outside of this refrigerator showed the last recorded internal temperature several months earlier, and the administrator was unable to provide additional information demonstrating that staff consistently monitored and documented resident refrigerator temperatures or ensured food was properly labeled and discarded.
We Help Long-Term Care Teams Stay Survey-Ready
We process and analyze inspection reports and plan of correction using AI to extract insights and trends so providers can improve care quality and stay ahead of compliance risks.