Delayed Breakfast Service and Excessive Interval Between Meals
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to provide breakfast at a regular time and to ensure no more than 16 hours elapsed between the evening meal and the next morning’s breakfast. On the morning in question, staff interviews indicated that breakfast, which was usually delivered between approximately 7:45 AM and 8:30 AM, was not delivered until about 10:30 to 11:00 AM. The second-floor LPN and CNA reported that residents asked for food while waiting, and they provided snacks from the pantry. The LPN stated she did not notify a supervisor or manager about the delay and confirmed that nursing staff did not have a key to the kitchen. The Food Service Director reported that the scheduled cook called at 4:00 AM about car trouble and later failed to arrive on time, leaving the dietary aide, who arrived at 6:30 AM, unable to access the locked kitchen. The dietary aide did not inform others that he could not get into the kitchen and waited in the lobby. The FSD stated that only two cooks, the FSD, and the director of maintenance had keys to the kitchen, and dietary aides did not. The night shift cook with a key did not arrive until 9:30 AM, and the FSD arrived at 10:45 AM to assist with breakfast, resulting in approximately 17 hours between dinner at 5:45 PM the previous evening and breakfast service. The Administrator confirmed that the night supervisor had a key but was unaware of the problem. Review of the facility’s “Serving a Meal” policy showed it addressed how to serve meals but did not include a process to ensure meals were provided at regular times or that no more than 16 hours elapsed between meals, and no additional relevant policies were provided.
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