Failure to Routinely Offer and Provide Bedtime Snacks to Residents
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to offer bedtime snacks to residents in accordance with their needs, preferences, and requests, as required by facility policy. During a group meeting with residents and the facility ombudsman, residents reported that they do not receive bedtime snacks unless they specifically ask for them, and that staff do not routinely offer or pass snacks room to room. Residents stated that bedtime snacks had been offered in the past but this practice stopped after staff were allegedly taking snacks for themselves, and that this change occurred a long time ago. Residents also reported that if they want a snack after dinner, they must bring something back from lunch and keep it in their rooms until evening. Record review showed there were 84 residents in the facility, and assessment review for residents present at the group meeting revealed no cognitive impairment among them. The Dietary Manager reported that kitchen staff take a snack cart to the resident units daily and place it in the nutrition room on the LTC unit, and that CNAs are responsible for passing the snacks rather than dietary staff. Observation showed the nutrition room had a number-coded locking system, preventing residents from accessing snacks without staff assistance. The DON stated that CNAs should be offering bedtime snacks during the water pass because it is important for residents to have substance between the evening and morning meals. The facility’s undated “Offering/Serving Bedtime Snacks” policy states that nursing staff will offer bedtime snacks to all residents daily in accordance with their needs, preferences, and requests, which was not occurring as described by residents and staff.
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