Improper Diet Texture and Lack of Meal Supervision Lead to Fatal Choking Event
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to ensure a resident received food in the correct mechanically altered texture as ordered and to accurately assess and implement needed supervision during eating. The resident had a physician’s order for a low concentrated sweet, no added salt, mechanical soft diet with thin liquids and a divided plate. The care plan and Nutrition and Hydration Status Assessment documented that the resident had chewing problems and required supervision or assistance at mealtimes, including that the resident fed self with supervision. Speech therapy records showed a history of dysphagia, aspiration pneumonia due to food inhalation, cerebrovascular disease, hemiplegia, and muscle weakness, with recommendations for mechanical soft/chopped textures, upright positioning, alternating food and liquids, and small bites. The resident’s DOSS score indicated restricted diet consistencies and a need for distant supervision during meals. On the day of the incident, a CNA who knew the resident was on a mechanical soft diet provided a regular-texture ham sandwich as an evening snack after the resident requested a sandwich. The CNA later admitted she was aware of the altered diet order but believed the thinly sliced ham was acceptable, even though it was not chopped or otherwise modified to a mechanical soft consistency. The DON confirmed that the ham sandwich given was not of the appropriate texture for a mechanical soft diet. The resident was not being supervised while consuming this snack, despite documentation in the Nutrition and Hydration Status Assessment that the resident required supervision during meals. The DON stated she interpreted “supervision” on the assessment as only meaning set-up assistance, and the dietetic technician later stated that the documentation of supervision needs on the assessment was a human error and that the resident only required set-up assistance. Later that evening, during medication pass, an RN observed the resident in the doorway of his room in a wheelchair, clutching his throat with both hands and attempting to gag himself with his finger. The RN asked if he was choking, and the resident nodded yes but was unable to cough or speak. The RN inspected the resident’s mouth and did not see an obstruction, then called for help and initiated the Heimlich maneuver and back blows. Multiple staff, including CNAs and a respiratory therapist, responded and each attempted the Heimlich maneuver without success. The resident became unresponsive and pulseless, and staff initiated CPR with use of a backboard, crash cart, oxygen, and bag-valve-mask ventilation until EMS arrived. EMS found the resident pulseless and apneic with a reported full airway obstruction, used video laryngoscopy and forceps to remove a large piece of meat completely obstructing the trachea, and then intubated and resuscitated the resident before transferring him to the hospital. Hospital records and the death certificate documented that the resident experienced acute hypoxic respiratory failure, aspiration pneumonia, cardiac arrest, and ultimately anoxic brain death due to choking on food.
Removal Plan
- RN responded to Resident #77, EMS was called, and the resident was transferred to the hospital.
- RN notified Resident #77's physician of the incident.
- The DON reviewed Resident #77's diet order for accuracy.
- The DON initiated an investigation of events surrounding Resident #77's choking incident.
- The DON conducted a root cause analysis and determined Resident #77 choked when CNA #151 provided Resident #77 with the incorrect diet texture during the evening snack.
- The DON reviewed all facility residents' care plans to ensure they accurately reflected current diet orders.
- The DON conducted a full house audit to ensure no additional residents received incorrect diet consistency or improper feeding assistance.
- The DON educated CNA #151 on ensuring each resident received their diet as ordered.
- The DON educated all nursing staff and the Dietetic Technician on ensuring resident care plans accurately reflected current diet needs.
- The DON educated all nursing staff on the facility policy to ensure each resident received their diet as ordered and where to verify a resident's diet order.
- The Administrator, the DON, the LPN/UM, the RDO, and the RCD reviewed facility policies on assisting residents with in-room meals, snack serving, and therapeutic diets.
- An ad hoc QAPI meeting was held to review the choking incident and the facility's corrective action plan.
- The Dietary Manager posted a list of mechanical soft approved foods in the nutrition rooms on each floor of the facility.
- The Dietary Manager posted a list of residents with mechanically altered diets in the nutrition rooms on each floor of the facility.
- The Dietary Manager and/or designee will monitor and update the lists as diet orders change, with new admissions, and as needed.
- The Dietary Manager placed separate bins identifying regular snacks and mechanically altered snacks in the nutrition rooms.
- The Dietary Manager and/or designee will ensure appropriate food items are placed in each bin based on safe foods for each diet texture.
- The DON will audit nursing staff to ensure understanding of mechanically altered diets, with results reported to the QAPI committee.
- The DON will audit residents to ensure meals and snacks being served are appropriate based on the ordered diet, with results reported to the QAPI committee.
- The DON audited all Nutrition and Hydration Status Assessments to ensure accuracy regarding residents' feeding capabilities, including supervision and assistance.
- Any inaccuracies in Nutrition and Hydration Status Assessments were corrected immediately by the Dietetic Technician.
- The DON reviewed all residents' care plans to ensure they accurately reflected the residents' feeding and eating capabilities, including supervision and assistance.
- The DON educated all nursing staff on following the care plan and Kardex to identify a resident's level of assistance required when eating.
- The Registered Dietitian educated the Dietetic Technician on completing Nutrition and Hydration Status Assessments to accurately reflect a resident's level of assistance required when eating.
- The DON will audit residents to ensure they are receiving feeding assistance and supervision as needed, with results reported to the QAPI committee.
- The DON will complete random audits of resident charts for the most recent admission, quarterly, and change of condition Nutrition and Hydration Status Assessments for accuracy of the resident's level of assistance required when eating, with results reported to the QAPI committee.
Penalty
Resources
Below are regulatory guidelines relevant to this citation:
Pureed diet foods were not consistently prepared to the required pudding-like consistency for two residents with dysphagia diets. During meal observation and a test tray review, the SLP and Dietary leadership found that some pureed items were smooth, but others, including a dessert item, were thick and sticky like peanut butter and did not slide off the spoon. The SLP, RD, District Dietary Manager, and Administrator all acknowledged ongoing inconsistency in pureed food preparation, with staff turnover and lack of a standard recipe contributing to the issue.
Failure to Serve Ordered Thickened Liquids: A resident with dysphasia and an order for honey-thick liquids was served thin tomato soup during lunch, even though staff had prepared his tea with thickener. The SLP note documented the resident tolerated thin liquids without overt s/s of aspiration during an assessment, but interviews confirmed nursing staff were responsible for thickening soups and drinks before service and that the soup should have been thickened to honey consistency.
A resident with severe cognitive impairment and a physician-ordered puree diabetic diet was given a peanut butter and jelly uncrustable during a snack pass after asking for more food. Staff later stated they did not know the item was not appropriate for a puree diet and that diet lists were not available to them at the time. The resident choked, became unresponsive, lost her pulse, and required CPR and EMS intervention; hospital records noted a small pneumothorax and rib fractures related to CPR.
A resident with dysphagia and a chopped meat diet order choked after being served a large piece of chicken that was not prepared to the ordered texture. Staff attempted the Heimlich maneuver, back blows, and CPR before EMS removed the chicken from the airway. The resident was hospitalized in critical condition, later required intubation and a G-tube, and speech therapy recommended NPO.
Improper Preparation of IDDSI Level 5 Minced and Moist Meal: A resident’s MM5 meal was prepared at the tray line using SB6 chopped meat instead of food minced in advance to the required size. A dietary staff member mashed the meat with a scoop and added gravy, and the DS stated the meat pieces were too large and that preparing MM5 during plating was not appropriate. The facility recipe required the food to be processed to 4 x 15 mm, and the therapeutic diet policy called for diets to be planned and prepared with the Dietitian.
A resident who required a pureed diet was served a lunch entree with visible lumps, and the CNA confirmed the puree was lumpy. The ST stated the resident needed a pureed consistency and that pureed foods should be smooth with no lumps or bumps. The report also identified six additional residents receiving pureed texture who could have been affected.
Pureed Diet Foods Served at Incorrect Consistency
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to serve pureed food items in the applesauce- or pudding-like consistency required for residents with advanced dysphagia diets. During lunch meal observation, the SLP reported that residents ordered pureed diets could not eat the food because it was too thick to swallow, describing the pureed items from the kitchen as paste-like rather than the expected applesauce-like consistency. She stated that when she observed pureed food that was too thick, she returned it to the kitchen so dietary staff could add more liquid, and she attributed the inconsistency to high dietary staff turnover and inadequate training. A test tray reviewed with the District Dietary Manager showed that the pureed chicken, collard greens, mashed potatoes, and bread were smooth and pudding-like, but the pureed brownie was thick and sticky, similar to peanut butter, and could not be shaken off the spoon. The District Dietary Manager agreed the brownie was too thick and said it needed more milk to reach the correct consistency. The SLP, RD, District Dietary Manager, and Administrator all acknowledged ongoing inconsistency in pureed food preparation, with the SLP stating that for the past year the food was often paste- or peanut butter-like and the District Dietary Manager noting there was no recipe for pureeing the items, making consistency difficult to maintain.
Failure to Serve Ordered Thickened Liquids
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure Resident #42 received food prepared in the ordered form for a thickened liquid diet. Resident #42 was a male resident admitted with a diagnosis of dysphasia, had a BIMS score of 14 indicating intact cognition, and required assistance with ADLs. His care plan identified a therapeutic diet related to dysphagia, and a physician order dated 07/06/2026 specified a regular diet with soft mechanical texture and honey thick consistency. During lunch observation on 07/06/2026, LVN D prepared tea with premixed thickener, but the tomato soup served to Resident #42 was not thickened and remained thin when observed dripping off the spoon in small droplets. The SLP note from the same day documented that the resident consumed thin liquids via cup without overt signs or symptoms of aspiration during a diet assessment, and the note stated he should continue meals in the dining room with staff assistance. Interviews with the Dietary Manager, SLP, LVN D, ADON, DON, and Administrator confirmed that nursing staff were responsible for thickening liquids and that the soup should have been thickened to honey consistency before serving.
Improper Texture Food Served to Resident on Puree Diet
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide a resident with food prepared in a form designed to meet her individual needs and according to her physician-ordered puree diet. The resident had severe cognitive impairment, was dependent on staff for eating, and had diagnoses including schizophrenia, diabetes mellitus, and stroke. Her care plan and electronic health record documented a puree diabetic diet with regular liquids and supervision/cueing with meals, along with monitoring for chewing difficulty, pocketing, and slow eating. During an evening snack pass, staff gave the resident ice cream and then, after she said she was still hungry, provided a peanut butter and jelly uncrustable sandwich. Staff later stated the resident requested the sandwich and that they did not know it was not appropriate for a puree diet. Staff also stated there were no diet lists posted for staff to look at until after the incident, and one staff member said she was not sure what foods would be considered pureed. The resident was sitting upright in the commons area when she began choking, and staff observed wheezing, stridor, and the universal sign for choking. Staff attempted the Heimlich maneuver and back thrusts without success. The resident became pale, lost consciousness, and had no palpable pulse. CPR was started, oxygen was applied, and 911 was called. EMS later suctioned peanut butter from the resident's posterior pharynx. Hospital records documented that she had a choking episode while eating at the facility, required resuscitation, and was found to have a small pneumothorax and rib fractures related to CPR. The facility's investigation confirmed that the resident had been given a peanut butter and jelly sandwich despite being ordered a puree diet.
Choking After Receiving Food Not Prepared to Ordered Texture
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that a resident with a physician-ordered chopped meat diet received food prepared in the ordered texture. The resident had diagnoses including Parkinson’s disease, dementia, schizoaffective disorder, chronic kidney disease, heart failure, diabetes, and oropharyngeal dysphagia. The resident’s care plan and nutrition documentation showed the resident required supervision with eating and was ordered a mechanically altered diet with chopped meats, thin liquids, and other dietary restrictions. During the dinner meal in the dining room, the resident was under CNA supervision when the resident began choking after consuming a large piece of chicken that was not prepared according to the ordered chopped meat texture. Staff attempted the Heimlich maneuver and back blows, but the resident became unresponsive. Staff then moved the resident, initiated CPR, and called 911. EMS later removed a large piece of chicken from the resident’s trachea during airway management. Witness statements and interviews indicated the resident had a whole piece of chicken on the tray after the incident, while the ordered diet required chopped meat pieces no larger than one-half inch. The resident was transported to the hospital in critical condition with choking, hypoxemia, and unresponsiveness. Hospital records showed the resident required intubation, remained unresponsive, and later required a G-tube placement. Speech therapy evaluations later recommended the resident remain NPO. The report also noted that the facility had other residents on mechanically altered diets, and that the meal ticket for this resident did not identify the dinner selection or what meal was actually served.
Improper Preparation of IDDSI Level 5 Minced and Moist Meal
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to prepare food in accordance with the IDDSI framework for a resident who required Level 5 minced and moist foods. During lunch tray line service in the kitchen, a staff member used a scoop utensil designated for Level 6 small-and-bite-sized foods to plate chopped Salisbury Steak from the steam table for a tray that called for MM5 texture. The staff member then used the edge of the scoop utensil to mash some of the meat and stated during interview that the SB6 texture was used to create MM5 because it was soft and gravy was added. The Regional Dietary Supervisor reviewed an MM5 tray prepared for lunch and stated that the meat was too large and posed a risk of choking to residents. The supervisor also stated that preparing MM5 texture during plating was not appropriate and that texture-modified food should have been prepared in advance. The facility’s recipe for Salisbury Steak with Onions directed that IDDSI #5/minced and moist food be placed into a food processor and minced until the food was 4 x 15 mm, and the facility’s Therapeutic Diets policy stated that therapeutic diets were to be planned and prepared in consultation with the Dietitian.
Pureed Diet Served With Visible Lumps
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to serve mechanically altered foods at an appropriate texture for a resident who required a pureed diet. Resident #24 had diagnoses including Alzheimer's disease, depression, hypertension, and COPD, and the record showed dysphagia with recommendations for puree consistency. The resident's care plan and MDS indicated severe cognitive impairment, dependence for eating, and a mechanically altered diet. During a lunch observation, the resident's pureed meat entree was plated and later served with visible lumps throughout it, and the CNA feeding the resident confirmed that the puree was lumpy. The CNA stated that pureed foods were not always completely smooth and that the consistency depended on what food items were pureed. The speech therapist stated the resident required a pureed diet because of decline and that a mechanical soft or ground meat texture would not be appropriate. The therapist also stated pureed foods should not have visible lumps or bumps and should be smooth. The report further identified six additional residents receiving pureed texture who could have been affected by the same issue.
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