Failure to Provide Planned Entrée Portion Sizes at Lunch
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that dietary staff served the appropriate planned portion sizes as required by facility policy and posted menus. The facility’s policy on food quality and palatability stated that menu items are to be prepared according to the menu, production guidelines, and standardized recipes. The posted lunch menu indicated residents had a choice of ham or chicken, and the dietary guide sheet specified that the honey glazed ham portion was to be 3 ounces. During the lunch meal, observations showed that residents were being served only one small, thin crescent-shaped slice of ham. When weighed on a food scale at the surveyor’s request, the ham portion was found to weigh only 1 ounce instead of the required 3 ounces. A quarterly MDS for one resident showed that she was cognitively intact, able to understand and be understood, and independent with eating. Observation of this resident during lunch revealed she had only one half slice of thinly sliced ham and she complained that the portion was small and cold. An admission MDS for another resident showed that she was cognitively intact, able to understand and be understood, and required set up for eating. Observation of this resident at lunch revealed she also had one half slice of thin, curled ham, which she described as very thin and tasting like leather; she took one bite and refused to eat more. The Regional Dining and Nutrition Director confirmed that the ham slice should have weighed 3 ounces per the recipe and later stated that the prep cook had prepared breakfast-size portions instead of entrée-size portions, resulting in most residents not receiving the planned 3-ounce serving of ham.
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.