Dietary service

Dietary service.

(1) Dietary service. The facility shall provide each resident a nourishing, palatable, well-balanced diet that meets the daily nutritional and special dietary needs of each resident.

(2) Staff.

(a) Dietitian. The nursing home shall employ or retain on a consultant basis a dietitian to plan, direct and ensure implementation of dietary service functions.

(b) Director of food services.

1. The nursing home shall designate a person to serve as the director of food services. A qualified director of food services is a person responsible for implementation of dietary service functions in the nursing home and who meets any of the following requirements:

a. Is a dietitian.

b. Has completed at least a course of study in food service management approved by the dietary managers association or an equivalent program.

c. Holds an associate degree as a dietetic technician from a program approved by the American dietetics association.

2. If the director of food services is not a dietitian, the director of food services shall consult with a qualified dietitian on a frequent and regularly scheduled basis.

(4) Menus.

(a) General. The facility shall make reasonable adjustments to accommodate each resident’s preferences, habits, customs, appetite, and physical condition.

6. A variety of protein foods, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, breads, and cereals shall be provided.

(b) Therapeutic diets. Therapeutic diets shall be prescribed by the attending physician. The attending physician may delegate to a licensed or certified dietitian the prescribing of a resident’s diet, including a therapeutic diet, to the extent allowed by law. Therapeutic diets shall be served consistent with such orders.

(5) Meal service.

(c) Table service. The facility shall provide table service in dining rooms for all residents who can and want to eat at a table, including residents in wheelchairs.

ician may delegate to a licensed or certified dietitian the prescribing of a resident’s diet, including a therapeutic diet, to the extent allowed by law. Therapeutic diets shall be served consistent with such orders.

(5) Meal service.

(c) Table service. The facility shall provide table service in dining rooms for all residents who can and want to eat at a table, including residents in wheelchairs.

(g) Drinking water. When a resident is confined to bed, a covered pitcher of drinking water and a glass shall be provided on a bedside stand. The water shall be changed frequently during the day, and pitchers and glasses shall be sanitized daily. Single-service disposable pitchers and glasses may be used. Common drinking utensils shall not be used.

(7) Sanitation. All readily perishable food and drink, except when being prepared or served, shall be kept in a refrigerator which shall have a temperature maintained at or below 40 ° F. (4 ° C.).