New Safe Care Resource Available to Prevent Dietary Safety Events

Posted on March 3, 2022 by Julie Apold

Pre-meal safety checks can help prevent harmful mistakes related to food allergies and modified food textures. A new LeadingAge Minnesota Safe Care resource, Preventing Dietary Safety Events, is available to address these two dietary safety issues that have emerged from analysis of OHFC substantiated event reports and Immediate Jeopardy citations:

• Residents experiencing allergic reactions due to being offered foods they are allergic to and
• Resident choking incidents due to receiving foods that are the incorrect texture.

Recommendations and resources developed by the Dietary Safety Advisory Group address the critical contributing factors identified in the data, including:

• Documenting and communicating diet modifications;
• Identifying potential allergen ingredients in foods;
• Verifying diet modifications are followed, training and auditing; and
• Responding to an adverse dietary event.

The March 15 Safe Care Champion Virtual Networking Call will focus on two practices highlighted in the Preventing Dietary Safety Events resource - Pre-Meal Huddles and Dietary Safety Pauses. If you want to learn more about these safety practices, join us from 11:30 to noon. 

Registration is required.

If you are interested in adding a Safe Care Champion or becoming a Safe Care-committed organization, you can contact Julie Apold, Vice President, Quality & Performance Excellence.