PRACTICE ACTIVITY 1
Let’s practice using the 5 Whys method to uncover the root cause of a finding after a recent monitoring review.
SCENARIO:
You are conducting an onsite meal service observation and you notice that the cook is serving orange drink for the fruit/vegetable component. As a monitor, you are worried because from the looks of it, the center is not in compliance and cannot submit documentation to claim this meal for reimbursement since all of the required components were not met for breakfast. Upon questioning the cook, she indicates that the orange juice is listed on the posted menu for that day but the center did not have orange juice on hand. However, in order to stay in as close as possible to the posted menu, she decided to serve the orange drink since it has Vitamin C and a picture of fresh-cut oranges on the container. The cook said she did not know that the orange drink did not meet the meal pattern requirements. As a monitor, you must report that the breakfast served cannot be be submitted to the sponsoring organization and claimed for reimbursement.
Let’s ask why to find out what happened.
ANSWER
Because a non-creditable orange drink was served instead of the orange juice that was documented on the menu.
ANSWER
Because other than milk and full-strength apple juice, the orange drink was the only drink available to serve.
ANSWER
The cook assumed the choice was acceptable because it appeared to be similar to orange juice. It had pictures of fresh-cut oranges on the label and it included the wording “naturally flavored.” Apples and/or apples juice were not listed on the menu.
ANSWER
The cook was not properly trained on the CACFP meal pattern and to ensure that the required meal pattern is met at all times. Specifically, that only pasteurized, full-strength juice may be used to meet the vegetable or fruit meal pattern requirements.
Root Cause - The root cause to the noncompliance is lack of training.