Reference no: EM133635752
Case: "It's going to be a great day!" thought Joe Ascot, director of environmental services for Peace County Health Department. Even though he struggled with having too few restaurant inspectors for the restaurants in his growing county, Joe knew that public health workers always soldier on and get things done. Then, the telephone rang.
The caller was the Director of Emergency Services at Peace County Hospital. He said that his emergency department (ED) waiting room was full of vomiting patients. He suspected that Salmonella poisoning was the reason for this ED rush. The most severe symptoms occurred in eight children under the age of 5 and five women older than the age of 70. Two of the children were in a serious condition. The ED nurses were able to determine that the patients had all attended the Grandma and Princess Luncheon at Aunt Tandy's Restaurant in Peace City. This catered event featured a menu of a fruit cup, chicken divan, French mashed potatoes, and green beans. For dessert, there was Aunt Tandy's chocolate cake and ice cream.
The ED director asked Joe to contact the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) immediately and check his records for inspection reports on Aunt Tandy's Restaurant. Joe was surprised about what appeared to be Salmonella poisoning. He knew that poor kitchen hygiene was one of the sources of this problem, but he was certain that Aunt Tandy's was not to blame. After all, the restaurant had a great reputation in Peace County.
Before Joe called the CDC to report a possible outbreak of Salmonella poisoning, he searched his inspection database. "There's nothing here!" he thought as he searched and rechecked the database. There was no record of any inspection of Aunt Tandy's Restaurant during the past 6 months or even within the past year. Immediately, he telephoned his restaurant inspectors. None had a record of inspections for Aunt Tandy's on their lists.
"What should I do now? There is no documentation for an inspection at Aunt Tandy's, and I have to call the CDC. Will I lose my job?" thought Joe. With great anxiety, he picked up the telephone and followed the specified protocol. He dialed the number for the state health department, which would then contact the CDC.
Note: The state health department, working in cooperation with the CDC, conducted an investigation of Aunt Tandy's restaurant based on the data from the patient reports. Investigators found that Aunt Tandy assigned a new employee for food preparation. This employee cut up the raw chicken for the chicken divan, then wiped the board with a dishcloth and cut up the fruit for the fruit cup. This error allowed transfer of the Salmonella bacteria from the uncooked chicken to the fruit. Those who were most susceptible (children and the elderly) had the worst symptoms.
Should Joe lose his job?