McCoy Memorial Nursing Center

Abuse and neglect occurring in nursing facilities have become an epidemic where many residents become victims of mistreatment by the hands of their caregivers in charge of providing them care. In many incidents, the nursing staff is overworked, underpaid or lack sufficient training and education to meet the needs of every elder, disabled or infirm resident. For some families, identifying the signs of neglect and abuse is challenging to recognize, or the mistreatment is covered up by the staff. Our affiliated attorneys  in South Carolina have represented many victims of nursing home abuse in South Carolina and can help your family too, so your family is adequately compensated for your damages.

McCoy Memorial Nursing Center

This Long-Term Care Facility is a 120-certified bed "for-profit" Home providing services and cares to residents of Bishopville and Lee County, South Carolina. The Center is located at:

207 Chappell Drive
Bishopville, SC 29010
(803) 484-5636

Financial Penalties and Violations

The federal government can penalize any nursing home with monetary fines or deny payment for Medicare when the facility had been cited for serious violations of rules and regulations. Within the last three years, McCoy Memorial Nursing Center has not been fined by the federal or state government. Additional documentation about fines and penalties can be found on the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control Website concerning McCoy Memorial Nursing Center.

Bishopville South Carolina Nursing Home Patients Safety Concerns

To ensure families are fully informed of the level of care every nursing home provides, the state of South Carolina routinely updates their long-term care home database system. This information reflects a complete list of safety concerns, opened investigations, incident inquiries, health violations, dangerous hazards, and filed complaints that can be found on numerous sites including South Carolina Department of Public Health and Medicare.gov.

According to Medicare, the facility maintains an overall rating of one out of five stars, including two out of five stars concerning health inspections, three out of five stars for staffing issues and one out of five stars for quality measures. The Lee County neglect attorneys at Nursing Home Law Center have viewed deficiencies and safety concerns at McCoy Memorial Nursing Center that include:

• Failure to Immediately Notify a Resident, the Resident's Doctor or Family Member of a Change in the Resident's Condition Including a Decline in Their Health or Injury

  In a summary statement of deficiencies dated June 11, 2015, a notation was made by a state surveyor concerning the facility's failure to notify the resident's "responsible party of a change in condition and the need for evaluation at the hospital emergency room." The investigator reviewed the resident's records that stated at 4:00 PM on June 11, 2015, the nurse manager said that the "resident needs to be sent to the emergency room, to assess and inform the resident… not responding to verbal stimuli." However, the investigator stated that there was "no mention of the notes that the family/responsible party was notified."

  A review of the physician's telephone orders dated June 11, 2015, revealed that the resident was to be sent "to the emergency room for evaluation." However, there is no mention "on the order that the family nor the responsible party was notified of a change in condition or the need to be hospitalized." A Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) stated during an interview that "the family/responsible party had not been notified of the resident's change in condition nor the need to go to the emergency room." The state investigator reviewed the facility's Policy Titled: Notification of Family/Responsible Parties that reads in part:

  "It is the policy of the nursing center to ensure that the resident, the resident's legal representative or the resident's responsible party will be made aware of… significant changes in the resident's physical, mental or psychosocial status. Any time that you need to call the physician [or there is a] need to transfer or discharge a resident."

  The investigator noted that the policy guides the staff to "immediately [notify] within 24 hours (depending on the circumstance), the facility will promptly notify the resident, the resident's legal representatives or the resident's responsible parties of any of the above changes. This will be documented in the Nurse's Notes or on the telephone order form if applicable."

• Failure to Ensure the Facility Provided Resident's Care by Qualified Individuals Based on the Resident's Written Plan of Care

  In a summary statement of deficiencies dated June 11, 2015, a state surveyor noted the facility' failure to "ensure services were provided [by] the written comprehensive plan of care." The deficient practice by the nursing staff involved two residents "reviewed for care plans." In one case, the resident's "written Plan of Care was not followed related to toileting program and [another resident's] written Plan of Care was not followed related to an alternating pressure mattress."

  The state investigator reviewed a resident's "comprehensive Plan of Care [that] revealed an intervention dated March 26, 2015, for the staff to toilet the resident every two hours and as needed with the assistance of one." However, there was "no documentation to be found in the resident's medical record whether the resident was toileted by staff." The resident's "Plan of Care had not been followed." The state investigator interviewed a facility Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) who revealed the resident "had not been toileted" stating "that this resident was not on a toileting program and had not been on a toileting program" as ordered in their Plan of Care. The state investigator interviewed a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) who stated that the resident "will let you know when [they need] to use the restroom but could not produce any documentation that [the resident] had been assisted to the restroom."

  The investigator reviewed another resident's Care Plan dated June 10, 2015, that revealed that that resident "was care planned to have an air mattress which was to be checked every shift with the setting on alternating mode." However, the investigator observed the resident's air mattress that morning at 10:25 AM and at 4:00 PM and the following day at 9:56 AM and at 12:05 PM that "revealed the air mattress was on a static pressure mode." As a result, the investigator interviewed the facility Director of Nursing who "confirmed the mattress was on static mode" and that the staff had not followed the resident's care plan.

• Failure to Provide Proper Treatment to Prevent the Development of a New Bedsore or Allow an Existing Bedsore to Heal

  In a summary statement of deficiencies dated June 11, 2015, a notation was made during an annual licensure and certification survey by a state investigator concerning the facility's failure to "prevent a pressure ulcer development and [failure] to follow infection control techniques for [a resident whose pressure ulcer treatment was observed]." The surveyor also stated that the facility "failed to follow ordered interventions for Care Plan interventions for [two other residents] reviewed for pressure ulcers." In one case, the resident's "bed was on static pressure, and a 'roho' cushion was not in use and [another resident's] air mattress and heel protectors were not in place as ordered."

  An observation was made of a resident on the morning of June 10, 2015 while on their back in bed "with the head of the bed elevated. The power button on the air mattress unit on the foot of the bed was not lit to indicate that the unit was on." As a result, the investigator interviewed a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) approximately 35 minutes later who "observed the resident and verified that the air mattress was plugged in but would not turn on." The LPN stated that "the mattress should be on alternating pressure. When asked to check the resident for moon boots, [the LPN] also verified that [that resident] had no heel protectors in place as ordered."

  The investigator followed up by interviewing the 200 Hall Certified Nursing Assistant who "was asked how they were made aware of the care required for the individual residents." The CNA stated that "the information was placed on the back of the closet door." The CNA that was assigned to the resident "reviewed the Nursing Assistant Care Information form on the closet door and verified that there were no instructions for an application of moon boots or the air mattress."

• Failure to Develop, Implement and Enforce Policies and Programs That Investigate, Control and Keep Infections from Spreading

  In a summary statement of deficiencies dated June 11, 2015, a state surveyor noted the facility's failure to "ensure proper handwashing technique was followed prior to urinary incontinence care." The deficient practice by the nursing staff involved one resident "observed for incontinent care." The state investigator observed a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) performing urinary incontinence care for a resident while "donning gloves and proceeding with incontinent care." However, the CNA "did not wash [their] hands prior to starting incontinent care." This deficiency was confirmed by the CNA who said that they "had not wash [their] hands before starting incontinent care." The investigator reviewed the facility policy titled: Hand Washing that reads in part:

  "Staff shall wash their hands or use hand sanitizers to prevent the transmission of infection."

  The investigator reviewed the handwashing facility in-service report dated April 15, 2015, that states "Each employee was in-serviced during checkoffs on the importance of handwashing at times when hand should be washed." According to the documentation, that CNA "was in attendance for the in-service."

• Failure to Ensure Every Resident Is Provided an Environment Free of Accident Hazards and Provided Supervision to Prevent Avoidable Accidents

  In a summary statement of deficiencies dated October 6, 2016, a state investigator noted the deficient practice while performing an annual licensure and certification survey concerning the nursing home's failure to "ensure that fall prevention measures were operational for [one resident] reviewed for accidents." The investigator reviewed a resident's MDS (Minimum Data Set) dated May 31, 2016, that revealed that the resident has sustained a fall. The resident's October 5, 2016 Nurse's Notes stated that there was "an alarm placed at that time." The fall risk assessment for the resident dated August 30, 2016, revealed the resident "was at high risk for falls."

  The investigator observed the resident "propelling themselves in a wheelchair in the corridor. A magnetic alarm unit was attached to the chair, but the cord was not clipped to the resident's clothing and the magnet was detached from the unit." The investigator said, "no alarm was sounding." A review of the resident's treatment administration records (TAR) dated October 5, 2016, at 9:45 AM revealed that the tab alarm to the bed and wheelchair was being initialed [by the staff] as checked every shift for placement. There was no record of function tests in the resident's record." The investigator interviewed the facility Director of Nurses on the morning of October 5, 2016, who stated, "they are supposed to change the batteries on the fifth of every month." The Director "verified placement, but no function checks documented on the TAR. When asked how staff ensure the alarms were operational, the [Director] stated that the nurse on the unit checked them once daily."

• Failure to Make Sure Services Provided by the Nursing Facility Meet Professional Standards of Quality

  In a summary statement of deficiencies dated October 11, 2017, a state surveyor made a notation of a deficient practice concerning the facility's failure to "provide services that met professional standards." The deficient practice by the nursing staff involved two residents "reviewed for accuracy of medication administration, had medication discontinued but it continues to be signed off is given by three different nurses for nine days after it was discontinued."

  The state investigator interviewed the Director of Nursing on the afternoon of October 10, 2017, who "verified that three different nurses documented the medication as given, and [the Director] will provide education and counsel the nurses." The Director "provided documentation from the pharmacy that the medication had not been sent to the nurses to administer."

Do You Need More Information about McCoy Memorial Nursing Center?

If you, or your loved one, have been injured or harmed while a resident at McCoy Memorial Nursing Center, call the South Carolina nursing home abuse attorneys at Nursing Home Law Center at (800) 926-7565] for legal help. Our network of attorneys fights aggressively on behalf of Lee County victims of mistreatment living in long-term facilities including nursing homes in Bishopville. Our nursing home attorneys have successfully resolved many financial compensation claims for victims of mistreatment in nursing homes. Contact us now to schedule a free case review to discuss how to obtain justice and resolve a financial compensation claim. Let us fight aggressively on your behalf to ensure your rights are protected.

We accept every nursing home neglect case, wrongful death lawsuit, and personal injury claim for compensation through contingency fee arrangements. This agreement postpones your need to make a payment for our legal services until after your case is successfully resolved through a negotiated out of court settlement or jury trial award. We offer every client a "No Win/No-Fee" Guarantee. This guarantee ensures that you will owe us nothing if we cannot obtain compensation on your behalf. Let our team begin working on your case today to ensure you receive adequate compensation. All information you share with our law offices will remain confidential.