Mount Pleasant Manor

Entrusting the care of loved ones to a nursing facility or assisted living center can be a challenging experience for any family member who is expecting the highest level of care and services in a safe and compassionate environment. No matter how much research we do to locate the best place, the nursing staff can still cause significant problems that they neglect, mistreatment or abuse those we love. Often, the signs associated with elder abuse and neglect are challenging to identify leaving us with the uneasy feeling that we are not adequately protecting our family member. The South Carolina nursing home abuse attorneys have assisted many families in finding justice and obtaining financial compensation to recover damages associated with the preventable injuries or wrongful death our loved one experienced.

If your loved one has been mistreated at Mount Pleasant Manor, contact our South Carolina nursing home abuse lawyers.

Mount Pleasant Manor

This Long-Term Care Center is a 132-certified bed "for-profit" Home providing services to residents of Mount Pleasant and Charleston County, South Carolina. The Facility is located at:

921 Bowman Road
Mt Pleasant, SC 29464
(843) 884-8903

In addition to providing around-the-clock skilled nursing care, the facility also offers active programs including restorative care and rehabilitative services.

Financial Penalties and Violations

When investigators working for the federal government identify severe violations of nursing home rules and regulations, they can penalize the facility by a denial of payment for Medicare services or impose monetary fines. During the last three years, investigators have fined this nursing home $31,071 on December 7, 2017. Additional documentation about [fines and penalties] can be found on the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control Website concerning Mount Pleasant Manor.

Mount Pleasant South Carolina Nursing Home Patients Safety Concerns

To be fully informed on the level of care nursing homes provide, families routinely research the South Carolina Department of Public Health and Medicare database systems for a complete list of filed complaints, safety concerns, opened investigations, health violations, incident inquiries, and dangerous hazards. This information provides valuable content to make a well-informed decision of where to place a loved one who requires the highest level of hygiene assistance and nursing care.

According to Medicare, this facility maintains an overall rating of one out of five stars, including one out of five stars concerning health inspections, three out of five stars for staffing issues and four out of five stars for quality measures. The Charleston County neglect attorneys at Nursing Home Law Center viewed severe deficiencies, violations, hazards and safety concerns at Mount Pleasant Manor including:

• Failure to Protect Every Resident from Abuse, Physical Punishment or Being Separated from Others

  In a summary statement of deficiencies dated November 3, 2016, a state agency investigator made a notation during an annual licensure and certification survey of the facility's failure to "provide an environment free of verbal and physical abuse for [a resident] with a reported incident of verbal and physical abuse." The state investigator reviewed the resident's records after "a family member reported in an alleged incident of inappropriate contact between [the resident and a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)]." The CNA "was immediately suspended, and an investigation was initiated on October 27, 2016. A 24-hour report was sent to the State Survey Agency on October 27, 2016." The State Survey Agency received a five-day follow-up report on October 31, 2016 "with the conclusion of physical and verbal abuse."

  The surveyor interviewed the facility Administrator on November 4, 2016, who stated that "the facility had placed several measures in place to prevent abuse from happening and provided the information to the surveyor who reviewed the facility policy titled: Abuse Prohibition. The facility Administrator contacted the South Carolina CNA Abuse Registry "to report the pulmonary findings regarding [the CNA to prevent the CNA] from taking a position with another facility or in case [they were] already working as needed in another facility."

• 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 February 16, 2018, a state surveyor noted the nursing home's failure to "notify the physician of a significant weight loss for [one resident] reviewed for nutrition." The investigator reviewed the resident's medical records that revealed the resident had an unidentified weight loss of 6.19% during one time frame and 10.34% during another time frame.

  A review of the medical records show that the resident weighed 174.8 pounds on August 7, 2017, and 163.8 pounds less than a month later on September 4, 2017, and by January 1, 2018, the resident weighed 153 pounds. The investigator stated that further review of the resident's records "revealed that the physician and responsible party were not notified until December 8, 2017 of the resident's continued weight loss, but intervention was not in place until December 12, 2017." Additional review of the medical records indicated that the resident "was care planned for mechanically altered food texture and therapeutic diet, but not for weight loss or potential weight loss."

  As a part of the investigation, the surveyor interviewed the facility Director of Nursing on February 15, 2018, who said that "the Care Plan was not updated, but I will happily update it now for you. The revised Care Plan was submitted the following day."

  The investigator interviewed a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) on February 15, 2018, who stated "that the weight of 174.8 pounds that was entered in the computer for August 7, 2017, was incorrect, which made the written weight listed in the hard chart also incorrect. A note on the Vital Signs and Weight Record for August 7, 2017" was in error. Additionally, "a dietary note written by the Certified Dietary Manager on August 18, 2017, stated that 'nurses re-weighed the resident and still in WPW range." While the manager states that the previous weight of 164.8 was in error, there "was no weight loss indicated." Additionally, a confirmation by the Registered Dietitian did not clarify why "the dietary Department did not identify significant weight loss from August 7, 2017, through September 4, 2017.

• Failure to Record Events concerning a Resident's Fall and a Transfer to the Hospital for Treatment

  In a summary statement of deficiencies dated February 16, 2018, a surveyor noted the deficient practice concerning the nursing home's failure to "record events surrounding the resident fall and a transfer to the hospital for treatment" of their condition. According to the hospital records, the resident "was admitted following a fall which was not recorded in the facility's medical records." The investigator reviewed the February 15, 2018 Nurse's Notes that "revealed no entry regarding the reason for transportation to the emergency room for evaluation. No transfer form was located in the record."

  The investigator reviewed the hospital's H & P (History and Physical) document that revealed that the resident "had been found on the floor next to [their] bed. A hematoma was noted on [their] forehead. The patient appeared to be agitated and was groaning."

  The state investigator interviewed the facility Director of Nursing on February 15, 2018, who "reviewed the record and verified the Physician's Telephone Order to transfer the resident." The Director stated that "the order should have included the reason for the transfer." The Director was unable to find any record "of the fall in the Nurse's Notes." The Director also stated that "no incident/accident report or transfer record had been completed and there was no entry on the 24-hour (shift) Report." The investigator reviewed the facility policy titled: Transfer or Discharge, Emergency that reads in part:

  "Should it become necessary to make an emergency transfer or discharge to a hospital or other related institution, our facility will implement the following procedures: Notify the receiving facility that the transfer is being made; Prepare transfer form to send with the resident; Notify the representative (sponsor) or other family members; Assist in obtaining transportation."

• Failure to Ensure the Nursing Home is Free from Accident Hazards and Every Resident Is Provided Adequate Supervision to Prevent Accidents

  In a summary statement of deficiencies dated February 16, 2018, the state agency surveyor noted the facility's deficient practice to "record the events surrounding the fall, prevention measures in place, resident assessment, completed incident/accident report, document any noted injuries and transfer to the hospital for treatment."

• Failure to Provide Appropriate Care for Residents Continent or Incontinent of Bowel and Bladder

  In a summary statement of deficiencies dated February 16, 2018, a state surveyor made a notation of a deficient practice concerning the facility's failure to "follow proper catheter care." The deficient practice by the nursing staff involved one resident that was observed while undergoing suprapubic catheter care on February 16, 2018, by a Registered Nurse who "failed to anchor the catheter to prevent tugging/pulling while cleansing the catheter proximally to distally while both washing and rinsing it." The investigator noted the proper technique as described in the 2012 version of Mosby's Nursing Skills that reads in part: "urinary catheters should be stabilized with the dominant hand during cleaning." The investigator interviewed the Registered Nurse who "confirmed the observation and stated, 'I thought I would cross contaminate the catheter if I touched it up there'."

• Failure to develop, Implement and Enforce Policies That Prevent and Control Infections

  In a summary statement of deficiencies dated February 16, 2018, a notation was made by a state investigator concerning the facility's failure to "wash/sanitize hands before exiting the soiled utility room after contaminating them during disposal of soiled linen." As a part of the investigation, the surveyor reviewed the facility's policy titled: Hand Washing/Hand Hygiene.

  The surveyor observed a resident undergoing catheter care by a Registered Nurse (RN) who "entered the soiled utility room to place the used linens into the soiled linen container/bin." The Registered Nurse "did not wash or sanitize [their] hands before leaving the room and after handling the soiled lid of the utility bin." The RN "proceeded to enter the kitchenette to wash [their] hands, contaminating the kitchenette door handle." The investigator interviewed the RN who "confirmed the observation and stated, 'I should have used the sink in the dirty utility room to wash my hands.'"

• Failure to Notify the Resident or Provide Reasons for Transfer or Discharge

  In a summary statement of deficiencies dated September 17, 2015, a notation was made by the state surveyor concerning the nursing home's failure to "appropriately discharge [one resident] reviewed for elopement." The resident was "assessed by the staff as an elopement risk, exited the building without staff supervision. After a return to the facility, [the resident] was later transferred out to the hospital for evaluation and [did not return] to the facility."

  The investigator reviewed the resident's Medical Records from September 1, 2015, that revealed a Nurses Note dated July 11, 2015, documenting that "the resident has been very restless and angry today." The resident "has refused to take meds at 1:00 PM. Police called and stated [the resident] was found out on the street by [a heavily traveled commercial intersection and was] taken to the hospital. The Physician and Director of Nurses were notified." After the resident was returned to the facility, the 7-Eleven 2015 Nurses Note revealed that the "resident sleeping at present. Head to toe skin assessment done, revealed no current skin issues. The resident is easily aroused. Follows verbal commands. Resident arouses then just back to sleep."

  Other documentation from the facility states that the staff was instructed by the Director of Nurses "to transfer the resident to the hospital to the emergency room to evaluate." However, there were "no further Nurse's Notes found as [to why the resident] was not admitted back to the facility to complete [their] physical therapy." The state investigator interviewed the Director of Nurses who confirmed that the resident "was sent out to the hospital due to elopement and did not return to the facility." During an interview with the Social Services Director, it was revealed that the resident "was sent out for an evaluation due to [their] diagnosis." However, "no documentation could be found in the social service section of the medical record [regarding] the elopement and the discharge. No documented evidence that the resident would or would not be returning to the facility are detailed discharge summary could be found in the medical record for [that resident].

Do You Have More Questions about Mount Pleasant Manor?

If your loved one is suffering from abuse, neglect or mistreatment while living at Mount Pleasant Manor, the South Carolina nursing home abuse attorneys at Nursing Home Law Center at (800) 926-7565 can help. Our network of attorneys fights aggressively on behalf of Charleston County victims of mistreatment living in long-term facilities including nursing homes in Mount Pleasant. Our dedicated attorneys have represented clients with victim cases involving nursing home mistreatment. With our years of success, our attorneys can assist your family in successfully resolving your financial recompense case against all those who caused your loved one harm. 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 case involving nursing home abuse, wrongful death or personal injury through contingency fee arrangements. This agreement postpones the need to make a payment to pay for legal services until after your case is successfully resolved through a jury trial award or negotiated out of court settlement. We provide each client a "No Win/No-Fee" Guarantee, meaning you owe us nothing if we cannot obtain compensation for your damages. We can begin working on your case today to ensure your family receives monetary recovery for your losses. All information you share with our law offices will remain confidential.