CMS Survey Data

The 10 Equipment-Related Survey Citations Nursing Home Maintenance Directors See Most

Maintenance directors own a long list of Life Safety Code requirements, and many of them are about equipment. Here are the equipment-related K-tags surveyors cited most in U.S. nursing homes over three years, and who usually fixes each one.

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The List

TagWhat it coversCitations (3 yrs)Who usually fixes it
K918Emergency generator testing (10-second transfer)7,918Generator vendor
K920Power strips and extension cords5,299Medical equipment technician + facilities
K923Oxygen and medical gas storage3,460Medical equipment technician + facilities
K291Emergency lighting2,629Electrician / facilities
K914Receptacles at patient bed locations1,963Medical equipment technician / electrician
K921Testing & maintenance of patient care equipment (PCREE)1,563Medical equipment technician
K911Electrical system installation & maintenance973Electrician
K781Portable space heaters843Facilities
K919Use of electrical equipment765Medical equipment technician
K912Receptacle grounding604Electrician / medical equipment technician

Generator testing (K918) alone reached 6,029 nursing homes, more than 40% of all facilities. Oxygen storage (K923) reached 3,072, and power strips (K920) 4,170.

Where a Medical Equipment Technician Helps

Several of these tags come down to patient care equipment and how it's powered and maintained:

  • K921: electrical safety (PCREE) testing of beds, lifts, monitors, concentrators and pumps, with device-level records. See PCREE testing.
  • K920 and K919: making sure medical equipment is powered correctly (medical-grade power taps, no daisy chains) and used as intended.
  • K923: oxygen concentrator service and cylinder handling practices. See our oxygen citation analysis.
  • K914: bedside receptacle testing, often done alongside equipment testing.

Generators, emergency lighting and building wiring belong with your generator vendor and electrician. A good maintenance calendar covers both.

Free tools: look up any nursing home's equipment citations and next survey window, or estimate your maintenance program.

Source: Medical Equipment Repair Network analysis of the CMS Provider Data Catalog, Nursing Homes: Fire Safety Deficiencies and Provider Information (processed September 2026). Unless noted, figures cover survey dates from September 2023 to August 2026.

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Frequently Asked Questions

K918, emergency generator testing and transfer within 10 seconds, with 7,918 citations at 6,029 nursing homes from September 2023 to August 2026.
K921 (electrical equipment testing and maintenance), K919 and K920 (use and powering of medical equipment), K914 (bedside receptacles) and oxygen equipment issues related to K923.
Generator testing and maintenance (K918) is usually handled by the facility's maintenance team and generator service vendor.