PCREE Testing in Skilled Nursing Facilities: Lessons From Real Facilities (Anonymized)
Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) face real-world challenges in Patient Care-Related Electrical Equipment (PCREE) testing — from incomplete inventories to documentation gaps. The good news: facilities that adopt preventive programs, risk-based schedules, and thorough logs consistently avoid CMS deficiencies. These anonymized stories illustrate the difference between what works and what fails.
Why Real-World Lessons Matter
PCREE compliance often looks straightforward on paper: test equipment, keep records, stay compliant. But in practice, SNFs face staffing shortages, old equipment, and competing priorities. Surveyors don’t just want to see effort — they want proof.
Drawing on anonymized examples from facilities supported by Medical Equipment Repair Network (MERN), here are lessons that show what surveyors see and how to prepare.
Case Study 1: The Incomplete Inventory
The Problem:
A mid-sized SNF had never created a master inventory of PCREE. They relied on staff memory to know which devices needed testing. When surveyors asked for documentation, several infusion pumps and beds had no records.
Survey Result: Deficiency cited under CMS equipment safety requirements.
The Fix:
The facility built a full equipment inventory with serial numbers, locations, and categories. Within six months, they were able to produce accurate testing logs for every device.
Lesson Learned: If it’s not on paper (or digital log), it doesn’t exist to a surveyor.
Case Study 2: Skipped Receptacle Testing
The Problem:
Another facility performed annual leakage current testing on beds and pumps but never tested patient care-area receptacles. Staff assumed outlets were “facility infrastructure” and not part of PCREE compliance.
Survey Result: CMS surveyors flagged multiple outlets as untested, citing NFPA 99 requirements.
The Fix:
The facility added receptacle testing to their annual schedule (polarity, ground, retention). They also trained maintenance staff to conduct these tests and store results.
Lesson Learned: Outlets are part of the environment of care — ignoring them is one of the fastest ways to get cited.
Case Study 3: Reactive Repairs Gone Wrong
The Problem:
A large SNF used a reactive repair approach — fixing equipment only after it broke. One resident bed failed during survey week due to a frayed cord. Testing logs showed no preventive maintenance had been performed.
Survey Result: Immediate deficiency for failing to maintain safe equipment.
The Fix:
The facility shifted to preventive testing every 12 months and replaced aging cords proactively. Within a year, breakdowns dropped significantly.
Lesson Learned: Preventive testing costs less than the fallout from reactive repairs.
Case Study 4: Documentation Saves the Day
The Problem:
Surveyors visited a small SNF and asked for PCREE logs. Staff quickly produced electronic records showing test dates, results, technician names, and corrective actions for each device.
Survey Result: Surveyors were satisfied — no deficiencies cited.
The Fix:
This facility used a digital log and quarterly audits to ensure accuracy.
Lesson Learned: Good documentation can turn a stressful survey into a smooth process.
Common Themes Across Facilities
Inventory is always the starting point. Without it, you can’t prove compliance.
Receptacles are frequently overlooked. Yet they’re one of the first things surveyors check.
Preventive beats reactive. Emergencies cost more and increase risk.
Documentation is non-negotiable. If you can’t show it, it didn’t happen.
Key Takeaways
Real facilities show the gap between theory and practice.
CMS surveyors consistently look for complete inventories, preventive testing, receptacle checks, and documented results.
Facilities that prepare in advance rarely face citations — those that don’t often learn the hard way.
Resources
NFPA 99 Health Care Facilities Code
CMS State Operations Manual
OSHA Healthcare Electrical Safety
FDA Medical Device Guidance
Reviewed by the PCREE Test Compliance Team
Last Updated: September 2025