Methodology › Citation codes

Citation codes: official wording beside ours

When an inspector cites a nursing home, CMS records it as a code — F-0689, K-0353 — with a short regulatory description. Facility pages on this site show a plain-language version instead, because the official wording is written for compliance staff, not families.

This page shows both, for all 643 codes, so you can check ours against CMS's. Our versions are drafted with AI tools from the official description. Every build verifies that no code is missing a translation — but that is a check for completeness, not for accuracy: we do not re-read all 643 against their official descriptions before each release. Rather than ask you to take our word for it, the source text is here. If one of ours drifts from the official meaning,tell us.

Only the plain-language wording is a translation. The "why it matters" line and the suggested question that appear beside a citation on a facility page are ours — they add context and are not restatements of anything CMS wrote.

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Administration Deficiencies (69)
Automatic Sprinkler Systems Deficiencies (8)
Construction Deficiencies (17)
Corridor Walls and Doors Deficiencies (4)
Egress Deficiencies (43)
Electrical Deficiencies (6)
Emergency Plans and Fire Drills Deficiencies (2)
Emergency Preparedness Deficiencies (26)
Environmental Deficiencies (46)
Fire Alarm Systems Deficiencies (7)
Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies (17)
Gas, Vacuum, and Electrical Systems Deficiencies (29)
Hazardous Area Deficiencies (3)
Illumination and Emergency Power Deficiencies (6)
Infection Control Deficiencies (10)
Interior Deficiencies (7)
Laboratories Deficiencies (8)
Medical Gases and Anesthetizing Areas Deficiencies (8)
Miscellaneous Deficiencies (16)
Nursing and Physician Services Deficiencies (33)
Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies (27)
Pharmacy Service Deficiencies (13)
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies (57)
Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies (33)
Resident Rights Deficiencies (88)
Services Deficiencies (18)
Smoke Deficiencies (41)
Smoking Regulations Deficiencies (1)

Administration Deficiencies

Code	Official CMS description	How we word it
F-0150	Meet the legal definition of a skilled nursing facility or nursing facility.	The facility did not meet the basic legal definition of a nursing home — the fundamental requirements a facility must satisfy to operate as a skilled nursing or nursing facility.
F-0249	Ensure the activities program is directed by a qualified professional.	The facility's activities program was not led by a qualified professional, as the rules require.
F-0251	Hire a qualified full-time social worker in a facility with more than 120 beds.	The facility, which has more than 120 beds, did not employ a qualified full-time social worker. Larger facilities are required to have one on staff.
F-0490	Make sure that the facility is administered in an acceptable way that maintains the well-being of each resident .	The facility was not run in an acceptable way that protects and maintains the well-being of every resident. This points to problems with overall management and leadership.
F-0491	Be licensed under State and local laws.	The facility was not properly licensed under state and local laws.
F-0492	Operate and provide services according to Federal, State, and local laws and professional standards.	The facility did not operate and provide services in line with federal, state, and local laws and professional standards. This is a broad citation about the facility not following the rules that govern nursing homes.
F-0493	Establish a governing body that is legally responsible for establishing and implementing policies for managing and operating the facility and appoints a properly licensed administrator responsible for managing the facility	The facility did not have a proper governing body legally responsible for its policies and operations, or that body did not appoint a properly licensed administrator to run the facility.
F-0499	Employ staff that are licensed, certified, or registered in accordance with state laws.	The facility employed staff who were not licensed, certified, or registered as required by state law.
F-0500	Employ or obtain outside professional resources to provide services in the nursing home when the facility does not employ a qualified professional to furnish a required service.	The facility did not employ or bring in qualified outside professionals to provide a required service it couldn't staff itself. When a facility lacks an in-house expert, it must contract with one.
F-0502	Give or get quality laboratory services/tests in a timely manner to meet the needs of residents.	The facility did not provide or arrange quality laboratory tests quickly enough to meet residents' needs.
F-0503	Ensure laboratory services, blood blanks and transfusion services provided on site meet requirements for certified laboratories; or have an agreement to obtain services from an offsite laboratory, that meets the same requirements.	The facility's on-site laboratory or blood services did not meet the standards for certified labs, or the facility lacked an agreement with a qualified outside lab.
F-0504	Provide or obtain laboratory services only when ordered by the attending physician.	The facility provided or obtained laboratory services without an order from the resident's attending doctor. Lab tests should only happen when a physician orders them.
F-0505	Quickly tell the resident's doctor the results of laboratory tests.	The facility did not quickly report laboratory test results to residents' doctors.
F-0506	Help the resident with transportation to and from laboratory services outside of the facility.	The facility did not help residents with transportation to and from laboratory appointments outside the facility.
F-0507	Keep complete, dated laboratory records in the resident's file.	The facility did not keep complete, dated laboratory records in residents' files.
F-0508	Give or get x-rays and other tests in a timely manner to meet the needs of residents.	The facility did not provide or arrange x-rays and other tests quickly enough to meet residents' needs. Timely testing helps doctors diagnose and treat problems.
F-0509	1) Give or get tests or x-rays that meet hospital requirements; or 2) to obtain an agreement for these services from an approved provider or supplier.	The facility did not provide or arrange lab tests and x-rays that meet hospital-level standards, and did not have an agreement with an approved outside provider for these services.
F-0510	Give or get x-rays or tests only when they are ordered by the attending physician.	The facility provided or obtained x-rays or other diagnostic tests without an order from the resident's doctor.
F-0511	Tell the attending physician the results of x-rays and other tests, in a timely manner.	The facility did not tell the resident's doctor the results of x-rays and other tests in a timely manner.
F-0512	Help the resident in making transportation arrangements to and from radiology services.	The facility did not help residents arrange transportation to and from x-ray and imaging appointments. Facilities are expected to assist with getting residents to these services.
F-0513	Keep signed and dated reports of x-rays and other diagnostic services.	The facility did not keep signed and dated reports of x-rays and other diagnostic tests.
F-0514	Keep accurate, complete and organized clinical records on each resident that meet professional standards.	The facility did not keep accurate, complete, and organized medical records for each resident that meet professional standards.
F-0515	Keep clinical records for an appropriate amount of time.	The facility did not keep residents' clinical records for the required amount of time.
F-0516	Keep clinical record information safe.	The facility did not keep residents' medical record information safe. Medical records must be protected from loss, damage, and unauthorized access.
F-0517	Have a detailed, written plan for disasters and emergencies, such as fire, severe weather, and missing residents.	The facility did not have a detailed written plan for disasters and emergencies, such as fires, severe weather, or a missing resident.
F-0518	Train all employees on what to do in an emergency, and carry out unannounced staff drills.	The facility did not train all employees on what to do in an emergency, or did not run unannounced practice drills for staff.
F-0519	Have an agreement with at least one or more hospitals certified by Medicare or Medicaid to make sure residents can be moved quickly to the hospital when they need medical care.	The facility did not have an agreement with at least one Medicare- or Medicaid-certified hospital so residents can be moved there quickly when they need hospital care.
F-0520	Set up an ongoing quality assessment and assurance group to review quality deficiencies quarterly, and develop corrective plans of action.	The facility did not set up an ongoing quality committee that meets at least quarterly to review problems in care and create plans to fix them. This internal group is how a facility is supposed to catch and correct its own shortcomings.
F-0522	Follow rules about disclosure of ownership requirements and tell the state agency about changes in ownership and/or administrative personnel.	The facility did not follow rules about disclosing who owns it, or failed to tell the state about changes in ownership or key administrative staff.
F-0523	Submit a timely, acceptable plan for facility closure, including notification of the appropriate entities and ensuring residents are transferred in a safe and orderly manner.	The facility did not submit a timely, acceptable plan for closing down, including notifying the right authorities and making sure residents would be moved out safely and in an orderly way.
F-0524	Have policies and procedures ensuring the administrator's responsibilities for facility closure are completed successfully.	The facility did not have policies and procedures to make sure that, if it ever closed, the administrator would properly handle the closure — including safely relocating residents.
F-0526	Arrange for the provision of hospice services or assist the resident in transferring to a facility that will arrange for the provision of hospice services.	The facility did not arrange hospice services for a resident who needed them, or help the resident transfer to a facility that could. Hospice provides comfort-focused care for people nearing the end of life.
F-0527	Electronically submit to CMS complete and accurate direct care staffing information, based on payroll and other verifiable and auditable data.	The facility did not electronically submit complete and accurate staffing data to Medicare based on payroll records, as required.
F-0540	Meet the legal definition of a skilled nursing facility or nursing facility.	The facility did not meet the basic legal requirements to operate as a skilled nursing facility or nursing facility.
F-0770	Provide timely, quality laboratory services/tests to meet the needs of residents.	The facility did not provide timely, quality laboratory tests to meet residents' needs.
F-0771	Ensure laboratory services, blood blanks and transfusion services provided on-site meet requirements for certified laboratories.	The facility's on-site laboratory, blood bank, or transfusion services did not meet the requirements for certified laboratories.
F-0772	Have an agreement with an approved laboratory to obtain services, if on-site laboratory services aren't provided.	The facility did not have an agreement with an approved laboratory to provide lab services, even though it doesn't offer lab services on site.
F-0773	Provide or obtain laboratory tests/services when ordered and promptly tell the ordering practitioner of the results.	The facility did not provide or obtain laboratory tests when a doctor ordered them, or did not promptly report the results back to the doctor who ordered them.
F-0774	Help the resident with transportation to and from laboratory services outside of the facility.	The facility did not help residents with transportation to and from laboratory services outside the facility.
F-0775	Keep complete, dated laboratory records in the resident's record.	The facility did not keep complete, dated laboratory records in residents' files.
F-0776	Provide timely, approved x-ray services, or have an agreement with an approved provider to obtain them.	The facility did not provide timely, approved x-ray services or have an agreement with an approved provider to supply them.
F-0777	Provide or obtain x-rays/tests when ordered and promptly tell the ordering practitioner of the results.	The facility did not provide or obtain x-rays and other imaging tests when ordered, or did not promptly tell the ordering doctor the results.
F-0778	Help the resident make transportation arrangements to and from radiology services.	The facility did not help residents arrange transportation to and from x-ray and imaging services.
F-0779	Keep signed and dated reports of x-rays and other diagnostic services in the residents record.	The facility did not keep signed and dated reports of x-rays and other diagnostic tests in residents' records.
F-0835	Administer the facility in a manner that enables it to use its resources effectively and efficiently.	The facility was not managed in a way that uses its money, staff, and resources effectively and efficiently to care for residents.
F-0836	Ensure the facility is licensed under applicable State and local law and operates and provides services in compliance with all applicable Federal, State, and local laws, regulations, and codes, and with accepted professional standards.	The facility was not properly licensed, or did not operate in compliance with federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and accepted professional standards.
F-0837	Establish a governing body that is legally responsible for establishing and implementing policies for managing and operating the facility and appoints a properly licensed administrator responsible for managing the facility.	The facility did not have a proper governing body legally responsible for its policies and operations, or that body failed to appoint a properly licensed administrator to manage the facility.
F-0838	Conduct and document a facility-wide assessment to determine what resources are necessary to care for residents competently during both day-to-day operations (including nights and weekends) and emergencies.	The facility did not conduct and document a facility-wide assessment of what staff, supplies, and resources it needs to care for its residents properly — during everyday operations, nights, weekends, and emergencies.
F-0839	Employ staff that are licensed, certified, or registered in accordance with state laws.	The facility employed staff who were not licensed, certified, or registered as required by state law.
F-0840	Employ or obtain outside professional resources to provide services in the nursing home when the facility does not employ a qualified professional to furnish a required service.	The facility did not bring in qualified outside professionals to provide a required service when it didn't have a qualified professional on staff.
F-0843	Have an agreement with at least one or more hospitals certified by Medicare or Medicaid to make sure residents can be moved quickly to the hospital when they need medical care.	The facility did not have an agreement with at least one Medicare- or Medicaid-certified hospital to ensure residents can be transferred quickly when they need hospital care.
F-0844	Follow rules about disclosure of ownership requirements and tell the state agency about changes in ownership and/or administrative personnel.	The facility did not follow the rules about disclosing who owns it, or did not tell the state agency about changes in ownership or key administrative staff.
F-0845	Submit a timely, acceptable plan for facility closure, including notification of the appropriate entities and ensuring residents are transferred in a safe and orderly manner.	The facility, when closing, did not submit a timely and acceptable closure plan, notify the proper authorities, and ensure residents were transferred safely and in an orderly way.
F-0846	Have policies and procedures ensuring the administrator's responsibilities for facility closure are completed successfully.	The facility did not have policies ensuring that, if it ever closes, the administrator carries out all required steps to protect residents through the closure.
F-0847	Inform resident or representatives choice to enter into binding arbitration agreement and right to refuse.	The facility did not properly inform residents or their representatives about arbitration agreements — contracts that give up the right to sue in court — including their right to refuse to sign.
F-0848	Provide a neutral and fair arbitration process and agree to arbitrator and venue.	The facility did not provide a neutral and fair arbitration process. Arbitration is a way of settling disputes outside of court, and if it's used, the facility must agree with the resident on a neutral arbitrator and a convenient location.
F-0849	Arrange for the provision of hospice services or assist the resident in transferring to a facility that will arrange for the provision of hospice services.	The facility did not arrange hospice services for a resident who needed them, or help the resident move to a facility that could arrange hospice. Hospice provides comfort-focused care for people nearing the end of life.
F-0850	Hire a qualified full-time social worker in a facility with more than 120 beds.	The facility has more than 120 beds but did not hire a qualified full-time social worker as required.
F-0851	Electronically submit to CMS complete and accurate direct care staffing information, based on payroll and other verifiable and auditable data.	The facility did not electronically submit complete and accurate staffing information to the government, based on payroll and other verifiable records.
F-0865	Have a plan that describes the process for conducting QAPI and QAA activities.	The facility did not have a written plan describing how it runs its quality improvement program — the ongoing process of finding problems in care and fixing them.
F-0866	Set up an ongoing quality assessment and assurance group to review quality deficiencies quarterly, and develop corrective plans of action.	The facility did not maintain an ongoing quality committee that meets at least quarterly to review care problems and develop plans to fix them. This internal group is how a facility catches and corrects its own shortcomings.
F-0867	Set up an ongoing quality assessment and assurance group to review quality deficiencies and develop corrective plans of action.	The facility did not run an ongoing quality assurance committee that reviews care problems and creates plans to fix them.
F-0868	Have the Quality Assessment and Assurance group have the required members and meet at least quarterly	The facility's quality committee — the internal group responsible for finding and fixing care problems — did not have the required members or did not meet at least every three months.
F-0895	Have a Compliance and Ethics Program.	The facility did not have a compliance and ethics program — an internal system designed to prevent and catch violations of the law and ethical standards.
F-0940	Develop, implement, and/or maintain an effective training program for all new and existing staff members.	The facility did not develop, carry out, or maintain an effective training program for all new and existing staff members.
F-0941	Develop, implement, and/or maintain an effective training program that includes effective communications for direct care staff members.	The facility did not develop or maintain an effective training program for its direct care staff, including training on how to communicate effectively with residents.
F-0944	Conduct mandatory training, for all staff, on the facility’s Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement Program.	The facility did not give all staff the required training on its quality improvement program — the internal system for finding problems and making care better.
F-0946	Provide training in compliance and ethics.	The facility did not provide its staff with training in compliance and ethics — teaching employees the laws and ethical standards that govern how residents must be treated.
F-0949	Provide behavior health training consistent with the requirements and as determined by a facility assessment.	The facility did not provide its staff with required training on behavioral health — caring for residents with conditions like dementia, depression, or other mental health needs.

Automatic Sprinkler Systems Deficiencies

Code	Official CMS description	How we word it
K-0056	An approved automatic sprinkler system connected to the fire alarm system.	The facility did not have an approved automatic sprinkler system connected to the fire alarm system.
K-0059	A properly installed device for maintaining water pressure in the sprinkler system.	The facility lacked a properly installed device to maintain water pressure in its fire sprinkler system. Sprinklers only work if the water pressure behind them is reliable.
K-0060	A complete sprinkler system with alarm system connection.	The building did not have a complete sprinkler system connected to the fire alarm system.
K-0061	Properly working alarms on sprinkler valves.	The facility's sprinkler valve alarms — which warn staff if the sprinkler system's water supply is shut off — were not working properly.
K-0062	Automatic sprinkler systems that have been maintained in working order.	The facility's automatic sprinkler system was not maintained in working order.
K-0063	An adequate water supply for the sprinkler system.	The facility's fire sprinkler system did not have an adequate water supply. Sprinklers need enough water to actually put out or control a fire.
K-0064	Portable fire extinguishers.	The facility did not have required portable fire extinguishers, or they were not properly maintained.
K-0154	Back-up procedures in place for a faulty automatic sprinkler system.	The facility did not have backup procedures ready for times when the automatic sprinkler system isn't working.

Construction Deficiencies

Code	Official CMS description	How we word it
K-0011	A two-hour-resistant firewall separation.	The facility lacked a required firewall — a special wall built to hold back fire for at least two hours — separating parts of the building. These walls slow a fire's spread and buy time to evacuate.
K-0012	Approved construction type or materials.	The building did not meet fire safety standards for approved construction types or materials.
K-0020	Proper stairway enclosures and vertical shafts.	The facility did not have properly enclosed stairways and vertical shafts. These enclosures keep smoke and fire from racing between floors.
K-0021	Exit doors that are held open by devices that will automatically close on the activation of a fire alarm or smoke detector.	Exit doors that are held open did not have devices to automatically close them when a fire alarm or smoke detector goes off.
K-0033	Protected exits that allow the resident to escape the building.	The building's protected exits — stairways and exit routes designed to shield people from fire — did not meet requirements for allowing residents to escape.
K-0100	Meet other general requirements.	The facility did not meet other general fire and life safety requirements under the safety code.
K-0103	Noncombustible or limited-combustible interior walls.	The building's interior walls were not made of noncombustible or limited-combustible materials as required. Walls in nursing homes must resist burning.
K-0111	Satisfy building requirements after a repair, renovation, modification, or change of user/occupancy.	The facility did not meet building safety requirements after a repair, renovation, or change in how the building is used.
K-0112	Add automatic sprinklers after major renovation.	The facility did not add automatic fire sprinklers after a major renovation, as required. Big renovations trigger the requirement to bring fire protection up to current standards.
K-0163	Install noncombustible or limited-combustible interior walls.	The building's interior walls were not made of noncombustible or fire-resistant materials as required.
K-0168	Be of proper construction type and height - slow evacuation	The building's construction type and height did not meet the fire-safety standards required for facilities where residents evacuate slowly.
K-0169	Be of proper construction type and height - impractical evacuation	The building was not of the proper construction type or height for a facility where evacuating residents quickly is impractical.
K-9131	Meet requirements for sections of health care facilities separated by fire resistive construction.	The facility did not meet the requirements for separating different sections of the building with fire-resistant construction.
K-9132	Meet requirements for outpatient facilities located next to inpatient facilities separated by fire resistive construction.	The facility did not meet the requirement that an outpatient area located next to inpatient areas be separated by fire-resistant construction.
K-9133	Install a two-hour-resistant firewall separation.	The facility did not install a required firewall — a special wall built to resist fire for at least two hours — separating sections of the building. Firewalls slow a fire's spread and buy time to move residents to safety.
K-9161	Use approved construction type or materials.	The building did not use approved construction types or materials required by fire safety codes.
K-9162	Have a combustible roofing system that meets safety standards.	The facility's combustible roofing system did not meet safety standards.

Corridor Walls and Doors Deficiencies

Code	Official CMS description	How we word it
K-0017	Corridors that are separated from use areas by walls constructed to limit the passage of smoke.	The building's corridors were not separated from other areas by walls built to limit the spread of smoke.
K-0018	Corridor and hallway doors that block smoke.	The facility's corridor and hallway doors did not properly block smoke from passing through.
K-0019	Properly constructed windows in hallway walls or doors.	The facility had windows in hallway walls or doors that were not properly constructed to meet fire safety standards.
K-0022	Signs that state that exit doors are to be kept closed.	The facility was missing required signs stating that exit doors must be kept closed.

Egress Deficiencies

Code	Official CMS description	How we word it
K-0032	At least two remote exits on each floor or fire section of the building.	The building did not have at least two exits, far apart from each other, on each floor or fire section. Multiple separated exits ensure people can still get out if one route is blocked by fire.
K-0034	Exit stairways and towers that are smoke proof.	The facility's exit stairways and stair towers were not built or maintained to keep smoke out.
K-0035	Large enough exits.	The facility's exits were not large enough to meet fire safety requirements.
K-0036	Properly spaced exits within rooms.	Exits within rooms were not properly spaced as fire codes require. Exit placement rules ensure people can always reach a way out.
K-0037	Dead end corridors.	The building had dead-end corridors — hallways that don't lead to an exit — longer than fire safety rules allow.
K-0038	Exits that are accessible at all times.	The facility's exits were not accessible at all times — for example, blocked, locked, or obstructed escape routes.
K-0039	Corridors or aisles that are unobstructed and are at least 8 feet in width.	The facility's corridors or aisles were blocked or narrower than the required 8 feet.
K-0040	Resident room doors of proper design and width.	Resident room doors were not of the proper design and width required by fire safety codes. Doors must be wide enough to move residents out quickly, including those in beds or wheelchairs.
K-0041	Hallway or ground-level exits in all residents' rooms.	Resident rooms did not have the required exit access to a hallway or directly to ground level.
K-0042	Two separate exits in rooms of more than 1000 square feet.	The facility had rooms larger than 1,000 square feet without the two separate exits that fire safety rules require.
K-0043	Rooms that can be unlocked from inside without a key.	The facility had rooms that could not be unlocked from the inside without a key.
K-0044	Horizontal exits.	The building's horizontal exits — pathways that let people escape a fire by moving into a protected section on the same floor rather than going downstairs — did not meet requirements.
K-0200	Meet other general requirements.	The facility failed to meet other general fire-safety requirements for building exits. This is a catch-all citation for exit-related code issues not covered by more specific tags.
K-0221	Provide rooms that can be unlocked from inside without a key.	The building had rooms that could not be unlocked from the inside without a key.
K-0222	Add doors in an exit area that do not require the use of a key from the exit side unless in case of special locking arrangements.	The facility had exit doors that require a key to open from the inside, without qualifying for the special locking arrangements the rules allow.
K-0223	Provide exit doors that are held open by devices that will automatically close on the activation of a fire alarm or smoke detector.	The facility's exit doors that are held open did not have devices that automatically close them when a fire alarm or smoke detector activates.
K-0224	Provide sliding doors free of hazards, operable without special knowledge or effort, and meet weight requirements to set door in motion.	The facility's sliding doors were hazardous, required special knowledge or effort to open, or did not meet the weight standards for setting the door in motion. Doors must be easy for anyone to open in an emergency.
K-0225	Have stairways and smokeproof enclosures used as exits that meet safety requirements.	The building's exit stairways and smokeproof enclosures did not meet safety requirements.
K-0226	Have horizontal exits used in accordance with safety requirements.	The facility's horizontal exits — pathways through fire-rated walls to a safe area on the same floor — did not meet safety requirements.
K-0227	Have ramps, exits, fire escape ladders, steps, and areas of refuge that meet safety requirements.	The facility's ramps, exits, fire escape ladders, steps, or areas of refuge (safe waiting spots during a fire) did not meet safety requirements.
K-0228	Have properly designed and constructed stairways and smokeproof enclosures.	The facility's stairways and smokeproof enclosures were not properly designed and constructed. These protected stairwells give people a safe path out while keeping smoke away.
K-0231	Provide large enough exits.	The building's exits were not large enough to meet safety requirements.
K-0232	Have corridors or aisles that are unobstructed and are at least 8 feet in width.	The facility's corridors or aisles were obstructed or narrower than the required 8 feet.
K-0233	Install resident room doors of proper design and width.	The facility's resident room doors were not of the proper design or width required by safety codes.
K-0241	Have correct number of accessible exits for each story.	The building did not have the correct number of accessible exits on each floor. Every story must have enough exits that everyone, including people with limited mobility, can get out.
K-0251	Conform to length requirements for dead end corridors.	The building's dead-end corridors were longer than fire safety rules allow.
K-0252	Provide at least two remote exits on each floor or fire section of the building.	The facility did not provide at least two separate exits on each floor or fire section of the building.
K-0253	Provide two separate exits in rooms of more than 1000 square feet.	The facility had rooms larger than 1,000 square feet that did not have the required two separate exits.
K-0254	Provide hallway or ground-level exits in all residents' rooms.	Residents' rooms did not have exits leading to a hallway or to ground level as required. Every resident room needs a direct path to safety.
K-0255	Ensure that suites are correctly sub-divided by noncombustible or limited-combustible construction.	Suites of rooms in the building were not correctly divided by fire-resistant construction.
K-0256	Ensure that sleeping suites have required exit access and constant staff supervision.	The facility's sleeping suites did not have the required exit access or constant staff supervision.
K-0257	Ensure that non-sleeping suites have required exit access.	The facility's non-sleeping suites — grouped rooms used for purposes other than sleeping — did not have the required exit access.
K-0258	Provide enough exits	The building did not have enough exits to meet fire safety requirements.
K-0259	Provide enough exits	The building did not have enough exits to meet safety requirements.
K-0261	Have properly spaced exits within rooms.	The facility's rooms did not have properly spaced exits.
K-0271	Have exits that are accessible at all times.	The facility's exits were not accessible at all times — for example, exits were blocked or locked.
K-0281	Install proper backup exit lighting.	The facility did not have proper backup lighting along its exit routes. Emergency lighting keeps escape paths visible when the power goes out.
K-0291	Install emergency lighting that can last at least 1 1/2 hours.	The building's emergency lighting could not last at least 1.5 hours as required.
K-0292	Ensure that buildings with life support systems have proper emergency lighting for equipment, exits, and directional signs.	The building has life support systems but did not have proper emergency lighting for equipment, exits, and directional signs.
K-0293	Have properly located and lighted "Exit" signs.	The facility did not have properly located and lighted "Exit" signs.
K-0299	Provide appropriate exit signage	The facility did not have appropriate exit signs. Clear, visible signs show residents, staff, and visitors the way out in an emergency.
K-0300	Meet other general requirements that are deficient.	The building failed to meet other general fire and life safety requirements.
K-9211	Keep aisles, corridors, and exits free of obstruction in case of emergency.	The facility did not keep its aisles, corridors, and exits free of obstructions for use in an emergency.

Electrical Deficiencies

Code	Official CMS description	How we word it
K-0106	Proper power supply for life support equipment.	The facility did not have a proper power supply for life support equipment.
K-0144	Weekly inspections and monthly testing of generators.	The facility did not perform weekly inspections and monthly testing of its emergency generators.
K-0145	The appropriate emergency electrical system.	The facility did not have the appropriate emergency electrical system to keep critical equipment running if the power fails.
K-0146	A separate and independent backup electrical power source.	The facility did not have a separate, independent backup source of electrical power.
K-0147	Properly installed electrical wiring and equipment.	The facility's electrical wiring and equipment were not properly installed. Faulty electrical work is one of the most common causes of building fires.
K-0901	Ensure that building systems meet requirements determined by risk assessment procedures performed by qualified personnel.	The facility did not make sure its building systems met the requirements identified by a risk assessment performed by qualified personnel.

Emergency Plans and Fire Drills Deficiencies

Code	Official CMS description	How we word it
K-0048	A written emergency evacuation plan.	The facility did not have a written emergency evacuation plan. Every facility must have a clear, written plan for getting everyone out safely.
K-0050	Record of quarterly fire drills for each shift under varying conditions.	The facility did not keep records showing it ran fire drills every three months on each shift under different conditions.

Emergency Preparedness Deficiencies

Code	Official CMS description	How we word it
E-0001	Establish an Emergency Preparedness Program (EP).	The facility did not have an overall emergency preparedness program — a written plan for how it will protect residents during disasters like fires, storms, or power outages.
E-0004	Develop and maintain an Emergency Preparedness Program (EP).	The facility did not have a complete, up-to-date emergency plan describing how it would keep residents safe during disasters like fires, storms, power outages, or disease outbreaks.
E-0006	Conduct risk assessment and an All-Hazards approach.	The facility did not properly assess the risks it could face in an emergency, like storms, fires, floods, or disease outbreaks. Rules require nursing homes to plan for all types of hazards, not just one or two.
E-0007	Address patient/client population and determine types of services needed.	The facility's emergency plan did not account for the kinds of residents it serves or spell out what services those residents would need in a disaster. Emergency plans are supposed to be built around the actual people living there.
E-0009	Include a process for Emergency Preparedness collaboration.	The facility did not have a process for working with local and state emergency officials — like fire departments and health agencies — as part of its emergency planning.
E-0013	Develop Emergency Preparedness policies and procedures.	The facility did not have written policies and procedures spelling out exactly what staff should do in an emergency, such as a fire, flood, or extended power outage.
E-0015	Address subsistence needs for staff and patients.	The facility did not have a plan to provide basics like food, water, medical supplies, and safe temperatures for residents and staff during an emergency.
E-0018	Establish procedures for tracking staff and patients during an emergency.	The facility did not have procedures for keeping track of where staff and residents are during an emergency. Without a tracking system, people can be lost in the confusion of an evacuation.
E-0020	Establish policies and procedures including evacuation.	The facility did not have written emergency policies and procedures, including a plan for how to evacuate residents if the building must be emptied.
E-0022	Establish policies and procedures for sheltering.	The facility did not have clear policies for sheltering residents in place — that is, keeping everyone safe inside the building when leaving isn't possible during an emergency.
E-0023	Establish policies and procedures for medical documentation.	The facility did not have written procedures for keeping and protecting residents' medical records during an emergency.
E-0024	Establish policies and procedures for volunteers.	The facility did not have written rules for how volunteers would be used and managed during an emergency. Emergency plans are supposed to spell out what role volunteers play.
E-0025	Create arrangements with other facilities to receive patients.	The facility did not have agreements with other facilities to take in its residents if an emergency forces an evacuation.
E-0026	Establish roles under a Waiver declared by secretary.	The facility did not spell out what role it would play if the federal government declared a major emergency and temporarily relaxed normal healthcare rules. In big disasters, facilities are expected to know how they would fit into the wider emergency response.
E-0029	Develop a communication plan.	The facility did not develop a plan for how it would communicate during an emergency — for example, how it would reach staff, doctors, families, and emergency officials.
E-0030	List the names and contact information of those in the facility.	The facility's emergency plan did not include an up-to-date list of names and contact information for the people in the building, such as staff, doctors, and other key contacts.
E-0031	Provide emergency officials' contact information.	The facility did not keep contact information for emergency officials, such as local and state emergency management agencies, as required in its emergency plan.
E-0032	Provide primary/alternate means for communication.	The facility did not have both a main way and a backup way to communicate during an emergency — for example, if phone lines or cell service go down.
E-0033	Establish methods for sharing information.	The facility did not set up ways to share important information during an emergency, such as residents' locations and conditions, with families and the authorities who need it.
E-0034	Provide a means of sharing information on occupancy/needs.	The facility did not have a way to share information about how many beds it has filled and what its residents need during an emergency. This information helps emergency officials coordinate help and placements.
E-0035	Provide family notifications of emergency plan.	The facility did not have a way to tell families how it will respond in an emergency, such as sharing its emergency plan or how families would be notified.
E-0036	Establish emergency prep training and testing.	The facility did not properly train staff on its emergency plan or run the required practice drills to test whether the plan actually works.
E-0037	Establish staff and initial training requirements.	The facility did not set up required emergency training for its staff, including training for new employees when they start.
E-0039	Conduct testing and exercise requirements.	The facility did not carry out the required emergency drills and exercises. Regular practice runs are how staff learn what to do when a real disaster hits.
E-0041	Implement emergency and standby power systems.	The facility did not properly set up or maintain emergency and backup power systems, such as generators, to keep critical equipment running during a power outage.
E-0042	Meet the requirements of an integrated health system.	The facility is part of a larger health system but did not meet the special emergency-preparedness requirements that apply when facilities share one system-wide emergency program.

Environmental Deficiencies

Code	Official CMS description	How we word it
F-0252	Provide a safe, clean, comfortable and home-like environment; and allow residents to use personal belongings to the extent possible.	The facility did not provide a safe, clean, comfortable, home-like environment, or did not let residents use their own belongings as much as possible.
F-0253	Provide housekeeping and maintenance services.	The facility did not provide adequate housekeeping and maintenance to keep the building clean, orderly, and in good repair.
F-0254	Provide clean bed and bath linens that are in good condition.	The facility did not provide bed sheets and towels that were clean and in good condition.
F-0256	Provide adequate and comfortable lighting levels in all areas.	The facility did not provide adequate, comfortable lighting in all areas. Good lighting matters everywhere residents live, eat, and walk.
F-0257	Maintain comfortable and safe temperature levels.	The facility did not keep indoor temperatures at comfortable and safe levels.
F-0258	Maintain comfortable sound levels.	The facility did not maintain comfortable sound levels — for example, allowing constant loud noise from alarms, equipment, intercoms, or staff.
F-0323	Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provide adequate supervision to prevent avoidable accidents.	The facility did not keep the environment free of accident hazards, or did not provide enough supervision to prevent avoidable accidents like falls.
F-0372	Dispose of garbage and refuse properly.	The facility did not dispose of garbage and waste properly.
F-0441	Have a program that investigates, controls and keeps infection from spreading.	The facility did not have an effective program to investigate, control, and prevent the spread of infections.
F-0454	Be designed, built, equipped, or well kept to protect the health and safety of residents, workers, and the public.	The building was not designed, built, equipped, or maintained well enough to protect the health and safety of residents, staff, and visitors.
F-0455	Provide enough power supply for lighting all entrances and exits; equipment for fire detection and alarm systems, and extinguishers.	The facility did not have enough power supply for lighting at all entrances and exits, and for fire detection, alarm systems, and extinguishers.
F-0456	Keep all essential equipment working safely.	The facility did not keep all essential equipment in safe working order. That includes equipment residents depend on every day, from beds and lifts to kitchen and laundry machines.
F-0457	Provide bedrooms that hold no more than 4 residents per room.	The facility had bedrooms housing more than the allowed maximum of 4 residents per room.
F-0458	Provide rooms that are at least 80 square feet per resident in multiple rooms and 100 square feet for single resident rooms.	The facility's resident rooms were too small — rooms must give each resident at least 80 square feet in shared rooms, or 100 square feet in private rooms.
F-0459	Provide bedrooms that have direct access to an exit hallway.	The facility had bedrooms that did not open directly onto an exit hallway, as safety rules require.
F-0460	Provide bedrooms that don't allow residents to see each other when privacy is needed.	The facility's bedrooms did not give residents visual privacy — for example, working privacy curtains — when privacy is needed, such as during personal care.
F-0461	Make sure each resident has 1) at least one window to the outside in a room; 2) a room at or above ground level; 3) adequate bedding; 4) furniture that meets the resident's needs; or 5) adequate closet space.	The facility did not meet basic bedroom standards — such as a window to the outside, a room at or above ground level, adequate bedding, suitable furniture, or enough closet space.
F-0462	Provide a bathroom in or located near each resident’s room.	The facility did not provide a bathroom in or near each resident's room, as required.
F-0463	Make sure that a working call system is available in each resident's room or bathroom and bathing area.	The facility did not have a working call system — the button or cord residents use to summon staff — in every resident room, bathroom, and bathing area.
F-0464	Provide at least one room set aside to use as a resident dining room and for activities, that is a good size, with good lighting, air flow and furniture.	The facility did not provide at least one properly sized room for dining and activities with good lighting, ventilation, and furniture. Residents need a decent shared space for meals and social life.
F-0465	Make sure that the nursing home area is safe, easy to use, clean and comfortable for residents, staff and the public.	The facility did not keep its grounds and building safe, functional, clean, and comfortable for residents, staff, and visitors.
F-0466	Have enough backup water supply for essential areas of the nursing home.	The facility did not have enough backup water supply to keep essential areas running if the normal water service failed.
F-0467	Have enough outside ventilation via a window or mechanical ventilation, or both.	The facility did not have enough outside ventilation, either through windows or a mechanical ventilation system.
F-0468	Put firmly secured handrails on each side of hallways.	The facility did not have firmly secured handrails on both sides of its hallways. Handrails give residents something sturdy to hold as they walk.
F-0469	Make sure there is a pest control program to prevent/deal with mice, insects, or other pests.	The facility did not have an effective pest control program to prevent or deal with mice, insects, or other pests.
F-0906	Provide enough power supply for lighting all entrances and exits; equipment for fire detection and alarm systems, and extinguishers.	The facility did not have enough power supply for lighting at all entrances and exits, or for fire detection, alarm systems, and extinguishers.
F-0907	Provide enough space and equipment to meet each resident's needs	The facility did not provide enough space and equipment to meet each resident's needs.
F-0908	Keep all essential equipment working safely.	The facility did not keep all essential equipment working safely — things like heating and cooling systems, kitchen equipment, and medical devices.
F-0909	Regularly inspect all bed frames, mattresses, and bed rails (if any) for safety; and all bed rails and mattresses must attach safely to the bed frame.	The facility did not regularly inspect bed frames, mattresses, and bed rails for safety, or the rails and mattresses were not attached safely to the frames.
F-0910	Ensure resident rooms meet each resident's needs.	The facility did not make sure resident rooms met each resident's needs.
F-0911	Ensure resident rooms hold no more than 4 residents; for new construction after November 28, 2016, rooms hold no more than 2 residents.	The facility had resident rooms holding more people than allowed — no more than 4 residents per room, and no more than 2 per room in buildings constructed after November 28, 2016.
F-0912	Provide rooms that are at least 80 square feet per resident in multiple rooms and 100 square feet for single resident rooms.	The facility had resident rooms smaller than required — at least 80 square feet per person in shared rooms and 100 square feet in single rooms.
F-0913	Provide bedrooms that have direct access to an exit hallway.	The facility's bedrooms did not open directly onto an exit hallway. Rooms must connect to a hallway so residents can get out quickly in an emergency.
F-0914	Provide bedrooms that don't allow residents to see each other when privacy is needed.	The facility's bedrooms did not give residents visual privacy — such as curtains or dividers — when privacy is needed.
F-0915	Ensure each resident room has a window to the outside that meets requirements	The facility had resident rooms without a window to the outside that meets the requirements.
F-0916	Ensure each resident has a room at or above ground level.	The facility housed residents in rooms below ground level, which is not allowed.
F-0917	Make sure each resident has 1) at least one window to the outside in a room; 2) a room at or above ground level; 3) adequate bedding; 4) furniture that meets the resident's needs; or 5) adequate closet space.	The facility did not provide bedrooms with required basics: a window to the outside, a room at or above ground level, adequate bedding, furniture that fits the resident's needs, or enough closet space.
F-0918	Provide a bathroom in or located near each resident’s room.	The facility did not provide a bathroom in or near each resident's room.
F-0919	Make sure that a working call system is available in each resident's bathroom and bathing area.	The facility did not have a working call system — the button or cord residents use to summon help — in each resident's bathroom and bathing area.
F-0920	Provide at least one room set aside to use as a resident dining room and for activities, that is a good size, with good lighting, air flow and furniture.	The facility did not provide at least one adequately sized room for dining and activities, with good lighting, airflow, and furniture.
F-0921	Make sure that the nursing home area is safe, easy to use, clean and comfortable for residents, staff and the public.	The facility did not keep its building and grounds safe, functional, clean, and comfortable for residents, staff, and visitors.
F-0922	Have enough backup water supply for essential areas of the nursing home.	The facility did not have enough backup water supply for essential areas of the building.
F-0923	Have enough outside ventilation via a window or mechanical ventilation, or both.	The facility did not have enough fresh-air ventilation, whether through windows, mechanical systems, or both.
F-0924	Put firmly secured handrails on each side of hallways.	The facility did not have firmly secured handrails on both sides of its hallways.
F-0925	Make sure there is a pest control program to prevent/deal with mice, insects, or other pests.	The facility did not maintain an effective pest control program to prevent or deal with mice, insects, or other pests.
F-0926	Have policies on smoking.	The facility did not have policies on smoking.

Fire Alarm Systems Deficiencies

Code	Official CMS description	How we word it
K-0051	A fire alarm system that can be heard throughout the facility.	The facility's fire alarm system could not be heard throughout the building.
K-0052	An approved installation, maintenance and testing program for fire alarm systems.	The facility did not have an approved program for installing, maintaining, and testing its fire alarm systems.
K-0053	An automatic smoke detection system in all hallways.	The facility did not have an automatic smoke detection system in all hallways. Hallway smoke detectors give the earliest possible warning of a fire.
K-0054	Properly maintained smoke detectors.	The building's smoke detectors were not properly maintained.
K-0055	Outside doors or windows in every resident room.	The facility did not have outside doors or windows in every resident room, as required.
K-0109	A properly located automatic smoke detector system in all hallways (new only).	The facility did not have a properly located automatic smoke detector system in all hallways, as required for newer buildings.
K-0155	An approved back-up procedure for a faulty fire alarm system.	The facility did not have an approved backup procedure to protect residents when its fire alarm system was out of service.

Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies

Code	Official CMS description	How we word it
F-0221	Keep each resident free from physical restraints, unless needed for medical treatment.	The facility used physical restraints — devices that limit a resident's movement — when they weren't needed for medical treatment. Restraints may only be used when medically necessary, not for staff convenience.
F-0222	Keep each resident free from drugs that restrain them, unless needed for medical treatment.	The facility gave residents drugs that restrained them — medications used to control or sedate a resident — when they were not needed for medical treatment. Medication should never be used just to keep residents quiet or easier to manage.
F-0223	Protect each resident from all abuse, physical punishment, and involuntary separation from others.	The facility did not protect each resident from abuse, physical punishment, or being kept away from other people against their will.
F-0224	Protect each resident from mistreatment, neglect and misappropriation of personal property.	The facility did not protect residents from mistreatment, neglect, or having their personal belongings or money taken or misused.
F-0225	1) Hire only people with no legal history of abusing, neglecting or mistreating residents; or 2) report and investigate any acts or reports of abuse, neglect or mistreatment of residents.	The facility either hired someone with a legal history of abusing, neglecting, or mistreating residents, or it failed to report and investigate allegations of abuse, neglect, or mistreatment.
F-0226	Develop and implement policies for 1) screening and training employees; and the 2) prevention, identification, investigation, and reporting of any abuse, neglect, mistreatment and misappropriation of property.	The facility did not develop and follow policies for screening and training its employees, and for preventing, spotting, investigating, and reporting abuse, neglect, mistreatment, or theft of residents' property.
F-0600	Protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody.	The facility did not protect residents from abuse or neglect. This covers physical, mental, and sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect, by anyone — staff, other residents, or visitors.
F-0602	Protect each resident from the wrongful use of the resident's belongings or money.	The facility did not protect residents from misuse of their belongings or money — this is called misappropriation, and it includes theft or improper use of a resident's property or funds.
F-0603	Protect each resident from separation (from other residents, his/her room, or confinement to his/her room).	The facility did not protect residents from being involuntarily separated — kept apart from other residents, kept out of their own room, or confined to their room. Isolating a resident this way is a form of mistreatment.
F-0604	Ensure that each resident is free from the use of physical restraints, unless needed for medical treatment.	The facility used physical restraints — devices that limit a resident's movement — when they weren't needed for medical treatment.
F-0605	Prevent the use of unnecessary psychotropic medications or use medications that may restrain a resident's ability to function.	The facility gave residents unnecessary mind-altering (psychotropic) medications, or used drugs in a way that restrained residents by dulling their ability to think, move, or function.
F-0606	Not hire anyone with a finding of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or theft.	The facility hired someone with an official finding of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or theft against them. Facilities are not allowed to employ people with such findings.
F-0607	Develop and implement policies and procedures to prevent abuse, neglect, and theft.	The facility did not develop and follow policies and procedures to prevent abuse, neglect, and theft. These written safeguards are the foundation of resident protection.
F-0608	Develop and implement policies and procedures to ensure (1) employees report any suspicion of a crime against any resident, according to timelines; (2) post the notice of employee rights; and (3) prohibit and prevent retaliation for reporting.	The facility did not have working policies to ensure employees report any suspected crime against a resident on time, to post notices of employees' reporting rights, and to prevent retaliation against staff who report.
F-0609	Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.	The facility did not report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft to the proper authorities quickly enough, or did not report the results of its investigation.
F-0610	Respond appropriately to all alleged violations.	The facility did not respond appropriately to alleged violations, such as reports of abuse, neglect, or mistreatment. Facilities must investigate every allegation and protect residents while they do.
F-0943	Give their staff education on dementia care, and what abuse, neglect, and exploitation are; and how to report abuse, neglect, and exploitation.	The facility did not train its staff on dementia care and on recognizing and reporting abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

Gas, Vacuum, and Electrical Systems Deficiencies

Code	Official CMS description	How we word it
K-0902	Meet requirements for the installation and maintenance of medical gas and medical vacuum systems.	The facility did not meet the requirements for installing and maintaining its medical gas and medical vacuum systems — the built-in piping that delivers oxygen and suction to residents' rooms.
K-0903	Ensure medical gas and air supply systems in which failure is likely to cause major injury or death, are correctly designated.	The facility's medical gas and air supply systems — where a failure could cause major injury or death — were not correctly designated and classified.
K-0904	Have a properly installed medical gas master alarm panel.	The facility did not have a properly installed master alarm panel for its medical gas system — the alarm that warns staff of problems with piped oxygen and other medical gases.
K-0905	Ensure that gas containers are correctly designed and tested, and in locations that are labeled.	The facility did not make sure its gas containers were correctly designed, tested, and kept in properly labeled locations.
K-0906	Ensure gas cylinders are properly stored.	The facility did not store its gas cylinders properly. Cylinders of oxygen and other gases must be secured and kept in safe locations.
K-0907	Ensure medical gas and vacuum systems have documented maintenance programs.	The facility's medical gas and vacuum systems did not have documented maintenance programs.
K-0908	Ensure gas and vacuum systems are inspected and tested as part of a maintenance program.	The facility did not inspect and test its medical gas and vacuum systems as part of a regular maintenance program.
K-0909	Ensure gas and vacuum piping is labeled.	The facility did not label its medical gas and vacuum piping as required.
K-0910	Ensure when modifications are made that breach pipelines, testing is conducted on downstream portions of the piping system.	After modifications that opened up its gas pipelines, the facility did not test the downstream portions of the piping system as required. Testing confirms the gas lines still deliver safely after any work on them.
K-0911	Meet requirements for the installation and maintenance of electrical systems.	The building did not meet requirements for installing and maintaining its electrical systems.
K-0912	Have power receptacles that are properly grounded.	The facility had electrical outlets that were not properly grounded.
K-0913	Ensure operating rooms are properly protected and written records are maintained and available for inspection.	The facility did not properly protect its operating rooms or keep the required written safety records available for inspection.
K-0914	Ensure receptacles at patient bed locations and where general anesthesia is administered, are tested after initial installation, replacement or servicing.	The facility did not test the electrical outlets at resident bed locations (and in any areas where general anesthesia is given) after they were installed, replaced, or serviced.
K-0915	Have proper power supply for life support equipment.	The building did not have a proper power supply for life support equipment.
K-0916	Have a battery powered remote alarm panel in a location accessible by operating personnel.	The facility did not have a battery-powered remote alarm panel in a location staff can reach — a backup panel that warns of generator or power system problems even during an outage.
K-0917	Ensure electrical receptacles or cover plates have distinctive color or marking.	The facility's electrical outlets or cover plates connected to backup power did not have the distinctive color or marking required to identify them.
K-0918	Have generator or other power source capable of supplying service within 10 seconds.	The facility did not have a generator or other backup power source able to restore electricity within 10 seconds. Fast backup power keeps critical systems running during an outage.
K-0919	Meet requirements for the use of electrical equipment.	The facility did not meet requirements for the safe use of electrical equipment.
K-0920	Ensure proper usage of power strips and extension cords.	The facility did not use power strips and extension cords safely, as electrical safety rules require.
K-0921	Ensure that testing and maintenance of electrical equipment is performed.	The facility did not perform required testing and maintenance of its electrical equipment.
K-0922	Meet requirements for the use and maintenance of medical gas equipment.	The facility did not meet the requirements for using and maintaining its medical gas equipment, such as oxygen delivery devices.
K-0923	Have proper medical gas storage and administration areas.	The facility did not have proper areas for storing and administering medical gases like oxygen.
K-0924	Ensure that anesthesia apparatus are tested after any adjustment, modification or repair.	The facility did not test its anesthesia equipment after adjustments, modifications, or repairs, as required.
K-0925	Ensure that sources of ignition are removed from patients receiving respiratory therapy.	The facility did not remove sources of ignition — things that could start a fire, like smoking materials — from around residents receiving respiratory therapy such as oxygen.
K-0926	Ensure that personnel concerned with handling of medical gases and cylinders are trained on the risk.	The facility did not train the staff who handle medical gases and cylinders on the risks involved. Handling oxygen safely requires knowing its dangers.
K-0927	Have proper fire barriers, ventilation and signs for the transfilling of oxygen.	The facility did not have proper fire barriers, ventilation, and warning signs in areas where oxygen is transferred between containers.
K-0928	Ensure equipment listed for use in oxygen-enriched atmospheres are correctly labeled.	The facility did not correctly label equipment approved for use around concentrated oxygen.
K-0929	Ensure precautions for handling oxygen cylinders and equipment are correctly followed.	The facility did not correctly follow safety precautions for handling oxygen cylinders and equipment.
K-0930	Ensure proper storage of liquid oxygen.	The facility did not store liquid oxygen properly. Liquid oxygen is extremely concentrated and must be kept under strict safety conditions.

Hazardous Area Deficiencies

Code	Official CMS description	How we word it
K-0029	Special areas constructed so that walls can resist fire for one hour or an approved fire extinguishing system.	Hazardous areas of the building — like storage or utility rooms — were not built with one-hour fire-resistant walls or protected by an approved fire extinguishing system.
K-0030	Gift shops separated and protected as hazardous areas.	The facility's gift shop was not separated and protected as a hazardous area, as fire safety rules require.
K-8211	Provide properly installed hallway dispensers for alcohol-based hand rub.	Hand sanitizer dispensers in the hallways were not properly installed according to fire safety rules.

Illumination and Emergency Power Deficiencies

Code	Official CMS description	How we word it
K-0045	Proper backup exit lighting.	The building did not have proper backup lighting for exits during a power failure.
K-0046	Emergency lighting that can last at least 1 1/2 hours.	The facility's emergency lighting could not last at least 1.5 hours, as required.
K-0047	Properly located and lighted "Exit" signs.	The facility did not have properly located and lighted "Exit" signs.
K-0105	Proper lighting for emergency exits.	The facility did not have proper lighting for its emergency exits.
K-0107	An alternate power supply for its alarm system.	The facility's fire alarm system did not have a backup power supply. Alarms must keep working even if the electricity goes out.
K-0108	Emergency power for alarms and communications systems (new only).	The building did not have required emergency power for its alarm and communication systems.

Infection Control Deficiencies

Code	Official CMS description	How we word it
F-0880	Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.	The facility did not have or follow an effective program to prevent and control infections — such as proper hand washing, cleaning, and isolation practices. This is the most commonly cited deficiency nationwide.
F-0881	Implement a program that monitors antibiotic use.	The facility did not have a working program to monitor how antibiotics are used. Tracking antibiotic use helps make sure these drugs are given only when needed and remain effective.
F-0882	Designate a qualified infection preventionist to be responsible for the infection prevent and control program in the nursing home.	The facility did not designate a qualified infection preventionist — a trained person responsible for running the infection prevention and control program.
F-0883	Develop and implement policies and procedures for flu and pneumonia vaccinations.	The facility did not develop and follow policies and procedures for offering residents flu and pneumonia vaccinations.
F-0884	Report COVID19 data to NHSN.	The facility did not report its COVID-19 data to the CDC's National Healthcare Safety Network, as federal rules require.
F-0885	Report COVID19 data to residents and families.	The facility did not report COVID-19 data to residents and their families as required. Facilities must keep residents and families informed about COVID-19 cases.
F-0886	Perform COVID19 testing on residents and staff.	The facility did not perform required COVID-19 testing on residents and staff.
F-0887	Educate residents and staff on COVID-19 vaccination, offer the COVID-19 vaccine to eligible residents and staff after education, and properly document each resident and staff member's vaccination status.	The facility did not educate residents and staff about COVID-19 vaccination, offer the vaccine to those eligible after that education, or properly document everyone's vaccination status.
F-0888	Ensure staff are vaccinated for COVID-19	The facility did not make sure its staff were vaccinated for COVID-19 in accordance with the federal requirements in effect at the time.
F-0945	Include as part of its infection prevention and control program, mandatory training that includes written standards, policies, and procedures for the program.	The facility did not include required infection control training — with written standards, policies, and procedures — as part of its infection prevention program.

Interior Deficiencies

Code	Official CMS description	How we word it
K-0014	Fire resistant interior walls.	The facility's interior walls did not meet fire-resistance requirements.
K-0015	Fire resistant room wall surfaces.	The facility's room walls did not have the fire-resistant surfaces required by fire safety codes.
K-0016	Fire resistant floor finishes.	The facility's floor finishes were not fire resistant as required. Flooring materials in nursing homes must resist catching and spreading fire.
K-0072	Exits that are free from obstructions and can be used at all times.	The facility's exits were blocked or not usable at all times. Exit routes must stay clear so everyone can get out in an emergency.
K-0073	Restrictions on the use of highly flammable decorations.	The facility did not follow restrictions on using highly flammable decorations.
K-0074	Restrictions on the use of flammable curtains.	The facility did not follow restrictions on flammable curtains and drapes, which must resist catching fire.
K-0075	Properly sized and located linen or trash receptacles.	The facility's containers for dirty linens or trash were not the proper size or were kept in improper locations.

Laboratories Deficiencies

Code	Official CMS description	How we word it
K-0031	A properly protected laboratory for handling hazardous materials.	The facility had a laboratory handling hazardous materials that was not properly protected according to safety codes.
K-0134	Emergency showers.	The facility did not have the required emergency showers in its laboratory areas, used to rinse off hazardous chemical spills.
K-0135	Proper facilities for the use and storage of combustible liquids.	The facility did not have proper facilities for using and storing combustible (easily burnable) liquids.
K-0136	Proper procedures for handling laboratory emergencies.	The facility did not have proper procedures for handling emergencies in its laboratory areas, such as fires or hazardous material incidents.
K-0153	Procedures for handling laboratory emergencies.	The facility did not have procedures for handling laboratory emergencies.
K-8131	Have proper procedures for controlling chemical spills.	The facility did not have proper procedures for controlling chemical spills. Facilities that keep chemicals on site must know how to contain them safely.
K-8132	Have a proper laboratory safety education program.	The facility did not have a proper safety education program for its laboratory areas.
K-8133	Have properly installed fume hoods.	The facility did not have properly installed fume hoods — ventilated enclosures that safely vent hazardous fumes in laboratory areas.

Medical Gases and Anesthetizing Areas Deficiencies

Code	Official CMS description	How we word it
K-0076	Proper medical gas storage and administration areas.	The facility did not have proper areas for storing and administering medical gases like oxygen. These gases must be kept in safe, designated spaces because they can feed a fire.
K-0077	Properly constructed piped-in oxygen systems.	The building's piped-in oxygen system was not properly constructed.
K-0078	Properly constructed and protected anesthetizing areas.	The facility's anesthetizing areas — spaces where anesthesia is given — were not properly constructed and protected as safety rules require.
K-0140	A properly installed medical gas master alarm panel.	The facility's medical gas master alarm panel — which warns staff of problems with systems like piped oxygen — was not properly installed.
K-0141	No-smoking signs where oxygen is used.	The facility did not post "No Smoking" signs in areas where oxygen is used.
K-0142	A properly constructed or installed hyperbaric treatment facility.	The facility had a hyperbaric treatment area (a special pressurized oxygen chamber) that was not properly constructed or installed.
K-0143	Have proper fire barriers, ventilation and signs for the transfilling of oxygen.	The facility did not have proper fire barriers, ventilation, and warning signs in areas where oxygen is transferred between containers. Oxygen handling areas need special safeguards because oxygen feeds fire.
K-0931	Have a properly constructed or installed hyperbaric treatment facility.	The facility's hyperbaric (pressurized oxygen) treatment area was not properly constructed or installed.

Miscellaneous Deficiencies

Code	Official CMS description	How we word it
K-0130	Have other fire safety features required by fire safety codes.	The building was missing other fire safety features required by fire safety codes.
K-0400	Meet fire sprinkler requirement for tall buildings.	The facility did not meet the fire sprinkler requirements that apply to tall buildings.
K-0421	Ensure that building is protected throughout by an automatic sprinkler system.	The facility's building was not protected throughout by an automatic sprinkler system.
K-0700	Meet requirements for operating features, such as evacuation plans, fire drills, smoking regulations, draperies, decorations and the inspection, testing and maintenance of fire doors.	The facility did not meet requirements for day-to-day fire safety practices — things like evacuation plans, fire drills, smoking rules, safe decorations and drapes, and the inspection and upkeep of fire doors.
K-0711	Provide a written emergency evacuation plan.	The facility did not have a written emergency evacuation plan.
K-0712	Have simulated fire drills held at unexpected times.	The facility did not hold practice fire drills at unexpected times. Drills at surprise times ensure staff on all shifts know exactly what to do in a real fire.
K-0741	Have posted "No-smoking" signs in areas where smoking is not permitted or ashtrays provided where smoking was allowed.	The facility did not post 'No Smoking' signs where smoking is banned, or did not provide ashtrays where smoking is allowed.
K-0751	Have restrictions on the use of flammable curtains.	The facility did not follow restrictions on flammable curtains and drapes, which must resist catching fire.
K-0752	Ensure new upholstered furniture and mattresses meet char length and heat release criteria.	The facility's new upholstered furniture and mattresses did not meet fire resistance standards for how much they char and how much heat they release when burning.
K-0753	Have restrictions on the use of highly flammable decorations.	The facility did not enforce restrictions on highly flammable decorations. Decorations that catch fire easily are limited in nursing homes for good reason.
K-0754	Provide properly sized and located linen or trash receptacles.	The facility did not have properly sized and located containers for soiled linen or trash.
K-0761	To conduct inspection, testing and maintenance of fire doors by qualified individuals.	The facility did not have its fire doors inspected, tested, and maintained by qualified individuals.
K-0771	Ensure that smoke control systems are tested and documented in accordance with established engineering principles.	The facility did not test and document its smoke control systems according to established engineering standards.
K-0781	Have restrictions on the use of portable space heaters.	The facility did not enforce restrictions on portable space heaters. Space heaters are tightly limited in nursing homes because they are a common cause of fires.
K-0791	Ensure that any exit in an area undergoing construction, repair, or improvements shall be inspected daily to ensure its ability to be used instantly in case of emergency.	During construction or repairs, the facility did not inspect the affected exits daily to make sure they could still be used instantly in an emergency.
K-0900	Meet Health Care Facilities Code mechanical requirements.	The facility did not meet the mechanical system requirements of the Health Care Facilities Code — the standards covering systems like heating, cooling, and ventilation in healthcare buildings.

Nursing and Physician Services Deficiencies

Code	Official CMS description	How we word it
F-0353	Have enough nurses to care for every resident in a way that maximizes the resident's well being.	The facility did not have enough nurses to care for every resident in a way that supports their well-being.
F-0354	Use a registered nurse at least 8 hours a day, 7 days a week.	The facility did not have a registered nurse on duty at least 8 hours a day, 7 days a week, as required. Registered nurses have the most advanced training on the nursing staff.
F-0355	Request a waiver if it can't meet the nurse staffing requirements	The facility did not have enough nurses to meet staffing requirements and did not request the required waiver from the state.
F-0356	Post nurse staffing information/data on a daily basis.	The facility did not post its daily nurse staffing numbers where residents and visitors can see them, as required.
F-0385	Make sure that a doctor approves a resident's admission in writing and that each resident remains under the care of a doctor.	The facility did not make sure a doctor approved each resident's admission in writing and that every resident stayed under a doctor's care. Every nursing home resident must have a physician overseeing their care.
F-0386	Make sure that doctors see a resident's plan of care at every visit and make notes about progress and orders in writing.	The facility did not make sure doctors reviewed each resident's care plan at every visit and wrote down their notes, progress reports, and orders.
F-0387	Make sure that doctors visit residents regularly, as required.	The facility did not make sure doctors visited residents as often as the rules require.
F-0388	Make sure that all required doctor visits are made personally.	The facility did not make sure doctors made their required visits to residents in person.
F-0389	Give or get emergency care by a doctor 24 hours a day.	The facility did not provide or arrange for emergency doctor care 24 hours a day. Residents must be able to get a physician's help at any hour.
F-0390	Make sure the physician properly assigns tasks that can be delegated or satisfied by a physician assistant, nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist .	The facility did not make sure the doctor properly handed off tasks to qualified professionals like a physician assistant or nurse practitioner where allowed.
F-0494	Ensure that all full-time nurse aides employed for more than 4 months are fully trained and competent to provide nursing and nursing-related services, as defined by Federal requirements.	The facility employed full-time nurse aides for more than 4 months who had not completed the required training or shown they were competent to care for residents.
F-0495	Ensure that all nurse aides who have worked less than 4 months are enrolled in appropriate training or have been deemed competent to provide nursing and nursing related services.	The facility used nurse aides who had worked less than 4 months without enrolling them in proper training or confirming they were competent to provide nursing care.
F-0496	1) Receive registry verification that a nurse aide has met the required training and skills that the State requires; and 2) ensure nurse aides receive the required retraining after 24 months if nursing related services were not provided for monetary compensation.	The facility did not verify through the state registry that its nurse aides completed the required training and skills testing, or did not make sure aides who had been away from paid nursing work for 24 months were retrained.
F-0497	1) Review the work of each nurse aide every year; and 2) give regular in-service training based upon these reviews.	The facility did not review each nurse aide's job performance every year, or did not provide regular on-the-job training based on those reviews.
F-0498	Make sure that nurse aides show they have the skills and techniques to be able to care for residents' needs.	The facility did not make sure its nurse aides could actually demonstrate the skills and techniques needed to care for residents.
F-0501	Choose a doctor to serve as the medical director to create resident care policies and coordinate medical care in the facility.	The facility did not have a doctor serving as medical director to set resident care policies and coordinate medical care.
F-0710	Obtain a doctor's order to admit a resident and ensure the resident is under a doctor's care.	The facility admitted a resident without a doctor's order, or did not make sure each resident stayed under a doctor's ongoing care.
F-0711	Ensure the resident's doctor reviews the resident's care, writes, signs and dates progress notes and orders, at each required visit.	The facility did not make sure the resident's doctor reviewed their care and wrote, signed, and dated progress notes and orders at each required visit.
F-0712	Ensure that the resident and his/her doctor meet face-to-face at all required visits.	The facility did not make sure residents actually saw their doctor face-to-face at all required visits. Doctors must examine nursing home residents in person on a regular schedule.
F-0713	Provide or arrange emergency care by a doctor 24 hours a day.	The facility did not provide or arrange for a doctor to be available for emergencies 24 hours a day.
F-0714	Ensure the physician properly assigns and delegates tasks to a physician assistant, nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist.	The facility did not make sure the doctor properly assigned and supervised tasks delegated to a physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist.
F-0715	Ensure the physician properly assigns and delegates tasks to a qualified dietitian (or other qualified nutrition professional); or to a qualified therapist.	The facility did not make sure the doctor properly assigned nutrition or therapy tasks to a qualified dietitian or therapist.
F-0725	Provide enough nursing staff every day to meet the needs of every resident; and have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift.	The facility did not have enough nursing staff each day to meet every resident's needs, or did not have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift. Adequate staffing is one of the strongest predictors of good care.
F-0726	Ensure that nurses and nurse aides have the appropriate competencies to care for every resident in a way that maximizes each resident's well being.	The facility did not make sure its nurses and nurse aides had the skills and training needed to properly care for every resident.
F-0727	Have a registered nurse on duty 8 hours a day; and select a registered nurse to be the director of nurses on a full time basis.	The facility did not have a registered nurse on duty at least 8 hours a day, or did not have a registered nurse serving full-time as director of nursing.
F-0728	Ensure that nurse aides who have worked more than 4 months, are trained and competent; and nurse aides who have worked less than 4 months are enrolled in appropriate training.	The facility did not make sure its nurse aides were properly trained — aides working more than 4 months must be trained and competent, and newer aides must be enrolled in training.
F-0729	Verify that a nurse aide has been trained; and if they haven't worked as a nurse aide for 2 years, receive retraining.	The facility did not verify that its nurse aides had completed their required training, or did not retrain aides who had been out of nurse aide work for 2 years.
F-0730	Observe each nurse aide's job performance and give regular training.	The facility did not observe each nurse aide's job performance or provide regular training as required.
F-0731	Request a waiver if it can't meet the nurse staffing requirements.	The facility could not meet the required nurse staffing levels but did not request the official waiver that the rules require in that situation.
F-0732	Post nurse staffing information every day.	The facility did not post its nurse staffing information every day. Nursing homes must publicly display how many nurses and aides are on duty each day.
F-0841	Designate a physician to serve as medical director responsible for implementation of resident care policies and coordination of medical care in the facility.	The facility did not designate a physician to serve as medical director — the doctor responsible for overseeing resident care policies and coordinating medical care across the facility.
F-0947	Ensure nurse aides have the skills they need to care for residents, and give nurse aides education in dementia care and abuse prevention.	The facility did not make sure its nurse aides had the skills needed to care for residents, including training in dementia care and abuse prevention.
F-0948	Ensure that paid feeding assistants have the training they need.	The facility did not make sure that paid feeding assistants — staff hired to help residents eat and drink — had the training they need.

Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies

Code	Official CMS description	How we word it
F-0360	Provide a tasty and well-balanced diet that meets the nutritional needs of each resident.	The facility did not provide a well-balanced, appealing diet that met each resident's nutritional needs.
F-0361	Hire a qualified dietician.	The facility did not employ a qualified dietician. A dietician makes sure meals meet each resident's health and nutrition needs.
F-0362	Hire sufficient dietary support personnel.	The facility did not hire enough kitchen and dietary staff to properly prepare and serve residents' meals.
F-0363	Make sure menus meet the resident's nutritional needs and that there is a prepared menu by which nutritious meals have been planned for the resident and followed.	The facility did not make sure menus meet residents' nutritional needs, or did not plan and follow menus designed to provide nutritious meals.
F-0364	Prepare food that is nutritional, appetizing, tasty, attractive, well-cooked, and at the right temperature.	The facility did not prepare food that was nutritious, appetizing, well-cooked, and served at the right temperature.
F-0365	Provide food in a way that meets a resident's needs.	The facility did not provide food in a form that met residents' individual needs — for example, food that is chopped, pureed, or otherwise prepared so a resident can safely eat it.
F-0366	Offer other nutritional food to each resident who will not eat the food served.	When a resident would not eat the food served, the facility did not offer a nutritious substitute.
F-0367	Make sure that special or therapeutic diets are ordered by the attending doctor.	The facility provided special or therapeutic diets — like low-salt or diabetic diets — without an order from the resident's doctor, or failed to get the required order.
F-0368	1) Provide 3 meals at regular times; 2) serve breakfast within 14 hours of dinner; and 3) offer a snack at bedtime each day.	The facility did not follow meal schedule rules — providing three meals at regular times, serving breakfast within 14 hours of dinner, and offering a bedtime snack every day.
F-0369	Provide special eating equipment and utensils for each resident who needs them.	The facility did not provide special eating equipment and utensils, such as adapted cups or grips, for residents who need them to eat on their own.
F-0371	Store, cook, and serve food in a safe and clean way.	The facility did not store, cook, or serve food in a safe and clean way.
F-0373	Make sure that paid feeding assistants 1) completed training; 2) work under the supervision of a RN or LPN; and 3) feed only residents who have no complicated feeding problems.	The facility did not follow the rules for paid feeding assistants — staff hired to help residents eat. These assistants must complete training, work under a nurse's supervision, and only help residents without complicated feeding problems.
F-0800	Provide each resident with a nourishing, palatable, well-balanced diet that meets his or her daily nutritional and special dietary needs.	The facility did not provide each resident with a nourishing, tasty, well-balanced diet that meets their daily nutritional and special dietary needs.
F-0801	Employ sufficient staff with the appropriate competencies and skills sets to carry out the functions of the food and nutrition service, including a qualified dietician.	The facility did not employ enough qualified food and nutrition staff, including a qualified dietician, to properly run its food service.
F-0802	Provide sufficient support personnel to safely and effectively carry out the functions of the food and nutrition service.	The facility did not have enough support staff to safely and effectively run its food and nutrition service.
F-0803	Ensure menus must meet the nutritional needs of residents, be prepared in advance, be followed, be updated, be reviewed by dietician, and meet the needs of the resident.	The facility's menus did not meet residents' nutritional needs, or were not prepared in advance, followed as written, kept up to date, or reviewed by a dietician.
F-0804	Ensure food and drink is palatable, attractive, and at a safe and appetizing temperature.	The facility did not serve food and drinks that were appetizing, attractive, and at a safe and pleasant temperature.
F-0805	Ensure each resident receives and the facility provides food prepared in a form designed to meet individual needs.	The facility did not prepare and serve food in a form that meets each resident's individual needs — for example, chopped, pureed, or softened food for residents with chewing or swallowing problems.
F-0806	Ensure each resident receives and the facility provides food that accommodates resident allergies, intolerances, and preferences, as well as appealing options.	The facility did not provide food that accounts for each resident's allergies, intolerances, and personal preferences, or did not offer appealing alternatives.
F-0807	Ensure each resident receives and the facility provides drinks consistent with resident needs and preferences and sufficient to maintain resident hydration.	The facility did not provide residents with enough to drink, or with drinks matching their needs and preferences, to keep them properly hydrated.
F-0808	Ensure therapeutic diets are prescribed by the attending physician and may be delegated to a registered or licensed dietitian, to the extent allowed by State law.	The facility did not make sure special medical diets — like low-sodium or diabetic diets — were properly ordered by the resident's doctor or managed by a qualified dietitian as state law allows.
F-0809	Ensure meals and snacks are served at times in accordance with resident’s needs, preferences, and requests. Suitable and nourishing alternative meals and snacks must be provided for residents who want to eat at non-traditional times or outside of scheduled meal times.	The facility did not serve meals and snacks at times that fit residents' needs, preferences, and requests, or did not offer nourishing alternatives for residents who want to eat outside scheduled meal times.
F-0810	Provide special eating equipment and utensils for residents who need them and appropriate assistance.	The facility did not provide special eating equipment and utensils — like adaptive cups or easy-grip silverware — for residents who need them, along with appropriate help at meals.
F-0811	Ensure that residents are assessed for appropriateness for a feeding assistant program, receive services as per their plan of care, and feeding assistants are trained and supervised.	The facility did not properly run its feeding assistant program — assessing which residents are appropriate for it, following each resident's care plan, and making sure feeding assistants are trained and supervised. Feeding assistants are trained helpers who assist residents at mealtimes.
F-0812	Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.	The facility did not get its food from approved, safe sources, or did not store, prepare, and serve food according to professional food safety standards.
F-0813	Have a policy regarding use and storage of foods brought to residents by family and other visitors.	The facility did not have a policy covering how food brought in by family and visitors is used and stored safely.
F-0814	Dispose of garbage and refuse properly.	The facility did not dispose of garbage and refuse properly.

Pharmacy Service Deficiencies

Code	Official CMS description	How we word it
F-0329	Ensure that each resident's 1) entire drug/medication regimen is free from unnecessary drugs; and 2) is managed and monitored to achieve highest level of well-being.	The facility did not keep each resident's medications free of unnecessary drugs, or did not properly manage and monitor the medications residents were taking.
F-0332	Keep the rate of medication errors (wrong drug, wrong dose, wrong time) to less than 5%.	The facility's medication error rate — giving the wrong drug, the wrong dose, or medicine at the wrong time — was 5% or higher. Facilities are required to keep these errors below that level.
F-0333	Ensure that residents are safe from serious medication errors.	The facility did not keep residents safe from serious medication errors.
F-0425	Provide routine and emergency drugs through a licensed pharmacist and only under the general supervision of a licensed nurse.	The facility did not provide routine and emergency medications through a licensed pharmacist, with a licensed nurse overseeing how drugs are handled and given.
F-0428	At least once a month, have a licensed pharmacist review each resident's medication(s) and report any irregularities to the attending doctor.	The facility did not have a licensed pharmacist review each resident's medications at least once a month and report any problems to the resident's doctor.
F-0431	Maintain drug records and properly mark/label drugs and other similar products according to accepted professional standards.	The facility did not keep proper drug records or correctly label medications according to professional standards. Accurate records and labels are how staff know what each medicine is, whose it is, and how to give it safely.
F-0755	Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist.	The facility did not provide pharmacy services that meet each resident's needs, or did not employ or contract with a licensed pharmacist.
F-0756	Ensure a licensed pharmacist perform a monthly drug regimen review, including the medical chart, following irregularity reporting guidelines in developed policies and procedures.	The facility did not have a licensed pharmacist review each resident's complete medication regimen and medical chart every month, or did not follow its own rules for reporting medication problems.
F-0757	Ensure each resident’s drug regimen must be free from unnecessary drugs.	The facility did not keep residents' medications free from unnecessary drugs. Residents should only take medicines they truly need, at the right dose, for a clear reason.
F-0758	Implement gradual dose reductions(GDR) and non-pharmacological interventions, unless contraindicated, prior to initiating or instead of continuing psychotropic medication; and PRN orders for psychotropic medications are only used when the medication is necessary and PRN use is limited.	The facility did not try to gradually reduce doses of mood- and mind-altering medications or use non-drug approaches first, as required, or used 'as needed' psychiatric drugs without proper limits.
F-0759	Ensure medication error rates are not 5 percent or greater.	The facility's medication error rate was 5 percent or higher — meaning too many doses were given incorrectly, such as the wrong drug, dose, or time.
F-0760	Ensure that residents are free from significant medication errors.	The facility did not keep residents free from significant medication errors — such as giving the wrong drug, the wrong dose, or missing a critical medication.
F-0761	Ensure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments, separately locked, compartments for controlled drugs.	The facility did not label drugs according to professional standards or did not store them in locked compartments, with controlled drugs (medications with a high risk of misuse) kept under a separate lock.

Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies

Code	Official CMS description	How we word it
F-0248	Provide activities to meet the interests and needs of each resident.	The facility did not provide activities that fit the interests and needs of each resident.
F-0250	Provide medically-related social services to help each resident achieve the highest possible quality of life.	The facility did not provide the social services residents needed — help with things like emotional support, adjusting to the facility, connecting with resources, and planning for changes in care.
F-0281	Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.	The facility provided services that did not meet accepted professional standards of quality. Care in a nursing home is supposed to meet the same standards a trained professional would follow anywhere.
F-0282	Provide care by qualified persons according to each resident's written plan of care.	The facility did not make sure that care was given by qualified staff following each resident's written care plan — the individualized document that spells out what care each resident needs.
F-0309	Provide necessary care and services to maintain or improve the highest well being of each resident .	The facility did not provide the care and services each resident needed to stay as healthy and well as possible.
F-0310	Make sure that each residents' abilities in activities of daily living do not decline, unless unavoidable.	The facility allowed residents' abilities to do everyday tasks — like dressing, eating, and using the bathroom — to decline when that decline could have been prevented. Good care helps residents stay as independent as possible.
F-0311	Make sure that residents receive treatments/services to maintain or improve their ability to care for themselves.	The facility did not give residents the treatment and services they need to keep or improve their ability to take care of themselves — things like dressing, eating, or bathing on their own.
F-0312	Assist those residents who need help with eating/drinking, grooming and personal and oral hygiene.	The facility did not help residents who need assistance with basic daily tasks like eating, drinking, grooming, bathing, and mouth care.
F-0313	Ensure that residents receive proper treatment and assistive devices to maintain their vision and hearing.	The facility did not make sure residents got proper treatment and devices — such as glasses or hearing aids — to maintain their vision and hearing.
F-0314	Give residents proper treatment to prevent new bed (pressure) sores or heal existing bed sores.	The facility did not give residents proper care to prevent new pressure sores (bed sores) or to heal existing ones. Pressure sores are painful skin wounds that develop when someone stays in one position too long, and good nursing care can usually prevent them.
F-0315	Ensure that each resident who enters the nursing home without a catheter is not given a catheter, unless medically necessary, and that incontinent patients receive proper services to prevent urinary tract infections and restore normal bladder functions.	The facility gave residents urinary catheters when they weren't medically necessary, or failed to give residents with bladder control problems the care needed to prevent urinary tract infections and help restore normal bladder function.
F-0317	Prevent a loss in range of motion among residents who entered the nursing home with a full range of motion, unless it is unavoidable due to resident’s clinical condition.	The facility did not prevent residents from losing their ability to move their joints and limbs freely, when that loss could have been avoided. Residents who arrive able to move fully should keep that ability unless their medical condition makes decline unavoidable.
F-0318	Ensure that residents with limited range of motion receive appropriate treatment and services to increase range of motion or prevent further decrease in range of motion.	The facility did not give residents with limited movement in their joints the treatment and services needed to improve their movement or keep it from getting worse.
F-0319	Give the right treatment and services to residents who display physical or psychosocial problems adapting to changes in circumstances.	The facility did not give the right treatment and services to residents who were struggling emotionally or physically to adjust to changes in their lives, such as a new diagnosis, a loss, or moving into the home.
F-0320	Evaluate a resident’s decrease in social interaction or increase in depressive behaviors and determine if the behavioral changes were avoidable if these problems did not exist before.	When a resident became more withdrawn or showed more signs of depression, the facility did not evaluate the change or determine whether it could have been prevented.
F-0322	Give proper treatment to residents with feeding tubes to prevent problems (such as aspiration pneumonia, diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, metabolic abnormalities, nasal-pharyngeal ulcers) and help restore eating skills, if possible.	The facility did not properly care for residents with feeding tubes. Good tube care prevents serious problems like pneumonia from food entering the lungs, vomiting, dehydration, and sores, and includes helping residents relearn to eat by mouth when possible.
F-0325	Ensure residents maintain acceptable nutritional status.	The facility did not make sure residents maintained acceptable nutrition. That means residents were not getting the nourishment they need to stay healthy.
F-0327	Give each resident enough fluids to keep them healthy and prevent dehydration.	The facility did not give residents enough fluids to stay healthy and prevent dehydration.
F-0328	Properly care for residents needing special services, including: injections, colostomy, ureostomy, ileostomy, tracheostomy care, tracheal suctioning, respiratory care, foot care, and prostheses.	The facility did not properly care for residents needing special medical services, such as injections, ostomy care (a surgically created opening for waste), breathing tube care, respiratory treatments, foot care, or artificial limbs.
F-0334	Develop policies and procedures for influenza and pneumococcal immunizations.	The facility did not have proper policies and procedures for offering residents flu and pneumonia vaccines.
F-0406	Give or get specialized rehabilitative services per the patient's assessment or plan of care.	The facility did not provide or arrange the specialized rehabilitation services — such as physical, occupational, or speech therapy — called for by a resident's assessment or plan of care.
F-0407	Give specialized rehabilitative services that are medically necessary by qualified personnel, when ordered by a doctor.	The facility did not provide medically necessary rehabilitation services — like physical, occupational, or speech therapy — by qualified staff when a doctor ordered them.
F-0411	Provide routine and 24-hour emergency dental care for each resident.	The facility did not provide routine dental care or 24-hour emergency dental care for residents. Nursing homes must make sure residents can get dental treatment when they need it.
F-0412	Provide or obtain dental services for each resident.	The facility did not provide or arrange dental care for its residents.
F-0675	Honor each resident's preferences, choices, values and beliefs.	The facility did not honor residents' individual preferences, choices, values, and beliefs in their daily life and care.
F-0676	Ensure residents do not lose the ability to perform activities of daily living unless there is a medical reason.	The facility allowed residents to lose the ability to do daily activities — like bathing, dressing, and eating — when there was no medical reason for the decline. Good care helps residents keep the abilities they have.
F-0677	Provide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable.	The facility did not provide the help residents need with basic daily activities — like bathing, dressing, eating, and using the bathroom — for residents who cannot do these things on their own.
F-0678	Provide basic life support, including CPR, prior to the arrival of emergency medical personnel , subject to physician orders and the resident’s advance directives.	The facility did not provide basic life support, such as CPR, before emergency medical help arrived — care that's required when it matches the doctor's orders and the resident's own written wishes.
F-0679	Provide activities to meet all resident's needs.	The facility did not provide activities that meet residents' needs and interests. Nursing homes must offer meaningful activity programs, not just leave residents idle.
F-0680	Ensure the activities program is directed by a qualified professional.	The facility's activities program was not run by a qualified professional. The person directing recreation and social activities must have proper training or credentials.
F-0684	Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.	The facility did not provide treatment and care that follows the doctor's orders and matches the resident's own preferences and goals.
F-0685	Assist a resident in gaining access to vision and hearing services.	The facility did not help a resident get vision and hearing services — such as eye exams, glasses, hearing tests, or hearing aids.
F-0686	Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.	The facility did not provide proper care for pressure ulcers (bedsores) or did not do enough to prevent new ones from forming. Bedsores develop when residents stay in one position too long without help moving.
F-0687	Provide appropriate foot care.	The facility did not provide proper foot care for residents. Foot care includes routine care like nail trimming and attention to foot problems, which matter greatly for older adults.
F-0688	Provide appropriate care for a resident to maintain and/or improve range of motion (ROM), limited ROM and/or mobility, unless a decline is for a medical reason.	The facility did not provide the care needed to maintain or improve residents' movement and flexibility — such as range-of-motion exercises — leading to avoidable decline.
F-0689	Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.	The facility did not keep the environment free of accident hazards, or did not provide enough supervision to prevent accidents like falls.
F-0690	Provide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections.	The facility did not provide appropriate care related to bladder and bowel needs — including care for residents who use catheters and steps to prevent urinary tract infections.
F-0691	Provide appropriate colostomy, urostomy, or ileostomy care/services for a resident who requires such services.	The facility did not provide proper care for residents with a colostomy, urostomy, or ileostomy — surgical openings in the abdomen that let waste leave the body into a pouch. These require regular, skilled attention to stay clean and healthy.
F-0692	Provide enough food/fluids to maintain a resident's health.	The facility did not provide enough food and fluids to keep residents healthy, such as preventing unplanned weight loss or dehydration.
F-0693	Ensure that feeding tubes are not used unless there is a medical reason and the resident agrees; and provide appropriate care for a resident with a feeding tube.	The facility used feeding tubes without a valid medical reason or the resident's agreement, or did not provide proper care to residents who have feeding tubes.
F-0694	Provide for the safe, appropriate administration of IV fluids for a resident when needed.	The facility did not safely and appropriately administer IV fluids (fluids given through a vein) for residents who needed them.
F-0695	Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.	The facility did not provide safe and appropriate respiratory care — such as oxygen, breathing treatments, or care for residents on breathing equipment — for residents who needed it.
F-0696	Provide appropriate care/assistance for a resident with a prosthesis.	The facility did not provide proper care or assistance for a resident who uses a prosthesis, such as an artificial limb.
F-0697	Provide safe, appropriate pain management for a resident who requires such services.	The facility did not provide safe and appropriate pain management for a resident who needed it.
F-0698	Provide safe, appropriate dialysis care/services for a resident who requires such services.	The facility did not provide safe, appropriate care for residents who need dialysis — the treatment that filters the blood when kidneys fail.
F-0699	Provide care or services that was trauma informed and/or culturally competent.	The facility did not provide care that took into account residents' past trauma or their cultural backgrounds. Care is supposed to be sensitive to what residents have lived through and where they come from.
F-0700	Try different approaches before using a bed rail. If a bed rail is needed, the facility must (1) assess a resident for safety risk; (2) review these risks and benefits with the resident/representative; (3) get informed consent; and (4) Correctly install and maintain the bed rail.	The facility used bed rails without first trying safer alternatives, or without assessing the resident's safety risk, discussing the risks and benefits with the resident or family, getting consent, and installing the rails correctly.
F-0740	Ensure each resident must receive and the facility must provide necessary behavioral health care and services.	The facility did not provide necessary behavioral health care and services — support for residents' mental and emotional wellbeing, including conditions like depression and anxiety.
F-0741	Ensure that the facility has sufficient staff members who possess the competencies and skills to meet the behavioral health needs of residents.	The facility did not have enough staff with the right skills to meet the mental and behavioral health needs of its residents, such as those living with dementia or depression.
F-0742	Provide the appropriate treatment and services to a resident who displays or is diagnosed with mental disorder or psychosocial adjustment difficulty, or who has a history of trauma and/or post-traumatic stress disorder.	The facility did not provide appropriate treatment and services to residents with a mental health condition, difficulty adjusting emotionally, or a history of trauma or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
F-0743	Ensure that a resident does not develop patterns of decreased social interaction and/or increased withdrawn, angry, or depressive behaviors, unless unavoidable.	The facility did not prevent a resident from becoming increasingly withdrawn, angry, or depressed, or from losing social connection, when that decline was avoidable.
F-0744	Provide the appropriate treatment and services to a resident who displays or is diagnosed with dementia.	The facility did not provide the right treatment and services for residents with dementia or signs of dementia. Dementia care requires specific approaches, training, and patience.
F-0745	Provide medically-related social services to help each resident achieve the highest possible quality of life.	The facility did not provide the social services residents need — such as counseling, help with adjustment, or connecting to outside resources — to achieve the best possible quality of life.
F-0790	Provide routine and 24-hour emergency dental care for each resident.	The facility did not provide routine dental care and 24-hour emergency dental care for residents.
F-0791	Provide or obtain dental services for each resident.	The facility did not provide or arrange dental services for its residents. Nursing homes are responsible for making sure residents can get dental care.
F-0825	Provide or get specialized rehabilitative services as required for a resident.	The facility did not provide or arrange specialized rehabilitation services — such as physical, occupational, or speech therapy — for residents who needed them.
F-0826	Provide specialized rehabilitative services by qualified personnel, when ordered for a resident by a doctor.	The facility did not provide specialized rehabilitation services — like physical, occupational, or speech therapy — by qualified staff when a doctor ordered them for a resident.

Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies

Code	Official CMS description	How we word it
F-0271	Provide doctor's orders for the resident's immediate care at the time the resident was admitted.	The facility did not have doctor's orders for a resident's immediate care at the time the resident was admitted.
F-0272	Conduct initial and periodic assessments of each resident's functional capacity.	The facility did not complete the required assessments of each resident's abilities — such as walking, eating, and thinking — when they moved in and at regular intervals afterward. These assessments are the foundation for planning a resident's care.
F-0273	Assess in a timely manner the resident when the resident enters the nursing home.	The facility did not complete a full assessment of a resident's health and needs soon enough after the resident moved in.
F-0274	Review or revise the resident's care plan after any major change in physical or mental health.	The facility did not review or update a resident's written plan of care after a major change in their physical or mental health. This plan is the roadmap staff follow for each resident's daily care.
F-0275	Completely assess the resident at least every twelve months.	The facility did not fully assess each resident's health and needs at least once every twelve months, as required.
F-0276	Assure that each resident’s assessment is updated at least once every 3 months.	The facility did not update each resident's assessment at least once every 3 months. Regular updates make sure the care a resident gets keeps up with their changing condition.
F-0278	Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment by a qualified health professional.	The facility did not make sure each resident's health assessment was accurate and done by a qualified health professional.
F-0279	Develop a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.	The facility did not create a complete written plan of care covering all of a resident's needs, with clear goals, deadlines, and steps whose progress can be measured.
F-0280	Allow residents the right to participate in the planning or revision of care and treatment.	The facility did not let residents take part in planning or updating their own care. Residents (and their families or representatives) have the right to help decide how they are cared for.
F-0283	Provide proper discharge planning and communication, of the resident's health status and summary of the resident's nursing home stay.	The facility did not do proper discharge planning or clearly communicate a resident's health status and a summary of their stay when they left the nursing home.
F-0284	Develop a post-discharge plan with the resident and family for the resident's care after leaving the nursing home.	The facility did not work with the resident and family to develop a plan for the resident's care after leaving the nursing home.
F-0285	Coordinate assessments with the pre-admission screening and resident review program for mentally-ill and mentally-retarded patients.	The facility did not coordinate its resident assessments with the required state screening program for people with mental illness or intellectual disabilities. This screening helps confirm a nursing home is the right placement and identifies special services a person needs.
F-0286	Maintain 15 months of resident assessments in the resident's active clinical record.	The facility did not keep the required 15 months of resident assessments in each resident's active medical record.
F-0287	Encode each resident’s assessment data and transmit these data to the State within 7 days of assessment.	The facility did not enter each resident's assessment information into the required format and send it to the state within 7 days of completing the assessment, as the rules require.
F-0635	Provide doctor's orders for the resident's immediate care at the time the resident was admitted.	The facility did not have doctor's orders in place for a resident's immediate care at the time the resident was admitted.
F-0636	Assess the resident completely in a timely manner when first admitted, and then periodically, at least every 12 months.	The facility did not fully assess residents on time — a complete assessment of health, abilities, and needs is required when a resident is first admitted and at least once every 12 months after that.
F-0637	Assess the resident when there is a significant change in condition	The facility did not reassess a resident after a significant change in their condition, such as a sudden decline in health. A full new assessment is required when a resident's condition changes in a major way.
F-0638	Assure that each resident’s assessment is updated at least once every 3 months.	The facility did not update each resident's care assessment at least once every 3 months. These regular check-ins keep the resident's care plan matched to their current condition.
F-0639	Maintain 15 months of resident assessments in the resident's active clinical record.	The facility did not keep the required 15 months of resident assessments in each resident's active medical record.
F-0640	Encode each resident’s assessment data and transmit these data to the State within 7 days of assessment.	The facility did not enter each resident's assessment information into the required format and send it to the state within 7 days of completing the assessment, as the rules require.
F-0641	Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment.	The facility did not accurately assess a resident's health and needs. Assessments are the foundation for all the care a resident receives.
F-0642	Ensure a qualified health professional conducts resident assessments.	The facility did not make sure resident assessments were done by a qualified health professional. Assessments guide all of a resident's care, so the person doing them must be properly trained.
F-0644	Coordinate assessments with the pre-admission screening and resident review program; and referring for services as needed.	The facility did not coordinate resident assessments with the state's pre-admission screening program for mental illness and intellectual disabilities, or failed to refer residents for the special services they need.
F-0645	PASARR screening for Mental disorders or Intellectual Disabilities	The facility did not properly complete the required screening (called PASARR) that identifies whether a person entering a nursing home has a mental illness or intellectual disability and needs specialized services.
F-0646	Notify the appropriate authorities when residents with MD or ID services has a significant change in condition.	The facility did not notify the appropriate authorities when a resident with a mental disorder or intellectual disability had a significant change in condition.
F-0655	Create and put into place a plan for meeting the resident's most immediate needs within 48 hours of being admitted	The facility did not create and follow a basic care plan covering a new resident's most immediate needs within 48 hours of admission. The first days are when a new resident is most vulnerable.
F-0656	Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.	The facility did not develop or follow a complete care plan for each resident — the written roadmap covering all of a resident's needs, with measurable goals and timelines.
F-0657	Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.	The facility did not develop a resident's complete plan of care within 7 days of the full assessment, or the plan wasn't prepared, reviewed, and updated by a team of health professionals as required.
F-0658	Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.	The facility provided care that did not meet professional standards of quality — the accepted standards that nurses and other clinicians are expected to follow.
F-0659	Provide care by qualified persons according to each resident's written plan of care.	The facility did not make sure care was delivered by qualified people following each resident's written care plan — the individualized document that spells out exactly what care that resident is supposed to receive.
F-0660	Plan the resident's discharge to meet the resident's goals and needs.	The facility did not properly plan a resident's discharge to meet the resident's goals and needs after leaving.
F-0661	Ensure necessary information is communicated to the resident, and receiving health care provider at the time of a planned discharge.	When a resident had a planned discharge, the facility did not make sure the necessary information was communicated to the resident and to the doctors or facility taking over their care.
F-0842	Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.	The facility did not protect residents' personal information or did not keep complete, accurate medical records that meet professional standards.

Resident Rights Deficiencies

Code	Official CMS description	How we word it
F-0151	Honor a residents' rights as a residents of the nursing home, free of coercion and reprisal, and as citizens or residents of the United States.	The facility failed to honor residents' basic rights as nursing home residents and as citizens, free from pressure or punishment for exercising those rights. Residents keep their full legal rights when they move into a nursing home.
F-0152	Give the resident's representative the ability to exercise the resident's rights.	The facility did not allow a resident's chosen representative — such as a family member or legal guardian — to act on the resident's behalf and exercise the resident's rights.
F-0153	Let each resident or the resident's legal representative access or purchase copies of all the resident's records.	The facility did not let a resident, or the person legally allowed to act for them, see or buy copies of the resident's own records.
F-0154	Ensure that residents are fully informed and understand their health status, care and treatments.	The facility did not make sure residents were fully informed about their own health, care, and treatments in a way they could understand.
F-0155	Let residents refuse treatment, refuse to take part in an experiment, or formulate advance directives.	The facility did not respect residents' rights to refuse treatment, decline to take part in medical research, or set up advance directives (written instructions about the care they want if they can't speak for themselves).
F-0156	Give residents a notice of rights, rules, services and charges.	The facility did not give residents proper written notice of their rights, the facility's rules, the services offered, and what those services cost.
F-0157	Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident.	The facility did not promptly notify the resident, their doctor, and a family member when something important happened — such as an injury, a decline in health, or a room change.
F-0158	Let residents choose whether to manage their own money or deposit it with the nursing home.	The facility did not let residents choose whether to handle their own money or have the nursing home hold it for them. Residents have the right to make that choice themselves.
F-0159	Properly hold, secure, and manage each resident's personal money which is deposited with the nursing home.	The facility did not properly protect and manage residents' personal money that was deposited with the nursing home for safekeeping. Facilities that hold residents' funds must keep them secure and accounted for.
F-0160	Upon the death of a resident, convey the resident’s personal funds and an accounting of those funds to the appropriate party.	After a resident died, the facility did not properly turn over the resident's personal funds, along with a full accounting of that money, to the right person or estate.
F-0161	Provide proof that residents' personal money that is deposited with the nursing home is secure.	The facility could not show proof that residents' personal money held by the nursing home is protected — for example, through a bond or similar guarantee.
F-0162	Limit the charges against residents' personal funds for items or services for which payment is made under Medicare or Medicaid.	The facility charged residents' personal funds for items or services that Medicare or Medicaid already pays for. Facilities are not allowed to bill residents twice for covered items.
F-0163	Let residents choose a personal doctor.	The facility did not let residents choose their own personal doctor. Residents have the right to pick the physician who treats them.
F-0164	Keep residents' personal and medical records private and confidential.	The facility did not keep residents' personal and medical records private and confidential.
F-0165	Let residents voice a complaint or grievance without being treated differently or badly.	The facility did not protect residents' right to complain. Residents must be able to raise concerns or file grievances without fear of being treated worse because they spoke up.
F-0166	Try to resolve each resident's complaints quickly.	The facility did not try to resolve residents' complaints quickly. Nursing homes are required to take complaints seriously and act on them promptly.
F-0167	Allow residents to easily view the results of the nursing home's most recent inspection.	The facility did not make the results of its most recent government inspection easy for residents to find and read. Inspection results must be posted where anyone can see them.
F-0168	Let residents talk to and get information from agencies acting on their behalf.	The facility did not let residents contact or get information from outside agencies that act on their behalf, such as the ombudsman program or advocacy groups.
F-0169	1) Protect residents from being forced to work at the nursing home, or 2) let residents work if they want to.	The facility did not follow the rules about resident work. Residents must never be forced to work for the nursing home, but those who want to work must be allowed to.
F-0170	Send unopened mail from residents and promptly deliver unopened mail to residents.	The facility did not handle residents' mail properly — either it failed to send out residents' mail unopened or failed to deliver incoming mail to residents promptly and unopened.
F-0171	Let residents use stationery, postage, and writing materials at the residents' own expense.	The facility did not let residents use stationery, stamps, and writing materials at their own expense. Residents have the right to send and receive mail.
F-0172	Allow residents to have visitors.	The facility did not allow residents to have visitors as they have the right to.
F-0173	Let a representative of the State Ombudsman look at a resident's records, if the resident agreed.	The facility did not let a representative of the State Ombudsman — an independent official who advocates for nursing home residents — review a resident's records after the resident gave permission.
F-0174	Provide residents with private access to a telephone.	The facility did not give residents a way to make phone calls in private.
F-0175	Allow married couples living in the same facility to share a room.	The facility did not allow a married couple who both live there to share a room. Married residents in the same facility have the right to live together if they wish.
F-0176	Allow residents to self-administer drugs if determined safe.	The facility did not allow residents to take their own medications themselves, even when it had been determined they could do so safely.
F-0177	Protect a residents' right to refuse some types of non-requested transfers within the nursing home.	The facility did not honor a resident's right to say no to certain room or unit moves within the nursing home that the resident didn't ask for.
F-0201	Permit residents to remain in the facility and not be transferred or discharged without adequate reason.	The facility transferred or discharged a resident without an adequate reason. Residents have the right to stay in their nursing home unless there is a valid, legally allowed reason for them to leave.
F-0202	Provide written records when a resident is transferred or discharged.	The facility did not provide the required written records when a resident was transferred or discharged. Families and residents are entitled to proper paperwork explaining a move.
F-0203	Provide timely notification to the resident before transfer or discharge.	The facility did not give a resident proper advance notice before transferring or discharging them.
F-0204	Help and prepare each resident for a safe and easy discharge or transfer from the nursing home.	The facility did not properly help and prepare a resident for a safe, smooth discharge or transfer out of the nursing home.
F-0205	Tell the resident or the resident’s representative in writing how long the nursing home will hold the resident’s bed in cases of transfer to a hospital or therapeutic leave.	The facility did not tell the resident or their representative in writing how long their bed would be held if they went to the hospital or took an approved leave.
F-0206	Establish and follow a written policy that permits a resident to return to the nursing home after hospitalization or therapeutic leave that exceeds bed-hold policy.	The facility did not have or follow a written policy letting residents return to the nursing home after a hospital stay or approved time away that lasted longer than the facility's bed-hold period (the time a bed is saved for a resident).
F-0207	Use identical practices regarding transfer, discharge, and services for all residents, regardless of payment source	The facility did not treat all residents the same when it came to transfers, discharges, and services — treatment differed based on how a resident paid, such as Medicaid versus private pay.
F-0208	1) Protect current or future residents from giving up their Medicaid or Medicare benefits; or 2) follow federal rules for admissions.	The facility did not follow federal admission rules — for example, by pressuring residents to give up their Medicare or Medicaid benefits, or by making improper demands as a condition of admission.
F-0240	Provide care for each resident in a way that maintains or improves their quality of life.	The facility did not provide care in a way that maintains or improves each resident's quality of life.
F-0241	Provide care for residents in a way that maintains or improves their dignity and respect in full recognition of their individuality.	The facility did not care for residents in a way that maintains their dignity and respect — treating each person as an individual with their own preferences and worth.
F-0242	Ensure residents have the right to have a choice over activities, their schedules, and health care according to their interests, assessments, and plans of care.	The facility did not let residents make their own choices about their activities, daily schedules, and health care. Residents have the right to decide these things based on their own interests and needs.
F-0243	Provide resident groups or resident family groups with private space to meet.	The facility did not give resident groups or family groups a private space to meet. Residents and their families have the right to organize and meet without staff listening in.
F-0244	Listen to the resident groups and act on their complaints and suggestions that affect resident care and life.	The facility did not listen to its resident groups — such as the resident council — or act on their complaints and suggestions about care and daily life.
F-0245	Ensure that each resident has the right to join in social, religious, and community activities.	The facility did not protect residents' right to take part in social, religious, and community activities of their choosing.
F-0246	Reasonably accommodate the needs and preferences of each resident.	The facility did not make reasonable adjustments to meet residents' individual needs and preferences — for example, arranging rooms, routines, or services around what each person needs.
F-0247	Give notice to the resident before a room or roommate change.	The facility moved a resident to a different room or changed their roommate without telling them first. Residents are entitled to advance notice before these changes.
F-0550	Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.	The facility did not treat residents with dignity and respect, or did not honor their rights to make their own decisions and communicate freely. This is one of the most fundamental resident rights.
F-0551	Give the resident's representative the ability to exercise the resident's rights.	The facility did not allow a resident's chosen representative — often a family member or someone with power of attorney — to exercise the resident's rights on their behalf. When a resident can't speak for themselves, their representative steps into that role.
F-0552	Ensure that residents are fully informed and understand their health status, care and treatments.	The facility did not make sure residents were fully informed about their own health, care, and treatments in a way they could understand.
F-0553	Allow resident to participate in the development and implementation of his or her person-centered plan of care.	The facility did not let a resident help develop and carry out their own plan of care — the written roadmap of the services and support they'll receive, built around their personal goals and preferences.
F-0554	Allow residents to self-administer drugs if determined clinically appropriate.	The facility did not allow residents to take their own medications when a clinical review showed they could do so safely. Residents have this right if their care team determines it's appropriate.
F-0555	Honor the resident's right to choose his or her attending physician.	The facility did not honor a resident's right to choose their own attending doctor. Residents get to decide which physician oversees their care.
F-0557	Honor the resident's right to be treated with respect and dignity and to retain and use personal possessions.	The facility did not treat residents with respect and dignity, or did not let them keep and use their own personal belongings.
F-0558	Reasonably accommodate the needs and preferences of each resident.	The facility did not make reasonable adjustments to fit each resident's individual needs and preferences — things like call buttons within reach, preferred wake-up times, or accessible room setups.
F-0559	Honor the resident's right to share a room with spouse or roommate of choice and receive written notice before a change is made.	The facility did not honor residents' right to share a room with their spouse or a roommate of their choosing, or moved residents to a different room without written notice beforehand.
F-0560	Protect a residents' right to refuse some types of non-requested transfers within the nursing home.	The facility did not protect residents' right to refuse certain moves within the nursing home that they did not ask for, such as being switched between units. Residents have a say in where they live inside the facility.
F-0561	Honor the resident's right to and the facility must promote and facilitate resident self-determination through support of resident choice.	The facility did not honor residents' right to make their own choices about their daily lives, such as when to wake up, what to eat, or how to spend their time.
F-0562	Provide immediate access to any resident.	The facility did not allow people with a legal right to see a resident — such as family, doctors, or ombudsmen — to have immediate access to that resident.
F-0563	Honor the resident's right to receive visitors of his or her choosing, at the time of his or her choosing.	The facility did not honor residents' right to receive the visitors they choose, at the times they choose.
F-0564	Inform each resident of his or her visitation rights and ensure that all visitors enjoy equal visitation privileges.	The facility did not inform residents of their visitation rights or did not treat all visitors equally. Residents have the right to receive the visitors they choose.
F-0565	Honor the resident's right to organize and participate in resident/family groups in the facility.	The facility did not honor residents' right to form and take part in resident or family groups, such as a resident council.
F-0566	1) Protect residents from being forced to work at the nursing home, or 2) let residents work if they want to.	The facility did not follow the rules about resident work. Residents must never be forced to work for the nursing home, but those who want to work must be allowed to.
F-0567	Honor the resident's right to manage his or her financial affairs.	The facility did not honor residents' right to manage their own money and financial affairs.
F-0568	Properly hold, secure, and manage each resident's personal money which is deposited with the nursing home.	The facility did not properly hold, secure, and manage residents' personal money that was deposited with it for safekeeping. Facilities holding residents' funds must keep careful, honest accounts.
F-0569	Notify each resident of certain balances and convey resident funds upon discharge, eviction, or death.	The facility did not properly notify residents about the balance of money it holds for them, or failed to return those funds when a resident was discharged, evicted, or died.
F-0570	Assure the security of all personal funds of residents deposited with the facility.	The facility did not properly protect the personal money residents deposited with it for safekeeping.
F-0571	Limit the charges against residents' personal funds for items or services for which payment is made under Medicare or Medicaid.	The facility charged residents' personal funds for items or services that Medicare or Medicaid already pays for. Facilities may not bill residents for covered items.
F-0572	Give residents a notice of rights, rules, services and charges.	The facility did not give residents the required written notice of their rights, the facility's rules, the services offered, and what those services cost.
F-0573	Let each resident or the resident's legal representative access or purchase copies of all the resident's records.	The facility did not let a resident or their legal representative see or buy copies of the resident's own records.
F-0574	The resident has the right to receive notices in a format and a language he or she understands.	The facility did not give residents important notices in a format and language they can understand — for example, translated documents or accessible formats for those with vision or hearing loss.
F-0575	Post a list of names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all pertinent State agencies and advocacy groups and a statement that the resident may file a complaint with the State Survey Agency.	The facility did not post the names, addresses, and phone numbers of state agencies and advocacy groups, along with a notice that residents may file complaints with the state survey agency.
F-0576	Ensure residents have reasonable access to and privacy in their use of communication methods.	The facility did not give residents reasonable access to and privacy in using ways to communicate, such as phones, mail, and email. Residents have the right to stay in touch with the outside world privately.
F-0577	Allow residents to easily view the nursing home's survey results and communicate with advocate agencies.	The facility did not make its inspection results easy for residents to see, or made it hard for residents to contact advocacy agencies like the ombudsman.
F-0578	Honor the resident's right to request, refuse, and/or discontinue treatment, to participate in or refuse to participate in experimental research, and to formulate an advance directive.	The facility did not honor residents' rights to request, refuse, or stop treatment, to decline participation in medical research, or to make an advance directive — a written statement of their wishes for future medical care.
F-0579	Provide information about how to apply for and use Medicare and Medicaid benefits.	The facility did not give residents information about how to apply for and use Medicare and Medicaid benefits.
F-0580	Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident.	The facility did not immediately notify the resident, their doctor, and a family member when something significant happened — such as an injury, a decline in health, or a room change. Families and doctors are entitled to know right away.
F-0582	Give residents notice of Medicaid/Medicare coverage and potential liability for services not covered.	The facility did not give residents proper notice about what Medicare or Medicaid covers, or about charges the resident might owe for services that aren't covered.
F-0583	Keep residents' personal and medical records private and confidential.	The facility did not keep residents' personal and medical information private and confidential.
F-0584	Honor the resident's right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment, including but not limited to receiving treatment and supports for daily living safely.	The facility did not provide a safe, clean, comfortable, and homelike environment, including safe support for residents' daily living needs.
F-0585	Honor the resident's right to voice grievances without discrimination or reprisal and the facility must establish a grievance policy and make prompt efforts to resolve grievances.	The facility did not honor residents' right to voice complaints without discrimination or retaliation, or did not have a working complaint process that resolves issues promptly.
F-0586	Not prohibit or in any way discourage a resident from communicating with federal, state, or local officials.	The facility prohibited or discouraged residents from communicating with federal, state, or local officials.
F-0620	Not require residents to give up Medicare or Medicaid benefits, or pay privately as a condition of admission; and must tell residents what care they do not provide.	The facility required residents to give up Medicare or Medicaid benefits or pay privately as a condition of moving in, or failed to tell residents which types of care it does not provide. Both practices are against the rules.
F-0621	Treat residents equally regarding transfer, discharge, and provision of services for all residents, regardless of payment source	The facility did not treat all residents equally in transfers, discharges, and services — treatment differed based on how a resident paid, such as Medicaid versus private pay.
F-0622	Not transfer or discharge a resident without an adequate reason; and must provide documentation and convey specific information when a resident is transferred or discharged.	The facility transferred or discharged a resident without a valid reason, or failed to provide the required documentation and information when moving a resident out.
F-0623	Provide timely notification to the resident, and if applicable to the resident representative and ombudsman, before transfer or discharge, including appeal rights.	The facility did not give residents (and their representatives and the ombudsman, a state advocate for residents) proper advance notice before a transfer or discharge, including information about their right to appeal.
F-0624	Prepare residents for a safe transfer or discharge from the nursing home.	The facility did not properly prepare residents for a safe transfer or discharge. Before a resident leaves, the facility must get them ready and make sure the move is safe and orderly.
F-0625	Notify the resident or the resident’s representative in writing how long the nursing home will hold the resident’s bed in cases of transfer to a hospital or therapeutic leave.	The facility did not give the resident or their representative written notice of how long it would hold the resident's bed during a hospital stay or approved leave.
F-0626	Permit a resident to return to the nursing home after hospitalization or therapeutic leave that exceeds bed-hold policy.	The facility did not let a resident return after a hospital stay or approved leave that lasted longer than the facility's bed-hold policy allowed. Residents generally have the right to come back to the next available bed.
F-0627	Ensure the transfer/discharge meets the resident's needs/preferences and that the resident is prepared for a safe transfer/discharge.	The facility did not make sure a transfer or discharge met the resident's needs and preferences, or did not properly prepare the resident to leave safely.
F-0628	Provide the required documentation or notification related to the resident's needs, appeal rights, or bed-hold policies.	The facility did not provide required paperwork or notices about a resident's needs, their right to appeal a transfer or discharge, or the facility's bed-hold policy (how long a bed is saved during a hospital stay).
F-0942	Ensure that staff members are educated on resident rights and facility responsibilities to properly care for its residents.	The facility did not educate its staff on residents' rights and the facility's responsibilities toward residents. Staff can only respect rights they've been taught about.

Services Deficiencies

Code	Official CMS description	How we word it
K-0067	Heating and ventilation systems that have been properly installed according to the manufacturer's instructions.	The facility's heating and ventilation systems were not installed properly according to the manufacturer's instructions.
K-0068	An externally vented heating system.	The facility's heating system was not vented to the outside as required. Proper venting carries combustion fumes safely out of the building.
K-0069	Properly protected cooking facilities.	The facility's cooking areas were not properly protected against fire.
K-0070	Restrictions on the use of portable space heaters.	The facility did not properly restrict the use of portable space heaters, which are limited in nursing homes because of fire risk.
K-0071	Properly constructed linen or trash chutes.	The facility's linen or trash chutes were not properly constructed to meet fire safety standards.
K-0160	An elevator that firefighters can control in the event of a fire.	The facility's elevator could not be controlled by firefighters during a fire, as required. Firefighter controls let emergency crews use elevators safely to reach and rescue people.
K-0500	Meet other general requirements that are deficient.	The facility failed to meet other general building service requirements. This is a catch-all citation for service-related code issues not covered by more specific tags.
K-0511	Have properly installed electrical wiring and gas equipment.	The building's electrical wiring and gas equipment were not properly installed.
K-0521	Ensure heating and ventilation systems that have been properly installed according to the manufacturer's instructions.	The facility's heating and ventilation systems were not installed according to the manufacturer's instructions.
K-0522	Have an externally vented heating system.	The facility's heating system was not vented to the outside as required.
K-0523	Ensure that HVAC heat units are suspended and out of the reach of patients and can be shut off if unit is working improperly.	The facility's HVAC heating units were not suspended out of residents' reach, or could not be shut off when malfunctioning. Heating equipment must be positioned and controllable so it can't hurt anyone.
K-0524	Ensure that gas fire places are out of the reach of patients and can be shut off if unit is working improperly.	Gas fireplaces were not kept out of residents' reach or could not be shut off if they malfunctioned.
K-0525	Enure that solid fuel-burning fireplaces are not in patient sleeping areas.	The facility had a wood- or solid-fuel-burning fireplace in or near resident sleeping areas, which is not allowed.
K-0531	Have elevators that firefighters can control in the event of a fire.	The facility's elevators lacked the controls that let firefighters operate them during a fire.
K-0532	Have a properly installed and maintained dumbwaiter or escalator.	The facility's dumbwaiter or escalator was not properly installed and maintained. This equipment must be kept in safe working order.
K-0541	Install properly constructed and protected linen or trash chutes.	The building's linen or trash chutes were not properly constructed and protected against fire.
K-8161	Have a properly installed and maintained dumbwaiter or escalator.	The facility's dumbwaiter or escalator was not properly installed or maintained.
K-8162	Have elevators that met current safety standards.	The facility's elevators did not meet current safety standards. Elevators in nursing homes must be kept up to code.

Smoke Deficiencies

Code	Official CMS description	How we word it
K-0023	At least two compartments on every floor to protect residents from smoke.	The facility did not have at least two smoke compartments on every floor — separate protected areas that keep smoke from spreading so residents can be moved to safety.
K-0024	Properly sized and located compartments to protect residents from smoke.	The building lacked properly sized and located smoke compartments — sections of the building designed to hold back smoke so residents can shelter safely without being moved far during a fire.
K-0025	Walls that prevent smoke from passing through and would resist fire for at least one hour.	The building's smoke barrier walls did not block smoke or resist fire for at least one hour as required.
K-0026	Enough space near smoke barriers to protect residents.	The facility did not have enough space near its smoke barriers — the walls designed to hold back smoke — to safely hold residents moved there during a fire.
K-0027	Smoke barrier doors that can resist smoke for at least 20 minutes.	The facility's smoke barrier doors — doors designed to hold back smoke during a fire — could not resist smoke for at least 20 minutes as required.
K-0028	Doors of sufficient width and proper construction in smoke barriers.	Doors in the building's smoke barriers were not wide enough or properly built. These doors must close off sections of the building to hold back smoke during a fire.
K-0104	Proper construction of ducts through walls designed to prevent smoke passage.	Air ducts passing through walls were not built to prevent smoke from spreading through them.
K-0311	Have an enclosure around a vertical opening shaft.	The facility did not have a proper enclosure around a vertical opening — like a stairwell, elevator shaft, or utility chase — that runs between floors.
K-0321	Ensure that special areas are constructed so that walls can resist fire for one hour or have an approved fire extinguishing system.	The facility's special-hazard areas — like storage or utility rooms — did not have walls that can resist fire for one hour or an approved fire extinguishing system.
K-0322	Ensure that laboratories employing quantities of flammable, combustible, or hazardous materials have fire resistant walls and automatic sprinkler system.	The facility's laboratory areas that use flammable or hazardous materials did not have fire-resistant walls and an automatic sprinkler system as required.
K-0323	Provide properly constructed and protected anesthetizing areas.	Areas where anesthesia is used were not properly constructed and protected.
K-0324	Provide properly protected cooking facilities.	The facility's cooking areas were not properly protected against fire.
K-0325	Have properly installed hallway dispensers for alcohol-based hand rub.	The facility's hallway dispensers for alcohol-based hand sanitizer were not properly installed according to safety rules.
K-0329	Have proper enclosures for hazardous areas	The facility did not have proper enclosures around hazardous areas, such as storage rooms with flammable materials. These areas must be walled off to contain a fire that starts inside them.
K-0331	Construct fire resistant interior walls.	The building's interior walls were not built to be fire resistant as required.
K-0332	Ensure that floor finishes have correct flame spread rating.	The facility's floor coverings did not have the required flame-spread rating — meaning they could let fire travel across them too quickly.
K-0338	Have proper interior wall and ceiling finish	The facility's interior wall and ceiling finishes did not meet fire safety standards.
K-0341	Install a fire alarm system that can be heard throughout the facility.	The facility's fire alarm system could not be heard throughout the building. An alarm only protects people who can hear it.
K-0342	Have a complete alarm system manually initiated and initiated by fire sprinkler system connection.	The building did not have a complete fire alarm system that can be triggered both manually and automatically by the sprinkler system.
K-0343	Have a fire alarm with audible and visual signals that transmits the alarm automatically to notify emergency forces in event of fire.	The facility did not have a fire alarm with sound and visual signals that automatically notifies the fire department when it goes off.
K-0344	Have an alternate power supply for its alarm system.	The facility did not have an alternate power supply for its fire alarm system.
K-0345	Have approved installation, maintenance and testing program for fire alarm systems.	The facility did not have an approved program for installing, maintaining, and testing its fire alarm systems. Alarms must be regularly tested to make sure they'll work in a real fire.
K-0346	Follow proper procedures when the fire alarm was out of service for more than 4 hours.	When the fire alarm was out of service for more than 4 hours, the facility did not follow the required backup procedures, such as posting a fire watch.
K-0347	Properly provide smoke detection systems in areas open to corridors.	The facility did not have proper smoke detection in areas that open onto corridors.
K-0351	Install an approved automatic sprinkler system.	The facility did not install an approved automatic sprinkler system.
K-0352	Properly install and monitor supervisory attachments on automatic sprinkler systems.	The facility did not properly install and monitor the supervisory devices on its sprinkler system — equipment that watches the system and signals when something is wrong, like a closed valve.
K-0353	Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.	The facility did not inspect, test, and maintain its automatic sprinkler system as required.
K-0354	Follow proper procedures when the automatic sprinkler systems was out of service for more than 10 hours.	The facility did not follow the required safety procedures when its automatic sprinkler system was out of service for more than 10 hours — such as posting a fire watch or notifying the fire department.
K-0355	Properly select, install, inspect, or maintain portable fire extinguishes.	The facility did not properly select, install, inspect, or maintain its portable fire extinguishers.
K-0361	Ensure that waiting areas, nurse’s stations, gift shops, and cooking facilities, open to the corridor are properly protected.	Open areas along hallways — like waiting areas, nurse's stations, gift shops, and cooking spaces — were not properly protected against fire as required.
K-0362	Ensure that corridors are separated from use areas by walls constructed to limit the passage of smoke.	The building's corridors were not separated from other areas by walls built to limit the spread of smoke.
K-0363	Install corridor and hallway doors that block smoke.	The facility's corridor and hallway doors did not properly block smoke from passing through.
K-0364	Install properly constructed windows in hallway walls or doors.	The facility had improperly constructed windows in hallway walls or doors, which is a fire safety violation.
K-0371	Have properly sized and located compartments to protect residents from smoke.	The building's smoke compartments — sections designed to hold back smoke so residents can shelter safely nearby during a fire — were not properly sized or located.
K-0372	Ensure smoke barriers are constructed to a 1 hour fire resistance rating.	The building's smoke barriers were not built to resist fire for one hour as required.
K-0373	Have enough space near smoke barriers to protect residents.	The facility did not have enough space near its smoke barriers — the walls designed to hold back smoke — to safely hold residents moved there during a fire.
K-0374	Install smoke barrier doors that can resist smoke for at least 20 minutes.	The facility's smoke barrier doors could not resist smoke for at least 20 minutes as required.
K-0379	Have proper openings in smoke barrier doors.	The openings in the facility's smoke barrier doors did not meet requirements. These doors must seal properly to keep smoke from passing between sections of the building.
K-0381	Provide outside doors or windows in every resident room.	The building did not have outside doors or windows in every resident room as required.
K-0932	Meet other general requirements.	The facility did not meet certain other general fire and life safety requirements.
K-0933	Ensure that periodic evaluations are made of hazards that could be encountered during surgical procedures, and fire prevention procedures are established.	The facility did not regularly evaluate the fire hazards that could arise during surgical procedures or establish fire prevention procedures for them.

Smoking Regulations Deficiencies

Code	Official CMS description	How we word it
K-0066	Posted "No-smoking" signs in areas where smoking is not permitted or ashtrays provided where smoking was allowed.	The facility did not post "No Smoking" signs where smoking is banned, or did not provide ashtrays where smoking was allowed.

Official descriptions come from the CMSCitation Code Look-up dataset, version 2026-08-01. CMS data is in the public domain.