In an effort to answer the many questions received on the use of power strips in resident rooms, CMS put together a short (and simplified) explanation of when they can be used, and the UL requirements that go along with their use.
If line-operated medical equipment is not being used in a resident room,
- Inside and outside the patient care vicinity, UL power strips could be used with precautions as described in the memo.
- Power strips providing power to non-medical equipment in a resident room must be UL 1363.
If line-operated medical equipment is being used in a residents room,
Inside the patient care vicinity,
- UL power strips would have to be a permanent component of a rack-, table-, pedestal-, or cart-mounted & tested medical equipment assembly
- Power strips providing power to medical equipment in a resident room must be UL 1363A or UL 60601-1.
- Power strips cannot be used for non-medical equipment
- Outside the patient care vicinity,
- UL power strips could be used for medical & non-medical equipment with precautions as described in the memo.
- Power strips providing power to medical equipment in a resident room must be UL 1363 or UL 60601-1.
- Power strips providing power to non-medical equipment in a resident room must be UL 1363.
In non-patient care areas/rooms, other UL strips could be used with the general precautions as described in the memo.
In a “skilled” nursing facility, line-operated (non-battery powered) patient-care related medical equipment would most likely be used in residents rooms. In the event a SNF has a resident room(s) that do not utilize line-operated electrical patient care related electrical equipment, the facility could designate these rooms in their election and use utilize power strips accordingly (see above).
Please note that power strips would not be permitted for beds & chair lifts as these applications would not meet the general precautions as explained in the memorandum as they could be subject power strips to damage and overload. In addition, an oxygen concentrator would be considered an appliance for therapeutic purposes and therefore it would be considered line-operated medical equipment.
