CSA Z8004:22

Preface

This is the first edition of CSA Z8004, Long-term care home operations and infection prevention and control.

In response to the federal government’s commitment in 2020 to improve the provision of long-term care (LTC) across Canada, the Standards Council of Canada (SCC), the Canadian Standards Association (CSA Group), and Health Standards Organization (HSO) agreed to develop two new complementary national standards for long-term care that would be shaped by the needs and voices of Canada’s long-term care home (LTCH) residents, staff, and local communities, as well as broader members of the public. The national standard developed by CSA Group addresses the design, operation, and infection prevention and control (IPAC) practices in LTCHs, while the national standard developed by HSO addresses the delivery of safe, reliable, and high-quality long-term care services.

CSA Group acknowledges that the development of this Standard was made possible, in part, by the financial support of the Standards Council of Canada. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the Standards Council of Canada.

This Standard was prepared by the Subcommittee on Long-Term Care Homes, under the jurisdiction of the Technical Committee on Health Care Facilities and the Strategic Steering Committee on Health and Well-Being, and has been formally approved by the Technical Committee.

This Standard has been developed in compliance with Standards Council of Canada requirements for National Standards of Canada. It has been published as a National Standard of Canada by CSA Group.

Scope

1.1 General

This Standard provides guidance on safe operating practices, design, and IPAC in LTCHs while incorporating a person-centred approach. The Standard takes into consideration what is required during both normal, day-to-day circumstances and catastrophic events (e.g., outbreaks, epidemics, pandemics, fires, earthquakes, loss of power). The Standard considers factors such as homes of different sizes, resident acuity and demographics, and new builds vs. existing LTCHs.

1.2 Exclusions

This Standard does not cover administrative topics such as pricing, insurance, or reimbursement. Content related to medical practice and professional obligations is not included in the Standard. The Standard does not address topics related to resident care and services (e.g., bathing frequency, feeding and assistive measures, quality indicators for care, dementia, age-friendly care).

1.3 Terminology

In this Standard, shall is used to express a requirement, i.e., a provision that the user is obliged to satisfy in order to comply with the Standard; should is used to express a recommendation or that which is advised but not required; and may is used to express an option or that which is permissible within the limits of the Standard.

Notes accompanying clauses do not include requirements or alternative requirements; the purpose of a note accompanying a clause is to separate from the text explanatory or informative material.

Notes to tables and figures are considered part of the table or figure and may be written as requirements.

Annexes are designated normative (mandatory) or informative (non-mandatory) to define their application.