Nursing Support Services
Nursing Support Services assists parents and caregivers to help children with special health care needs lead active, healthy lives in their communities, while providing safe, consistent care and appropriate health supports.
Services include assessment, planning and monitoring of care and may involve:
- Information about the care of children and youth with special health care needs.
- Consultation about community-based care and resources.
- Direct nursing care: Coordination of planned, intermittent periods of respite, by a registered or licensed practical nurse, for complex supports such as home dialysis, tracheostomy, ventilator and end-of-life care.
- Delegated nursing care: Training and monitoring of non-nurse caregivers to provide special aspects of a child’s care, such as gastrostomy tube meals, blood glucose monitoring, clean intermittent catheterization and oral suctioning.
- Eligibility assessment for the At Home Program, which provides medical and respite benefits.
- Collaboration with families and other community service providers, such as social workers, physiotherapists and teachers.
Nursing Support Services provides direct nursing care in home, school and childcare settings. In most circumstances, delegated nursing care is provided only in schools or childcare settings.
Eligibility
Nursing Support Services is intended for children with severe disabilities or complex health needs. For detailed eligibility information, please review the Nursing Support Services brochure. This brochure is also available in the following languages:
Contact Information
Nursing Support Services are provided through regional health authorities acrosss the province. Anyone can refer a child or youth to the program. Contact your local health unit (the telephone number can be found in the blue pages of your local telephone directory, or call HealthLinkBC by dialling 811.
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