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Nursing Support Services

Nursing Support Services (NSS) assists parents and caregivers of children and youth (0-19) with medical complexities to lead active, healthy lives in their communities.
Our Services
Who are we?

We are community-based registered nurses throughout BC who assist children and youth with medical complexities to live in their homes and in their communities.

What we do
  • Provide respite care in the home for eligible children and youth
  • Teach and support school staff to assist children and youth with their diabetes care and tube feeds
  • Complete eligibility assessments for the At Home Program supported through the Ministry of Children & Family Development (MCFD)
Who we partner with
  • families
  • physicians and primary health providers
  • hospital teams
  • community agencies
  • nursing agencies
  • schools
  • Ministry of Children & Family Development
Who we provide care for

We provide care for children and youth whose care needs require the scope of practice of a registered nurse for some aspects of their care due to the child/youth's medically complex and fragile health needs.

Review of Nursing Support Services

Since Nursing Support Services (NSS) was first established in 1997, the program's structure and services have not significantly changed. Conversely, due to a variety of social, health and economic factors, the needs of children with chronic health conditions, and their families, have significantly evolved.

In May 2023, BC Children's Hospital commissioned a review of the NSS program with oversight from an external consultant. This review includes in-home respite, school-based services (i.e. delegated care) and childcare, as it is recognized there are distinct needs of families engaging with different levels of NSS services. 

As part of the review process, significant input from families, advocacy groups, provincial and regional partners is necessary to understand their experiences and perspectives. NSS invites anyone who has experience engaging with the program to participate in the review process and to share their experiences. 

Those interested in participating, please email: NSSProgramReview@cw.bc.ca. 


Please read the FAQs to see if your child/youth is eligible.

We provide in-home respite care for children who may:

  • have a tracheostomy
  • require supported ventilation (ventilator, BiPAP, CPAP)
  • have a life-limiting/palliative diagnosis
  • require peritoneal dialysis
  • have other conditions that require the support of a registered nurse
We provide delegated care in the school setting through teaching and supervising school staff to care for children with:
How do you apply?
Referrals to Nursing Support Services are made by a physician or nurse practitioner who is licensed to practice in British Columbia.

Please refer to our "Resources" page for additional information.



*Please note: NSS is not contracted for and is not in a position to provide emergency, on-call nursing services or palliative care plans. NSS offers respite care for medical care needs; nurses can only provide care that a family is also trained and capable of providing related to their child’s medical complexity. For families that use NSS, the family members are primary-care providers. Family members can and do administer medication. NSS respite hours are put in place to allow a family to sleep/have time away from the continued medical surveillance and nursing care of their child. NSS Coordinators work with the parents/guardians, child and other care providers to develop a respite plan to provide the appropriate nursing support specific to a patient’s needs. 

Resources

 

Referrals for Nursing Support Services require a physician/nurse practitioner who is licensed to practice in British Columbia.


Referral forms need to be completed in their entirety along with supporting documentation.


Referral process:

  1. download the correct referral form
  2. complete the form in its entirety and include any supporting documentation
  3. fax the form to: ‎604-708-2127

Referrals for care in the home/community setting

Referrals for care in the home/community setting are intended to provide planned, intermittent periods of direct care nursing respite in a child's home whose care needs require the scope of practice of a registered nurse for some aspects of their care due to the child/youth's medically complex and fragile health needs.


Referrals must be initiated by a physician/nurse practitioner licensed to practice in British Columbia. Completed referral forms and supporting documentation can be faxed to 604-708-2127


Referral form


Referrals for care in the school setting

Delegated care in the school is intended to support children who require support and assistance with specific tasks related to their care. Delegation of these tasks is determined by the registered nurse on an individual basis for children/youth whose care needs and response to treatment is stable and predictable and can be safely managed by NSS provincial standardized care plans.


Referral form


Referrals for delegated care support in the school are initiated by the child/youth's physician/health care provider and can be faxed with supporting documentation to 604-708-2127


 

 

 

Providing services to meet the needs of children and their families is important for Nursing Support Services. To improve our services we would like your feedback to tell us how we are doing.


If you have questions or concerns about your child care or care plan the best place to start is with your Nursing Support Services (NSS) Coordinator and local NSS team. Issues are best resolved at the time they occur and with the health care team members who are involved.


NSS Coordinators work together with students and parents to develop individual care plans (ICPs). The ICPs are designed to be flexible to address the needs of each student within the Provincial Standards.


ICPs are reviewed at the start of each school year to ensure that they meet with each student’s current needs. ICPs are updated during the school year when ever there is a change in a student’s condition and treatment.


 

 

Please see the following resources for your child's seizure care at school:

Forms and Checklists for Training

Rescue Intervention Instruction Sheets

Infographics

BCCH Neurology Resource


FAQs
What is Nursing Support Services?

Nursing Support Services assists parents and caregivers of children and youth with medical complexities to lead active, healthy lives in their communities through facilitating safe, consistent and appropriate health supports.

Nursing Support Services is available to eligible children in BC aged 0 to 19 years whose care requires the scope of practice of a registered nurse for some aspects of their care due to the child/youth's medically complex and fragile health needs. NSS is delivered by the regional health authorities across the province.

How does this service work?

When the NSS provincial office receives the child's referral, you will be notified of the receipt of the referral and with each step along the process of assessment and determination of eligibility for services. The referral will be forwarded to your local NSS Coordinator who will contact the parents/guardians to book a nursing assessment. The information from the assessment helps us know if the child/youth is eligible for NSS and what the best services are for the child/youth. The NSS Coordinator will work with the parents/guardians, child and other care providers to develop a plan.

What services are provided?

Nursing services include assessment, planning, and monitoring care in the following areas:

  • respite care in the home for eligible children and youth
  • teaching and supporting school staff to assist children and youth with their diabetes care and tube feeds
  • completing eligibility assessments for the At Home Program supported through the Ministry of Children & Family Development (MCFD)
and may also include:

  • providing information about the NSS program/program mandate 
  • guiding families/referring persons to other potential community resources for children/youth with medical complexities
  • consulting with other agencies/persons to facilitate appropriate services for children/youth eligible for NSS
Where are these services provided?
NSS direct care nursing respite services are provided in the home/community setting. Delegated care is almost always provided in the school setting.

Who pays for these services?
There is no cost to families for Nursing Support Services.

Who may be eligible for Nursing Support Services?
  • Child/youth who is a resident of BC as defined by the BC Medical Services Plan (MSP)
  • Child/youth who is enrolled with BC's MSP
  • Child/youth who is under the age of 19 (up to the day of their 19th birthday)
  • Child/youth who requires regional and/or provincial subspecialty health services
  • Child/youth who requires in home care within the scope of practice of a registered nurse due to their high complexity health needs (direct care)
  • Child/youth who cannot independently and safely perform tasks related to their diagnosis in the school setting (delegated care)
  • Child/youth/family who is not in receipt of a settlement or court award related to their disability (direct care nursing respite)
How are referrals made?
Referral from a physician licensed to practice in British Columbia or a nurse practitioner registered by the College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia and who confirms the following:
  • the child/youth can be safely discharged to and cared for in the specified community setting
  • the child/youth has a local physician to provide required medical care, consultation and written physician orders
  • the parent or guardian has overall responsibility of their child/youth's care and is fully competent and prepared to provide care in the absence of a nurse or school staff (delegated care)
Who do I contact for more information?
Please contact the NSS Provincial office at 236-427-9253 for assistance.

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