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.
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.
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.
Please read the "FAQs" page to see if your child/youth is eligible.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) Q&A?
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.
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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.
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.
NSS direct care nursing respite services are provided in the home/community setting. Delegated care is almost always provided in the school setting.
There is no cost to families for Nursing Support Services.
Who may be eligible for Nursing Support Services?
Please contact the NSS Provincial office at 604-453-8300 ext. 8295 for assistance.
You need a referral from a BC-licensed physician or nurse practitioner to use this service.