Nurse vs Support Worker: Who Should Deliver Complex Care?
Nurse vs support worker NDIS complex care: who can deliver high-intensity tasks, when a nurse is required, and when a trained worker can do it safely.
When care gets complex — bowel care, PEG feeding, catheters, ventilation, seizures — a fair question is whether a support worker can do it at all, or whether you need a nurse. On the NDIS the honest answer is: it depends on the task, the training, and the oversight. This guide explains the nurse vs support worker question for complex care and how safe delegation actually works.
The short answer
What counts as high-intensity, complex care
What a nurse brings
What a trained support worker can do
How to decide who does what
Why cost and continuity matter too
Finding providers who can staff it safely
Frequently asked questions
Can a support worker do PEG feeding or bowel care?
Yes, if they've been trained on your specific care, assessed as competent, and supervised by a suitable health practitioner, and the provider meets the high-intensity Practice Standards. An untrained worker should never perform these tasks.
When do I definitely need a nurse?
When your care is clinically unstable, needs assessment or judgement each time, is newly set up, or a health practitioner determines it can't be safely delegated. Nurses also train and oversee the workers who deliver routine parts of your care.
Is nursing more expensive than support work?
Generally yes, per hour. That's why a common model uses a nurse to set up, train and review, with trained support workers delivering stable day-to-day care — keeping care safe while making your funded hours go further.
Who funds this in my plan?
High-intensity daily personal activities and nursing supports are funded through your plan when reasonable and necessary. The right mix and evidence usually come from a clinical assessment — a good provider or support coordinator can help scope it.
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