Nursing care at home

This service may help if you or someone you care for needs non-emergency nursing care at home, such as:

• Help caring for skin or wounds
• Medication or pain management
• Care after surgery or a hospital stay
• IV (intravenous) care
• Chronic disease management
• Ostomy care

You may be eligible if:

• You are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident;
• You have lived in B.C. for at least 3 months;
• You are 19 years or older;
• You live in B.C.; and
• You need care at home (after a hospital stay, instead of going to hospital, or because of a serious or terminal illness) and/or be unable to function independently due to chronic or end-stage illness.

Eligibility is set by the B.C. Ministry of Health. For full details, visit the BC Ministry of Health website. 

Have the following details and documents ready for yourself or the person you’re calling for:

• A valid BC Services Card
• Full name
• Date of birth
• Home address

Call the Community Access Line. We’ll ask a few questions, learn what you need, and connect you with services. 

South Island: 250-388-2273 / 1-888-533-2273  Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Centre Island: 250-739-5749 / 1-877-734-4101  Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
North Island: 250-331-8570 / 1-866-928-4988
Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. 

If you qualify for services, a nurse can come to your home to provide care and support.

You can expect:

• The nurse to get to know you, your health, and what you want help with
• Gentle help with skin and wound care
• Support to take your medicines safely and manage pain or symptoms
• Check-ins after a hospital stay or surgery
• Help starting and monitoring IV therapy (if needed)
• Support to manage long-term (chronic) conditions
• Help looking after your ostomy

Your nurse will work with you, your family, and your health care team to make a plan that fits your goals — like less pain, easier movement, or feeling safer at home.

Services are free of charge. There may be a cost for items such as equipment except for the first two weeks of time-limited acute services and/or during the time a client is receiving end-of-life care. See a full list of publicly subsidized care options in B.C.