Published by SESI Care Services · Updated August 2026 · 2-minute summary
Quick answer: Before a community nursing visit, have your medication list (including over-the-counter medicines and supplements), any current dressings or supplies, your hospital discharge summary or GP letters, and a list of questions ready. Clear a well-lit space with somewhere to wash hands, and secure pets. The first visit is a nursing assessment that sets your care plan and how often the nurse returns — funded from your NDIS Core budget, or, since Support at Home began on 1 November 2025, at no cost under its clinical care category.
Key takeaways
- Bring a full medication list — prescriptions, over-the-counter medicines and supplements, not just what’s on your script.
- Clear a well-lit space with room for the nurse to work and somewhere nearby to wash hands.
- The first visit is an assessment that sets your care plan and how often the nurse comes back.
- Who supplies consumables varies by provider and item — ask when you book, don’t assume.
- Basic infection control matters — clean hands, a clear surface, pets secured before the nurse arrives.
- Nurses aren’t for emergencies — call 000 for chest pain, stroke symptoms, severe bleeding or a serious fall.
- Visit frequency is reviewed, not fixed — it changes as your health or your plan changes.
What should I have ready before the nurse arrives?
Having a few things organised in advance means more of the visit goes on care and less on paperwork.
| What to have ready | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Medication list — prescriptions, over-the-counter medicines and supplements | Helps the nurse check for interactions and confirm what you’re actually taking, not just what’s prescribed |
| Webster-pak or other dose administration aid, if you use one | Lets the nurse check it matches your current prescriptions |
| Current dressings, catheter or continence supplies you already use | Avoids delay and makes sure the right products are on hand |
| Hospital discharge summary or recent GP letters | Gives the nurse the clinical picture without having to re-ask everything |
| My Health Record access, or your consent to share it | Lets the nurse view relevant history and add notes other providers can see |
| A written list of questions | Makes sure nothing gets forgotten in a short visit |
| GP and specialist contact details | Lets the nurse follow up or coordinate care after the visit |
You don’t need all of this for every visit — a first visit or a visit after a hospital stay benefits most from having documents ready. If you’re not sure what you have, your support coordinator or family can help track it down beforehand; SESI’s community nursing service can also talk you through what’s useful ahead of a first appointment. If NDIS terms like “Core budget” or “plan manager” are unfamiliar, our glossary of NDIS terms explains them in plain language.
How should I set up the space at home?
A well-lit, private spot with room to work makes the visit easier for you and the nurse.
Choose somewhere with good lighting — natural light or a lamp — and enough space for the nurse to sit or stand comfortably near you. A cleared table or bench gives them somewhere to put equipment down. If the visit involves anything near a bathroom, make sure there’s somewhere to wash hands nearby, with soap and a clean towel.
If you have pets, put them in another room or on a lead before the nurse arrives — even a friendly dog can get in the way or startle someone handling equipment. Decide in advance whether you want a family member, carer or support worker with you, and let the nursing team know so they can plan for it. There’s no expectation that your home needs to be perfect; the nurse is there for your health, not to assess your housekeeping.
What happens on a first community nursing visit?
The first visit is a nursing assessment, not treatment — the nurse is there to understand your situation before agreeing a plan.
Expect the nurse to ask about your health history, current conditions, medications and what support you already have in place. They’ll look at whatever clinical need brought them out — a wound, a medication routine, a chronic condition — and assess it. From there, they’ll set out a care plan: what they’ll do, how often they’ll visit, and what you or your carer can do between visits.
If a family member or support worker needs to learn something — how to store medication safely, or what to watch for with a particular condition — the nurse can build that teaching into the visit. This is common where a carer is involved day to day and the nurse only visits periodically.
Who supplies consumables — and who pays?
This differs by item and by provider, so it’s worth asking when you book rather than assuming.
Some dressings, continence products and other consumables are supplied by the nursing provider and billed to your plan; others you’re expected to already have on hand, particularly if a different provider (such as a pharmacy or a continence supplier) usually supplies them. For NDIS participants, some consumables are funded under Core — Consumables, separate from the nursing visit itself. For older people under Support at Home, arrangements depend on your provider and your care plan.
Ask your provider directly, before the first visit, what they supply and what you need to arrange yourself. This avoids an awkward gap on the day.
What infection control basics should I expect?
Simple hygiene steps protect you and the nurse, and most of it is just having the basics available.
The nurse will wash or sanitise their hands on arrival and before and after any hands-on care, and may ask you to do the same. Having soap and a clean towel or paper towel available helps. A clear, wipeable surface for equipment is better than a cluttered one. If anyone in the household is unwell — a cold, gastro, or anything contagious — let the nursing team know before the visit so they can plan around it. Better Health Channel has general guidance on hand hygiene and why it matters if you want more detail.
What happens between visits, and when do I call 000?
Nurses visit on a schedule — they are not on call around the clock, so it helps to know what to do in between.
For anything urgent but not life-threatening — a question about a symptom, a concern about a dressing, a medication query — your care plan should tell you how to contact the nursing team, and most providers have a number for exactly this. Keep it somewhere handy, not just in your phone.
For a genuine emergency — chest pain, signs of stroke, severe bleeding, difficulty breathing, or a serious fall — call 000 straight away. Don’t wait for your next scheduled visit or try to reach the nurse first. The nurse can follow up on your care once emergency treatment is underway.
How is visit frequency set, and how does it change?
Frequency is set in your first assessment and reviewed as your needs change, not locked in permanently.
A wound that needs daily or several-times-a-week dressing changes early on may need far less attention as it heals. Medication management or chronic disease monitoring might settle into a weekly, fortnightly or monthly rhythm. Whatever the starting frequency, tell the nurse if things change — a new symptom, a hospital admission, or steady improvement — so the plan can be adjusted rather than waiting for a scheduled review.
For NDIS participants, nursing is usually funded from Core – Assistance with Daily Life, priced by the nurse’s level and time of day under the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits. For older Victorians, nursing sits within Support at Home services, in the clinical care category the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing describes in About the Support at Home program — clinical care carries no participant contribution. Access to Support at Home starts with an assessment through My Aged Care, on 1800 200 422. If you’re weighing up which system applies to you, our guide to what community nursing at home covers under the NDIS and Support at Home sets out the funding rules in full.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a referral for community nursing at home?
No formal referral is required to arrange a visit — you, a family member, your support coordinator or a hospital discharge planner can all set one up. A GP letter describing the clinical need helps the nurse plan the first visit, but it isn’t compulsory to start.
What if I don’t have my discharge summary yet?
Bring whatever you do have and mention what’s missing — the nurse can work with partial information and follow up with your GP or the hospital afterwards. Don’t delay booking the visit while you chase paperwork.
Will the same nurse visit every time?
Most providers try to keep visits with a consistent nurse or small team, particularly for ongoing care, but this depends on rosters and availability. Ask your provider what to expect when you book.
Is community nursing free under Support at Home?
Yes. Support at Home groups services into clinical care, independence and everyday living categories. Nursing and allied health sit in clinical care, which has no participant contribution — contributions only apply to independence and everyday living services.
Can a nurse train my support worker or family carer?
Yes. Nurse-led training — for example in medication handling — is common where a carer is involved day to day between visits. For NDIS participants this training can often be funded under Capacity Building – Improved Daily Living, separate from the nursing visit itself. Our guide to training family carers in safe manual handling covers a related example of this kind of teaching.
Talk to SESI
If you’d like a community nurse to visit anywhere in Victoria — for yourself, a family member or a client — tell us what’s going on and we’ll call you back.
Tell us what’s going on: sesi.com.au/referral · Call: 1800 017 374
This guide is general information based on NDIA guidance, the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits 2026–27, and Department of Health, Disability and Ageing material on Support at Home, current at August 2026. It is not medical advice or advice about your individual plan or care. In an emergency call 000.
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