Hidden cameras have uncovered shocking revelations of workers abusing residents at nursing homes in Australia, but legal experts and employee advocates have warned their use is a legal minefield.

Four Corners last night aired footage of staff at aged care facilities striking residents and handling them roughly, including of a woman with a broken leg crying out in pain as she was flipped into a chair with no warning.

Recent court cases have included the use of secret cameras in aged care facilities to capture evidence of suspected wrongdoing.

Noleen Hausler placed a hidden camera in the room of her 89-year-old father in 2015 after she became suspicious about unexplained bruising.

Noleen Hausler hid a video camera in her father's nursing home room.

Footage — which came to light in an earlier investigation — revealed one staff member seemingly suffocating her father with a napkin, as well as physical rough-handling.

"My worst fears were certainly captured on the camera," Ms Hausler said.

"The aggravated over-use of pushing and pulling when they're trying to care for dad, it was certainly done without any hesitation and thought process to the rights of Dad to be cared for in a better manner than they were.

She said the home's management threatened her with legal action over her decision but she did not believe she did anything wrong.

"My prime reason for putting it there was to protect a very vulnerable person who was void of any ability to raise an alarm or protect himself in any circumstances where anybody chose to abuse him," Ms Hausler said.

Noleen Hausler says her father Clarence Hausler was vulnerable. ( Supplied: Noleen Hausler )



Hidden surveillance too late to prevent attacks

University of Melbourne professor of management and associate dean of business and economics Graham Sewell has researched workplace surveillance, and said hidden cameras would not prevent abuse.

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"The important thing about surveillance is if it is catching misbehaviour or criminal activity, it's already too late," Professor Sewell said.

"The belief that you are under surveillance is likely to prevent you from committing a crime in the first place."

Professor Sewell said their use may undermine already-shaky trust between staff, employers and clients.

An aged care nurse who spoke to Radio National's AM program said she would find it stressful being watched and monitored even when doing routine assessment.

"I can see it is potentially beneficial in that staff are aware there are cameras, you would hope it wouldn't alter their practice, but it may," the nurse, who asked to remain anonymous, said.

"But it is also an enormous invasion of privacy, [and] … hard for a resident who may be incontinent.

"Older generations have very different ideas about privacy."

Surveillance law researcher and Australian Privacy Foundation chairman David Vaille said different states had different laws governing surveillance devices, and warned family members to be cautious.

"The whole thrust of that legal framework is to put the use of these … devices into the hands of the police," he said.

"They're for investigatory processes, they're recognised as being quite intrusive, and unless you're authorised by … the state chief of police, it's potentially a crime."

Nursing groups say understaffing to blame

Australian Nursing & Midwifery Federation assistant federal secretary Lori-Anne Sharp said while the ANMF had zero tolerance to physical, mental or emotional abuse of vulnerable nursing home residents, they did not condone the use of surveillance.

"We understand the frustration of people whose loved ones are not receiving the care they deserve due to insufficient staffing," Ms Sharp said.

"We share their concerns and understand that many of their complaints have fallen on deaf ears with the failure of government and regulatory bodies to respond.

"The ANMF urges anyone who has any concerns or complaints about any form of elder abuse in nursing homes to contact the Aged Care Complaints Commission.

"The stories of abuse and neglect will continue until the Government acts on inadequate staffing levels in residential aged care facilities."

Health Sector Union national secretary Gerard Hayes also said staffing levels placed undue strain on nursing home staff.

"I think the most important thing is to be resourced appropriately to ensure systems are in place and that the model of care is actually affective, where clearly at the moment the under-funding doesn't promote that," he said.

"I think it is an issue if people are going about their work and the vast number of people … who do the right thing, to find out then later on that they're being covertly recorded."