Registered nurse Jocelyn Hofman has faced a lot in her career. But after nearly 30 years looking after vulnerable nursing home residents in the Blue Mountains, she is scared.

NSW nursing homes could soon be able to operate without registered nurses on site because of changes to the federal funding system for aged care. She says if this move goes ahead, it could leave elderly people without the medical care needed to keep them alive and prevent unnecessary suffering.

Jocelyn Hofman, a registered nurse from the Blue Mountains, is concerned changes to nursing laws could be dangerous for residents in nursing homes. Credit:Peter Rae

"I'm very scared for the future of aged care if this goes ahead. We need the public to know because the public doesn't realise what is going on," Mrs Hofman said. "It is a big thing for families to bring their loved one in to a nursing home, and they want to know they are being looked after. We are all entitled to medical care, and that doesn't diminish when you get older."

Nurses and specialist geriatric doctors say the change should not go ahead, while Alzheimer's Australia NSW says it threatens the "basic human rights" of some of the state's most vulnerable people. However, the body representing high-care nursing homes says the law is unnecessary red tape that is not adequately policed anyway.