How to check a home nurse is SANC-registered

Many people hiring a home nurse assume that anyone claiming nursing credentials is legitimate, or that their medical aid will only reimburse registered practitioners anyway. That's a risky bet. Medical aid covers only certain providers, yes — but unregistered practitioners slip through, and you might not discover the difference until care is already underway. A SANC (South African Nursing Council) registration check takes minutes and protects you from unlicensed carers, inflated claims and potential liability if something goes wrong during your recovery.

Search the SANC register yourself

Start online at the SANC website, where you can search their official register of licensed nurses by name. This is free and takes two minutes. Type the nurse's full name exactly as they've given it to you — middle initials matter — and check that their registration status shows "active". The register displays their licence number, registration date and any qualifications they've declared. If the name doesn't appear, ask them to spell it out and try again; if it still doesn't show up, they are not registered and you should not hire them, regardless of how qualified they claim to be.

Once you find them, note their licence number. This becomes your reference point for every conversation with medical aid, your doctor and the nurse themselves. If they cannot provide their own SANC number when asked directly, that's a red flag — registered nurses know their licence number by heart.

Request proof and confirm with previous clients

Ask the nurse to email or WhatsApp a photo of their SANC certificate or a screenshot from their own SANC profile. They should be willing to do this without hesitation; reluctance suggests they know it won't check out. Verify the details match what you found online — the name, number and registration date should align exactly.

Then phone one or two of their previous clients. Ask them specifically: Did you verify the nurse's SANC registration before hiring? Did the nurse have the skills they claimed? Were they reliable, hygienic and respectful during care? Did any issues arise that you'd warn someone else about? Listen for confidence in their answers. If a reference seems vague, evasive or if the person you're speaking to isn't actually a past client (the nurse may offer a friend instead of a genuine employer), keep looking.

Check with your medical aid and your doctor

Before finalising any arrangement, confirm with your medical aid that the nurse is on their approved provider list and eligible for reimbursement under your plan. Give them the SANC number and the nurse's full name. Some medical aids reimburse only nurses with specific additional qualifications (like wound care or palliative training), so clarify this now rather than discovering later that a claim was rejected.

Your surgeon or GP should also confirm the nurse is suitable for your specific post-op needs. If you've been discharged with wound drains, complex medication, or mobility constraints, mention these to your doctor and ask whether they'd recommend checking any additional certifications — some nurses hold extra qualifications in infection control, palliative care or specialised wound management. Your doctor may even have preferred providers they've worked with before.

Verification is not bureaucratic overkill — it's the backbone of safety when someone enters your home during a vulnerable time. SANC registration is the baseline; references and medical aid confirmation add layers of assurance that the person you're paying actually has the skills to do the job and won't damage your recovery. Spending an hour on checks now prevents weeks of worry, complications or wasted money later. Finding a verified home nurse with confirmed credentials is straightforward on Strove, where every listed provider has been vetted and you can read genuine client reviews alongside their qualifications.