The Health Services Union said while the federal government's aged care changes would have penalties for providers, the same civil penalties should not be extended to individual employees.
Penalties of up to $78,000 could apply for breaches of the code under the proposal.
The union's assistant secretary Lauren Hutchins told a parliamentary inquiry examining the laws that individual fines would be onerous.
"Someone is responsible, it is not the worker who is being directed to work in a particular way," she told the inquiry on Thursday.
"We absolutely think that the penalties applied to the individual are unreasonable and they should be removed."
Federal secretary of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Association Annie Butler said there were significant concerns about the penalties imposed.
HSU's Lauren Hutchins says workers shouldn't be hit with fines for following directions. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP PHOTOS)
Ms Butler said many decisions about levels of care at aged care facilities did not rest with individual employees, but with the providers.
"It's particularly difficult where an individual may have no control in the decisions that are being made that affect what's happening," she said.
"Our registered nurses and enrolled nurses are already under a robust positive registration scheme."
As part of the government's reforms, a $44.3 billion program called the Support at Home scheme would allow people to live independently in their own house for longer before going into an aged-care facility.
The federal government will cover clinical costs for people living at home but needing additional care.
It's estimated 1.4 million Australians will benefit from the changes expected to come into effect from July next year.
People will still have to make means-tested contributions for help as part of everyday living or support around the house as part of the Support at Home scheme.
Annie Butler says nurses already come under a robust positive registration scheme. (Mick Tsikas/AAP PHOTOS)
A lifetime contribution cap will also be raised under the changes to $130,000 for non-clinical costs.
Chief executive of Council on the Ageing Australia Patricia Sparrow said the changes needed to go further for those who work in aged care.
"Regulations are needed to hold providers to account, to penalise poor practice and deter it from happening, but also to stop any further or future occurrences," she told the inquiry.
"We need this act with appropriate amendments to continue what the royal commission started: a fundamental shift focused on the reason why aged care exists, the older person who needs support."
25°C