STAMFORD, Conn. — Benchmark Senior Living has partnered with The West Haven Medical Group to provide advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) services in the skilled nursing portion of Edgehill, a continuing care retirement community in Stamford.
An advanced practice registered nurse has a post-graduate education in nursing. APRNs are prepared with advanced didactic and clinical education, knowledge, skills, and scope of practice in nursing.
While all skilled nursing facilities in Connecticut have a medical director who is an MD, these doctors do not see each facility’s residents and patients on a daily basis. With an APRN partnering with the medical team, each resident is seen and evaluated every day. This practice allows for rapid diagnosis, note of changing conditions, and immediate intervention.
The move by Benchmark comes two years in advance of new mandates from Medicare for APRN services. According to Benchmark, APRNs help with early diagnosis and intervention, which reduces hospitalizations and speeds recovery times, both of which are major focuses of the Affordable Care Act.