The group has been recognised for introducing a nurse practitioner service that has significantly reduced the rate of falls and unnecessary hospitalisations among elderly residents - by providing rapid access to necessary health care.

Bushland Health Group, which operates three aged care facilities in the Manning Valley, is a finalist in the Outstanding Organisation category.

The not-for-profit aged care service set up a nurse practitioner service in 2009, in response to residents coming into care with higher needs and more advanced diseases.

The nurse practitioner service developed symptom management guidelines and standard nursing practices, so staff throughout the three centres had more knowledge to care for residents.

Bushland Health team representative, Bernadette Burke, said since the service began, falls at the centre's Karingal Gardens high-care facility in Taree had declined by 66 per cent and hospitalisations were also down significantly.

"Following established clinical management protocols means there is no delay in waiting for treatment from doctors, as prompt referrals are made to the nurse practitioner. Getting the right treatment, in a timely manner, has minimised unnecessary hospital transfers, improving residents' quality of life," Ms Burke said.

"Put simply, in the nine months prior to implementing our nurse practitioner service, residents spent 57 days in hospital as a result of preventable admissions, compared with just two days in the nine months after the service started.

"We believe the nurse practitioner role integrates best practice, education, research, clinical leadership and patient advocacy into clinical practice and that it will continue to improve resident outcomes."

The judges said the nomination successfully highlighted the increasingly important role of nurse practitioners in aged care services.

Ms Burke and the other finalists will attend an awards dinner on August 4, when the winners will be revealed.