Research on NICHE should be widely expanded.
RCTs and prospective case control trials
are needed to support the effectiveness of the
NICHE program. There is no research available
that examines objective patient clinical outcomes,
cost of implementation, or satisfaction with the
NICHE program. Research on patient outcomes
includes length of stay, performance of ADLs,
functional decline during hospitalization, and discharge
location. Research on patient outcomes,
patient and clinical staff satisfaction, and cost of
implementation can help to determine whether
NICHE improves patient care and is valued by
health care teammembers. It is important to determine
whether NICHE improves patient outcomes
and can be effectively implemented in a wide
range of acute care areas before it is recommended
for use for the general hospital population.