UnlikeACEandHELP, theNICHEprogram is not
a specific set of rules or interventions that must be
applied to patients but rather acts as a guide for
nursing practice for participating hospitals. The
NICHE program is a nursing resource program developed
in 1992 by the Hartford Institute for
Geriatric Nursing at New York University. The
goal of NICHE is to ‘‘achieve systematic nursing
change that will benefit hospitalized older patients’’
through the implementation of ‘‘principles
and tools to stimulate a change in the culture of
healthcare facilities to achieve patient-centered
care for older adults.’’ By educating nurses and
changing practices, NICHE developers aim to
improve patient outcomes.