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 team members. 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.