Nurses have provided care to individuals, families, and communities, since its "official" founding by Nightingale. Over time, nurses have carved out their unique contributions to serving others by articulating the knowledge needed to practice in a variety of settings so that the "work" of nurses is differentiated from other healthcare professionals. One broad area of practice where nurses serve diverse populations is the Patient-Centered Medical or health Home. The purpose of this paper is to examine patient-centered health (medical) homes (PCHH) and the ways in which nursing theory may guide the principles and policies of PCCHs.
Keywords: nursing policy; nursing theory; patient-centered health home; patient-centered medical home.