Nursing centers: an analysis of the anecdotal literature.

The anecdotal literature is reviewed to analyze the development and implementation of nursing centers and to make recommendations for the future. Definitions, historical developments, and services provided are reviewed and a conceptual categorization is suggested. To realize the potential of nursing centers as viable service delivery models, their leaders are urged to develop objective outcomes, test the scientific adequacy of the nursing care delivered, develop affiliations with traditional health care delivery systems, and require nursing students to rotate through these centers as part of their undergraduate and selected graduate experience.