Guest Editorial. Value-Based Nursing Care.

The author examines several issues related to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act signed by U.S. President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010. He argues that the law will have a profound impact on healthcare delivery in the future by placing increasing emphasis on value-based care. According to him, the basic assumption of this legislation is that the cost and quality of healthcare should not be seen as separate entities but as a complete whole. Its implications for nurses are also cited.