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Debt (Schedule of Debt) (Details) (USD $)
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Mar. 31, 2014
Debt Instrument [Line Items]      
Revolving credit facility - unsecured $ 107,500,000us-gaap_LineOfCredit $ 374,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCredit  
Convertible Debt 193,308,000us-gaap_ConvertibleDebt 193,037,000us-gaap_ConvertibleDebt 192,238,000us-gaap_ConvertibleDebt
Bank term loans - unsecured 250,000,000us-gaap_UnsecuredDebt 250,000,000us-gaap_UnsecuredDebt  
Debt, Long-term and Short-term, Combined Amount 899,420,000us-gaap_DebtLongtermAndShorttermCombinedAmount 862,726,000us-gaap_DebtLongtermAndShorttermCombinedAmount  
Debt Instrument, Name, HUD Mortgages [Member]      
Debt Instrument [Line Items]      
Secured Debt 45,528,000us-gaap_SecuredDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= nhi_DebtInstrumentNameHUDMortgagesMember
45,689,000us-gaap_SecuredDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= nhi_DebtInstrumentNameHUDMortgagesMember
 
Private Placement Term Loans [Member]      
Debt Instrument [Line Items]      
Bank term loans - unsecured 225,000,000us-gaap_UnsecuredDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_PrivatePlacementMember
0us-gaap_UnsecuredDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_PrivatePlacementMember
 
Debt Instrument, Name, Fannie Mae Term Loans [Member]      
Debt Instrument [Line Items]      
Secured Debt $ 78,084,000us-gaap_SecuredDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= nhi_DebtInstrumentNameFannieMaeTermLoansMember
$ 0us-gaap_SecuredDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= nhi_DebtInstrumentNameFannieMaeTermLoansMember