Fair Value Of Financial Instruments (Schedule Of Assets And Liabilities Measured On A Recurring Basis) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Cash Flow Hedge Derivative Instrument Assets at Fair Value	$ 15	$ 0
Cash Flow Hedge Derivative Instrument Liabilities at Fair Value	2,492	4,279
Common Stock, Healthcare REIT [Member] \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities	$ 0	$ 11,745

Amount of investment in debt and equity securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 25
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=75030427&loc=d3e22054-111558

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (aa)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82897076&loc=d3e27232-111563

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82896770&loc=d3e26610-111562

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value of all asset derivatives designated as cash flow hedging instruments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4B
-Subparagraph (c)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84234895&loc=SL5624163-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CashFlowHedgeDerivativeInstrumentAssetsAtFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value of all liability derivatives designated as cash flow hedging instruments.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CashFlowHedgeDerivativeInstrumentLiabilitiesAtFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=nhi_CommonStockHealthcareREITMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: