What Does a Nursing Journal Editor Want?

Although many nursing journals focus on specific subjects, journal editors typically seek articles that provide nurses with clinical information that they can apply in their practice. Additionally, they help advance the profession through education or policy initiatives, improve patient care and outcomes. On the other hand, they can contribute to the body of scientific knowledge. All articles must adhere to ethical authorship and publication guidelines. Articles, must be straightforward and concise.

The sections that follow provide short descriptions of the different types of articles that nursing journals publish, as well as writing tips for each type based on common mistakes writers make.

1. Research that Builds Knowledge for the Nursing Journal

Nursing science and evidence-based practice are built on research. The two important factors for the publication of a research are; the importance of the research and how the study is conducted. Research must answer an important question and add to the body of knowledge. Inadequate samples, errors in analysis, or bias issues are all considered fatal defects that cannot be overcome. Even if of how important the subject or how good the writing.

Format of a Nursing Journal

• Introduction. It consists of background information, as well as the importance and purpose of the study.
• Methods: They describe how the study was carried out and why the methods were chosen. This section should be detailed enough for others to replicate the research.
• Results. Important findings are highlighted. Please do not make any comments on the findings in this section.
• Discussion: tells the reader what the results mean and compares them to previous research. There are implications for practice and future study. Strengths and weaknesses are also discussed.

2. Quality Improvement Projects with Supporting Evidence (QI)

It is critical to publish QI reports because many clinicians and organizations are struggling with problems related to patient outcomes and care delivery. When planning a QI project, make sure to collect baseline and outcome data as it is required for publication. Knowing what does not work is also important; even failed projects can teach us something. It still has the potential to be published if you provide an informative analysis of why your project was not successful and the next steps.

3. Nursing Review Journals that Provide Up-to-date Evidence on Best Practice for Specific Diseases and Conditions

Nursing and medical knowledge are constantly expanding. Furthermore,  nurses need up-to-date information to provide optimal care. Nursing journals offer an in-depth understanding of a disease, condition, or procedure. They also use the most recent findings to back up the information they provide. It include the following:

• Problem significance: why are the subject and supporting evidence important?
• Epidemiology: includes the most recent data on prevalence and incidence, morbidity and mortality, and economic costs, as applicable.
• The pathophysiology may include processes within the body that lead to the disease or condition (pathogenesis), what is happening within the body to cause symptoms, or infectious disease transmission factors.
• Diagnosis and management include, among other things, a discussion of illness or condition manifestations, diagnostic workup, nursing assessment and care, nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic interventions, patient education, and prevention.

4. Integrative Literature Reviews

The findings of a single study are insufficient to assess best practice. The editor needs to know what the overall body of research says about a specific subject or intervention. That is what systemic and integrative reviews offer. These are rigorous, systematic literature reviews that define, evaluate, and synthesize a subject. A systematic review differs from an integrative review in that it only includes experimental research, whereas an integrative review also includes nonexperimental and “gray,” or unpublished, literature.

As a result, editors use their findings to make practice recommendations. One cannot solve a poorly selected clinical question or a poorly conducted review. When conducting systematic reviews, PRISMA, or Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, guidelines should be followed

5. Insightful Analysis on Healthcare Policy

When it comes to policymaking at all organizational and legislative levels, the nurses ‘ voices must be heard. Policy decisions have a direct impact on nurses’ responsibilities and our ability to perform our duties. The nursing perspective is critical to ensure that patient care is provided in a safe, holistic, and cost-effective manner. Policy articles may educate nurses about the current health-care environment, provide information on current nursing practice issues or initiatives, or examine current policy issues and events. Topics of interest may include advanced practice scope of practice, policy initiatives influencing the care of specific populations, such as the homeless or mentally ill, ongoing evaluation of national health care policies, specific laws under consideration in the legislature, reproductive health issues, and protection and services for vulnerable populations, such as victims of violence or the mentally ill.

6. Discussion of Topics of Great Concern to Healthcare

The vitality and development of the nursing profession are dependent on lively debates about nursing and health care issues. Many newspapers, through the publication of opinion pieces and editorials, provide a forum for this. These may include, among other things, direct patient care, health care policy, social justice, nursing education, advanced practice, or health care inequalities.

Personal Narratives that Add a Perspective into Nursing

Stories are a powerful medium for promoting understanding and finding commonalities among diverse experiences. Non-nurses will benefit from personal narratives to gain a better understanding of what we do and how we contribute to health care. They can also help to alleviate the burdens that come with being a nurse; writing and publishing our stories helps us to accept and share the uncertainties, fears, regrets, sorrow, frustration, and disappointments that all nurses experience at some point in their careers. It also allows us to share what makes us so happy—those moments when we know we’ve made a significant difference in people’s lives.

Where Should You Start?

Consider writing a variety of articles in your area of expertise to reach out to a variety of audiences. Just make sure that each article is distinctive and adds something substantive to the literature. Assume you conducted a study and then wrote a research report that you submitted to a research-focused journal. You may also write a detailed analysis of the policy issues raised by your findings or your subject in general. Alternatively, you might write a clinical review for nurse clinicians that makes evidence-based practice recommendations (these articles are particularly needed because the translation of research to practice is an ongoing challenge).