Building a More Global Community
In the mid-1990s, less than 10% of all subscriptions to the Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing (JWOCN) went to subscribers living overseas and less than 15% of manuscripts were submitted by authors from outside the United States. This situation was not unusual for speciality practice nursing journals. The situation in 2011 is dramatically different with a significant increase in international access, readers, and submission of manuscripts from international authors.
In accordance with a Strategic Planning Initiative several years ago, JWOCN has sought to enhance its position within the global community of wound, ostomy and continence nursing. As a result, we have entered into a collaborative agreement with the Canadian Association of Enterostomal Therapy (CAET) to provide the JWOCN to its members as a membership benefit. CAET members will pay for and receive the JWOCN as part of their CAET membership just as WOCN Society members pay for and receive the JWOCN as part of membership in the WOCN Society.
Therefore, we are pleased to announce that beginning with this issue, you will see items about CAET news, educational events, and practice resources appearing in three of the six annual issues of the JWOCN. We have enjoyed a positive relationship with CAET in the past. For example, the CAET chose the JWOCN to publish the executive summary of its Best Practice Recommendations for Management of Enterocutaneous Fistulae1. We see this as a win-win situation for both organizations. We envision this cooperative effort with our CAET colleagues will increase access to future resources, enhance the pool of authors, and expand networking opportunities to mutually benefit members of the WOCN Society and the CAET through sharing of scholarship and best practice information.
The JWOCN has achieved a truly global influence, and in turn is influenced by an increasingly global community of readers, authors, peer reviewers and consulting editors. Join us in welcoming our new CAET readers as JWOCN extends its reach to further our mission of promoting educational, clinical and research opportunities that guide the delivery of expert health care to individuals with wound, ostomy and incontinence needs.
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