As healthcare and nursing once again embark on a period of major transformation, it is the perfect time to reinvent and reinvigorate the journal with new perspectives. And, as only the third editor, with 30 years of tenure, in its 41 years of publication, it is also time for me to say goodbye. Leaving a healthy journal with the status and prestige of JONA is a career accomplishment of which I am proud.
An editor's role can be primarily visible or invisible. I choose the invisible role, believing that a high-quality journal's reputation is achieved by showcasing the work of authors (the content experts). What I am personally passionate about doesn't matter. If it did, my journal's name would be synonymous with my name. Instead, the journal is known, first and foremost, for content excellence. Working with authors, editorial advisors, manuscript reviewers, journal staff, and readers allowed me to synthesize, develop, and showcase information that resulted in a high-impact, relevant journal. Editorials are one person's opinion; do editors know more than readers? Maybe, but probably not. Journal editors best serve readers by giving them the facts, all the facts, and trusting that the readership is smart enough to critically analyze the data and form an opinion.
I will not miss the workload or the deadlines, but I will miss the people who made my job meaningful. All of which brings me to acknowledging my facilitative and supportive team-my publishers, Beth Guthy and Jenn Brogan, were always there for me, as were 4 very hardworking assistants, Cynthia, Maggie, Tami, and Susan, and my production manager, Karina. My editorial advisors, manuscript reviewers, the authors of regularly appearing columns, and thousands of authors who submitted manuscripts have my gratitude and appreciation.
JONA has flourished because these key groups of people supported the work needed to make JONA great. Appreciating that without them there would be no product, I thank them for their support of me and the journal. A few advisors have to be mentioned by name for their many years of service: Mayann Fralic (32), Ruth Alward and Marjorie Beyers (26), Marjorie Barter (19), Dominick Flarey and Ann Scott Blouin (18), Joy Gorzeman (16), Jean Barry and Marjorie Peck (15), Pamela Triolo and Linda Urden (14), and Mary Krugman.
Finally, it's a pleasure to announce the appointment of my successor, Karen Stokley Hill, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FACHE, Vice President/Nurse Executive, Central Baptist Hospital (Lexington, Kentucky), and a JONA Advisor for the past 6 years. A well-published author and speaker, Karen is coauthor of the RWJF's, "Wisdom at Work," coinvestigator on Executive Nurse Fellows "Nursing Residency in Rural Kentucky" grant, and a commissioner and treasurer of the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission.
The accomplishments on Karen's curriculum vitae, however, are not the primary reason she's been appointed editor. It's been said that "The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly" (http://thinkexist.com/quotes/jim_rohn/). Karen brings these qualities to her work with JONA and will serve you and the journal well. So please welcome Karen who, I know, you will appreciate as the new editor of JONA.