You are cordially invited to become an author for Orthopaedic Nursing. Does that sound like something you have thought about? Have you ever read a nursing journal and said to yourself:
* I wish I had written that
* I think the way we do something on my unit is a better way to manage that kind of patient
* I don't think I have ever seen anything written on that topic
* I think this particular patient's problem is very interesting
If any of these thoughts have ever crossed your mind, then you should consider being an author for your specialty journal, Orthopaedic Nursing. Sharing your knowledge with your peers can be an exhilarating experience. Seeing your name in print can fulfill a lifelong dream.
There are many different types of manuscripts that are published in Orthopaedic Nursing including:
* Clinical topics
* Research studies
* Case studies
* Interesting x-ray findings
* Basic orthopaedic nursing care
Often the first-time author is not sure about where to begin or how to choose a topic. Fortunately, there are many different ways to figure out what your next step should be. Beginning with a complex topic is generally not the place to start. Often, beginning with a simple case review is a great place to begin your writing career. Once you identify a topic that is of interest, you may send a query letter to the editor to discuss whether the topic would be suitable for Orthopaedic Nursing. You are encouraged to send an e-mail to the editor at [email protected].
The next step should be to decide where you would like to submit your manuscript for peer review and then review the author guidelines to help guide you in the preparation of the manuscript files. Writing an abstract, manuscript content, references, and figures/tables should be matched to the journal guidelines where you intend to submit your manuscript for peer review. Another good idea is to review past issues of the journal to look at previously published manuscripts. The author guidelines for Orthopaedic Nursing can be found at http://www.editorialmanager.com/onj/
Working with a colleague who has already published is another good way to begin. If you would rather work independently, it is always a good idea to have other authors review the manuscript before submitting it to your target journal. This is a way for you to be sure that the message you want to deliver is clear and well stated. Revise the manuscript on the basis of suggestions received at this point before formally submitting it to the journal. This will allow you to make corrections prior to the formal peer review process.
Peer review is the process where the manuscript is reviewed by three to four content experts who will make comments on the manuscript and make a recommendation to the editor about publication. It is very important for the novice author to know that revisions are almost always necessary and even authors who have published many manuscripts often require revisions to the manuscript. The peer review process helps strengthen the manuscript. The manuscripts that are published in Orthopaedic Nursing are peer reviewed and 90% of them require some form of revision. The author should expect that if the manuscript will be accepted for publication that some revision will be necessary. It is part of the process.
The Editorial Board of Orthopaedic Nursing meets annually to develop the strategic direction of the journal. Each member of the board is committed to helping new authors with the process. Please feel free to contact any of us as you begin to explore becoming an author for Orthopaedic Nursing. We look forward to working with you to achieve your goal of becoming an author!