Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing is a peer-reviewed journal that includes clinical educational, research, and leadership dimensions to provide nurses with accurate, current, innovative, and relevant information and services to excel in critical care practice. We invite you to submit an idea, outline, or manuscript about your projects, research, educational strategies, or leadership projects and challenges.
Healthcare systems and clinical practice areas are in a dynamic state of change. We are excited to be part of this transitional time. Accountable care, evidence-based practice, and the science of improvement are moving us forward to provide improved outcomes for our patients and families.
Together we will inform and inspire our critical care nursing and share insights and practice models to fit a new healthcare model. Please review some tips for writing for DCCN!
Write for the DCCN Audience
Discuss how the critical care nursing leader-such as the advanced clinical nurse, educator, manager, researcher, and clinical nurse specialist-can use your ideas. Describe how your ideas could be used in many critical care areas such as medical, surgical, cardiac, trauma, neuroscience, pediatric, neonatal, and other specialties. The depth of the material should be for advanced nurses. Do not repeat basic material; assume the reader already knows material taught in "core" critical care courses. Describe how the nurse can do something rather than just that he/she should. Use examples to help the reader identify the application to clinical practice.
Be Current
Our practice is changing quickly, and information is readily available from many sources. Check practice guidelines and alerts about your topic. Provide a comprehensive review of the literature, including evidence-based practice sources. Web sources are a rich source of information, but ensure that the dates of access are current and the source is retrievable.
Use Headings
Organize your paper using numerous headings and subheadings. DCCN is a clinically applied nursing journal; therefore, the headings should focus on nursing decisions, actions, and strategies. When possible, use action headings that clearly describe your recommendations to the reader for caring for the type of patient being described, developing a similar project, or solving a problem.
Focus on Your Ideas
Develop your ideas on the topic. The main headings should be your points, supported by reasoning, literature, or research. Blend the literature and theory into your ideas rather than placing all the literature in 1 section. Avoid a long review of the literature and superfluous quotes, as they overshadow your expertise.
Use Pictures and Illustrations
Emphasize your content and highlight important concept in a model, or unique design. Use of test boxes or bullet sections is encouraged to highlight essential content.
Use Professional Resources
There are several standard guidelines available for writing and submitting articles for publication in biomedical journals. The Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals: Writing and Editing for Biomedical Publication, by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, presents clear guidelines on when citation is necessary. It is available online at http://www.icmje.org.
Follow Instructions
This may be the most important tip for all journals. Review the journal's guidelines or instructions for authors. This will assist you in every aspect of manuscript preparation, from format to reference style. Additionally, it will walk you through the submission and peer-review process.
Contact us directly or send a query letter to http://[email protected].
or
Visit our new electronic platform at http://www.editorialmanager.com/dccn to submit a manuscript.
Below you will find the " Information for Authors" for DCCN. These are also available at http://www.dccnjournal.com and on the editorial manager home page.
Kathleen Ahern Gould, PhD, RN
Adjunct Faculty
William F. Connell School of Nursing
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts