My very first editorial for MCN in 1998 was titled "Change is Good". In that editorial I introduced myself to MCN's readers, and tried to articulate some of my goals for the journal going forward. I was so thrilled to be given the opportunity to become MCN's second editor, following its founder Barbara Bishop, who had the brilliant idea to develop a professional journal for both obstetric and pediatric nurses. Barbara led the journal for over 20 years, and was responsible for establishing MCN's positive reputation with nurses all over the country. When she retired, it was my job to enhance that reputation, and make sure that nurses still found MCN relevant to their practice.

I'm very, very proud of what I've been able to accomplish in the 16 years I've been the editor of MCN. I decided to make evidence based practice the calling card of MCN, making sure that all articles, whether practice or research, were based on solid evidence in the literature, and that nurses reading the journal would always be able to use the information they read to enhance their practice. I actively solicited clinical researchers to submit their clinically-relevant research to MCN, always editing the articles to make sure that the research was both readable and practical. No gobbledygook difficult-to-understand research language in MCN. I vowed to help readers read research that would make sense to them. I also spent a huge amount of time mentoring authors, encouraging authors who had a good idea but didn't know how to get it on the page, and using the editing process as a teaching opportunity. I also must mention my efforts with our peer reviewers. I instituted major changes in how the reviewers were recruited, what they were being asked to do, providing education for them about how to do a constructive review, as well as letting them know the disposition of every manuscript they reviewed. Not to be forgotten, I led the effort to have MCN listed in the Thompson Reuters Citation Reports, having the journal accepted for a so called "impact factor". While this concept might not mean much to the MCN readers, it is a huge accomplishment for the journal, for it represents an enormous boost in MCN's international reputation, and a very sizeable increase in authors who want to submit their work to the journal.

And now it is time for a change. I do believe that there is a right time to step down from any position we occupy professionally, and this is my time. Of course I'll miss every single thing about being the editor, but I'm so happy to tell you that the new editor is Dr. Kathleen Rice Simpson. I've known Kathleen for many years now, worked with her on committees and asked her to serve on MCN's Editorial Board and be a columnist. Kathleen is a well known entity in our specialty; more than well known, really, she is a rock star. Her presentations at AWHONN and other conferences routinely overfill the largest halls available. She has written and also edited many books for nurses, and has been published as an author in every relevant nursing journal more times than I can count. Her research has ranged from doctor-nurse communication to care of the laboring woman, to patient safety (she has been writing the "Perinatal Patient Safety" column in MCN for many years), and she is a superb editor. I can't think of anyone better to take over the reins at MCN. You'll love her work for MCN. Change is good.

Margaret Comerford Freda, EdD, RN, CHES, FAAN