The Journal of Forensic Nursing, the official journal of the International Association of Forensic Nurses, is a quarterly, peer-reviewed publication dedicated to advancing the science of forensic nursing globally by publishing scholarly manuscripts of relevance to clinicians, educators, administrators, researchers, and policy makers. As Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Forensic Nursing, I have the great privilege of working with a very talented, sophisticated, and committed group of nurses who comprise the journal's Editorial Board. Editorial Board members, who are also members of the International Association of Forensic Nurses, are selected based on their interest and expertise in forensic nursing, as evident in their clinical, research, and scholarly work. As per Journal of Forensic Nursing policies, the primary purpose of the Editorial Board is to assist the Editor-in-Chief in the ongoing development and promotion of the journal.
Editorial Board members are actively engaged in journal activities through their roles as advisors, peer reviewers, and ambassadors. All roles are necessary to the ongoing development, maturation, and success of the journal. As advisors, Editorial Board members are not only content experts but also contribute to policy development and strategic planning for the journal, including the determination of writing awards, recruitment to the Editorial Board, and other journal decisions. As peer reviewers, Editorial Board members contribute to the quality and integrity of the Journal of Forensic Nursing as a scholarly peer-reviewed publication. They provide authors (novices and experts alike) with timely constructive feedback and make recommendations regarding the worthiness of manuscripts for publication. As Journal of Forensic Nursing ambassadors, Editorial Board members are responsible for promoting the journal by increasing awareness of the journal to potential readers, authors, and subscribers. They are, in essence, the face of the Journal of Forensic Nursing.
You will no doubt notice that there have been some changes to the membership of the Editorial Board in the past couple of years. As such, I felt it was time to showcase the talents of the current members, who are all prolific scholars in their own right; their publications based upon their education, research, and clinical experiences can be found in a variety of related peer-reviewed journals and books. In preparing this editorial, I asked each member of the editorial board, "What is the best thing about being a Journal of Forensic Nursing Editorial Board member?" For me, the answer is simple-promoting the diversity of all that forensic nursing is and can be!
Cindy Peternelj-Taylor, Editor-in-Chief
Cindy Peternelj-Taylor, RN, MSc, PhD(c), DF-IAFN, is a Professor and Chairperson, Undergraduate Education Committee, with the College of Nursing, University of Saskatchewan. Her research and scholarship focus on professional role development for nurses and other healthcare professionals who work with vulnerable populations in forensic psychiatric and correctional settings, with particular emphasis on ethical issues that emerge from practice (e.g., boundary violations, whistle blowing, Othering, and ethical decision-making). She is currently funded for two small-scale research projects by the Centre for Behavioral Science and Justice Studies: (a) a mixed methods study exploring correctional nurses' roles, responsibilities, and learning needs; and (b) a scoping review exploring palliative care in correctional settings. She is an experienced editor, having previously served as an Associate Editor for the Americas, Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing (1996-2006), and as an Editorial Board Member of the Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services (1998-2005), where she was guest editor for four special issues devoted to forensic psychiatric nursing. Prior to assuming the Editorship of the Journal of Forensic Nursing in 2010, Prof. Peternelj-Taylor served as an inaugural Associate Editor. She is a Distinguished Fellow with the International Association of Forensic Nurses and a member of both the International Academy of Nurse Editors and the Committee on Publication Ethics.
Angela Frederick Amar, Associate Editor
Angela Frederick Amar, PhD, RN, FAAN, is an Associate Professor and the Assistant Dean for BSN Education at the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Her program of research focuses on traumatic experiences: violence, mental health responses to trauma, and aspects of forensic nursing. She has conducted funded research and published data-based papers on dating violence and sexual assault and is active in university service related to violence and diversity. Dr. Amar is a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing and Co-Chair of their Expert Panel on Violence, a Distinguished Fellow with the International Association of Forensic Nurses, and a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Nurse Faculty Scholar Alumnas. When asked, "What is the best thing about being a Journal of Forensic Nursing Editorial Board member?" she stated:
The absolute best thing is working with such a talented, amicable, witty, dedicated, and intelligent group of people on the Editorial Board. There is a real team spirit that makes it a fun and rewarding experience. I also love being able to see so many aspects of forensic nursing and science. I continually marvel at the variety and depth of articles in the Journal of Forensic Nursing.
Karen Neill, Associate Editor
Karen Neill, PhD, RN, SANE-A, is a Professor and Associate Director for Graduate Studies in the School of Nursing at Idaho State University in Pocatello, Idaho. For over 15 years, Dr. Neill has specialized in forensics, particularly domestic violence and sexual assault where she has served as a Certified Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, expert witness, and consultant at the state level to support effective response to domestic violence in rural areas. She works at local, regional, and national levels to bridge healthcare and criminal justice systems, while intersecting social service networks to support individuals, families, and communities experiencing violence. Dr. Neill holds a Governor's appointment on the Idaho Council on Domestic Violence and Victim Assistance (ICDVVA) and serves as the Chair of the ICDVVA Committee for Oversight of Domestic Violence Offender Intervention Program Standards. Dr. Neill summarizes her role on the Editorial Board in the following way:
The best part of serving on the Editorial Board is that I can contribute to the scientific work of the specialty/discipline and provide constructive comments to mentor new authors as well as recognize seasoned writers. It is an honor to serve as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Forensic Nursing and work with colleagues accomplished in many areas of forensic nursing.
Alison M. Colbert, Editorial Board Member
Alison Colbert, PhD, RN, PHCNS-BC, is Assistant Professor and Graduate Program Chair at the Duquesne University School of Nursing. She is a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Public/Community Health with 15 years of clinical experience in multiple community settings including jails, drug and alcohol treatment facilities, and primary care clinics. Dr. Colbert's clinical practice and research centers on health promotion in vulnerable populations, and her current research focuses on the development of an intensive case management intervention to improve the health and well-being of women recently released from jail. In addition to her active membership in the International Association of Forensic Nurses, she is also actively involved with the American Public Health Association and the Eastern Nursing Research Society, where she is the cofounder of the Criminal Justice, Violence, and Trauma Research Interest Group. For Dr. Colbert, the best thing about being an Editorial Board member is:
Without a doubt, getting the opportunity to read about the amazing work being done by our contributors! The manuscripts I get to read are filled with expertise, commitment to scientific advancement, and a genuine desire to advance the specialty of forensic nursing. Most of all, they are guided by the passion of professionals who have committed their careers to improving the lives of others. Not every article is right for JFN, but they are all valuable and worthwhile in their own right. It's a privilege to be part of the path to publication.
Anita G. Hufft, Editorial Board Member
Anita G. Hufft, PhD, RN, has experience as an Army nurse, a psychiatric nurse in private practice, a correctional and forensic nursing consultant, and an academic. As an active member of the International Association of Forensic Nurses, she chaired the committee on the Core Curriculum for Advanced Practice Forensic Nursing, headed the Task Force for the revision of the Forensic Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, and served as a member-at-large on the International Association of Forensic Nurses Board of Directors. As an academic, Dr. Hufft has integrated her scholarship on mentally disordered female offenders, pregnant and parenting female offenders, and socialization of correctional nurses with the development of forensic nursing education within institutions of higher learning. Her current scholarship focuses on manipulation experienced by nurses working in forensic settings. For Dr. Hufft, the best thing about being on the Editorial Board is about:
[horizontal ellipsis]offering psychosocial support to the contributing authors, helping them to achieve a sense of competence, identity, and effectiveness in their professional roles through successful publication. In turn, you get to assist them in their career development, through coaching and challenging them to communicate new knowledge for the discipline. I view my editorial role as service to the profession-giving back to a profession that has been so good to me.
Kathryn Laughon, Editorial Board Member
Kathryn Laughon, PhD, RN, SANE-A, SANE-P, FAAN, has focused her practice and research on issues of violence against women. She is past president of the Nursing Network on Violence Against Women International, the Chairperson of the Sexual Misconduct Advisory Committee at the University of Virginia, and she maintains a clinical practice as a forensic nurse examiner for the University of Virginia Health System. Dr. Laughon is currently funded by the National Institute for Justice to identify and test a fluorescent dye for genital injury detection in sexually assaulted women. As a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nurse Faculty Scholar, she conducted a clinical trial of a computerized safety planning aid for women seeking protective orders. She was also the Principal Investigator on a study that examined the effects of parental homicide on children, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health. She has previous research funding from the National Institute for Nursing Research, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Nurses Foundation, and Sigma Theta Tau Beta Nu Chapter. When asked about the best thing about being on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Forensic Nursing, she simply stated:
I enjoy contributing to the advancement of the scientific basis for forensic nursing.
Annie Lewis-O'Connor, Editorial Board Member
Annie Lewis-O'Connor, PhD, NP-BC, MPH, is a Board Certified Nurse Practitioner. She is the Founder and Director of the Women's CARE (Coordinated Approach Recovery and Empowerment) Clinic which provides patient informed health care to women who have been intentionally harmed by gender-based violence. Dr. Lewis O'Connor is committed to addressing gender-based violence from a research, policy, education, and clinical perspective. She is currently the Local Principal Investigator on a National Institute of Justice Grant addressing domestic violence, homicide, and risk reduction and is the Chair of the National Health Collaborative on Violence and Abuse. In 2012, she was recognized by the Boston Business Journal as a Champion in Health Care, recognizing her efforts to mitigate the health consequences of violence and trauma. She holds Faculty Appointments at Harvard Medical School and Boston College. For Dr. Lewis-O'Connor, the best thing about being on the Editorial Board is:
[horizontal ellipsis]through the scholarly review process we help advance the field of Forensic Nursing. I enjoy giving every manuscript my complete attention and celebrate when I see it in print! Also as an Editorial Board member I enjoy interacting with those who are considering submitting a manuscript. It is an honor and privilege to be a member of the Journal of Forensic Nursing Editorial Board.
Brian McKenna, Editorial Board Member
Brian McKenna, RN, BA, MHSc(Hons), PhD, is a Registered Nurse and Professor of Mental Health Nursing at the Australian Catholic University and North Western Mental Health, Melbourne Health. He has published widely on research in forensic mental health and the interface between clinical practice and mental health law. His current role involves working with mental health nurses to build a culture of nursing involvement in research. This work is focusing on embedding recovery-orientated care into nursing practice and mental health service delivery, reducing restrictive interventions in nursing care, and meeting the physical healthcare needs of mental health consumers. Dr. McKenna also serves as the Case Reports Editor for the journal and welcomes inquiries and submissions of case reports for review for publication. In response to my question, "What is the best thing about being a Journal of Forensic Nursing Editorial Board member?" Dr McKenna stated:
[horizontal ellipsis]the best thing for me is being part of a group that wants to push a greater understanding of forensic nursing, and our work, through showcasing research. For me personally it's about not losing sight of perpetrator needs, given the strong focus in forensic nursing on the victims of crime.
Elizabeth Walsh, Editorial Board Member
Elizabeth (Liz) Walsh, RN, BSc(Hons), MSc, PhD, has worked both for, and with, Her Majesty's Prison Service in clinical, educational, and practice development roles since 1995. She explored the emotional labor of prison nurses as part of her doctoral studies and has since developed and led a wide range of practice development projects. She has been involved in implementing clinical supervision and reflective practice in offender healthcare settings, developed prison health care as a learning environment for both staff and students, and has worked closely with nonhealthcare custodial colleagues to promote interprofessional working. She has recently worked on a number of studies including the development of a mental health screening tool in police custody and the development of a health and social care assessment tool for older prisoners, and is now leading research to explore the nature and management of pain in male adult prisoners. Dr. Walsh is currently in an Associate Professor in Offender Health at the University of Leeds, in the United Kingdom, and holds an Adjunct Professor position at the University of Ottawa, in Canada. She also serves as an elected Forum Chair of the Nursing in Criminal Justice Services Forum at the United Kingdom Royal College of Nursing. It was difficult for Dr. Walsh, to pick just one best thing about being on the Editorial Board; her response is summed up this way:
I get a great deal of pleasure from working with international colleagues and therefore, being more able to bring an international perspective to the United Kingdom. I love reviewing papers for publication and learning about what is happening elsewhere whilst being able to support new authors to both publish and genuinely "value" their work. I feel privileged to have the opportunity to share my own work with such an internationally recognised group of people from all areas of forensic nursing, whilst being able to link others into the network of forensic nursing.
Closing Thoughts
So there you have it-the many faces of the Journal of Forensic Nursing. As Editor-in-Chief, I am thrilled to work with this fantastic group of nurses. I also have the privilege of working with authors and peer reviewers-together we contribute to the ongoing growth and development of the Journal of Forensic Nursing. As an Editorial Board, we are always looking for innovative ways to best meet the needs of readers, authors, potential authors, and peer reviewers alike. We value your feedback and invite your contributions relevant to all aspects of forensic nursing-original articles, review articles, and case reports are welcome. And although we don't have Editorial Board members in every corner of the globe, we do have members located in Canada, the United States, England, and Australia. Please refer to Table 1 for contact information. We want to hear from you!