Welcome to another year of the Journal of the Dermatology Nurses' Association (JDNA). Before I go into further detail about some of JDNA activities for 2015, I wanted to revisit briefly the issue of Peer Review, which I also wrote about in my editorial for the November/December 2014 issue (Borger, 2014). From the beginning, the JDNA has been a peer-reviewed journal that depends on its group of peer reviewers to fulfill one of the main tenets associated with scholarly publishing. Without the consistent and thoughtful peer reviews given by our cadre of reviewers, the articles published in the JDNA would not be likely the same caliber, would not be as clearly focused in clarity and messaging, and would not be as applicable to your day-to-day practice as a dermatology nurse. When discussing peer review, Katrina Masterson, a JDNA Editorial Board member, says, "The review process is not only about quality and accuracy. It represents an opportunity for us to guide and nurture authors. It is a chance to confirm our own passion for dermatology nursing and to pass it along to others" (personal communication, November 14, 2014). Moreover, Lisa Bonsall, also a JDNA Edtiorial Board member, thinks, "Peer reviewers are instrumental in helping us ensure that manuscripts are clinically accurate and up-to-date, which allows us to provide such a high quality product to our readers. Our peer reviewers also act as mentors to our authors, providing valuable feedback, both clinically and editorially" (personal communication, November 15, 2014). So with complete admiration and respect for the peer reviewers of JDNA, I extend a sincere thank you for your commitment to serve the journal by offering your expertise and commentary. To this end, I would encourage everyone to turn to page 60 to see a full list of 2014 JDNA Peer Reviewers. Please join me in celebrating their volunteer efforts on behalf of the JDNA.
I would also remind each of you that the JDNA's 2014 Writing Award winners will be announced soon and will be honored at the upcoming 33rd Annual Dermatology Nurses' Association (DNA) conference in Las Vegas, NV, in April 23-26, 2015. The publisher of the JDNA, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, will not only be providing the three writing awards in Las Vegas but also again be sponsoring a Writing Workshop during the conference. For those of you interested in learning more about the process of publishing your work in the JDNA, I would strongly encourage you to join me and the other members of the JDNA Editorial Board as we spending time reviewing the process of writing for publication. Chris Wilson, the Chair of our 2015 Writing Workshop, says, "This workshop is unique in that it provides the opportunity for someone to come with an idea, to sit with a member of the JDNA Editorial Board, to bring that idea to life and to get it published."
Of course, in addition to the JDNA's Writing Workshop, the DNA has been working hard to put together another superb conference agenda, with a variety of topics of interest to dermatology nurses. I strongly encourage you to go to https://ww2.eventrebels.com/er/Registration/StepRegInfo.jsp?ActivityID=11163&Ste to register for the conference. Attending the conference sessions and exhibition hall will give attendees great opportunities for learning and networking, while providing a great venue to meet both long-time and new dermatology colleagues and friends. I would personally love to meet many of you, our dear readers, in Las Vegas and sit and talk about ways in which you may want to start volunteering for the JDNA!
In exciting news about JDNA, one of the more recent changes is the availability of an open access option. Let me share with you more about open access and what it means for JDNA. When journals offer a combination of both the traditional model of publication (subscription articles) and also open access articles, it is referred to as the "hybrid model" of publication. This is JDNA's new format. Open access articles published in a traditional subscription model publication are now an industry standard offered by a large number of healthcare journals. We want the JDNA to have an open access choice for authors because many organizations that fund research (such as the National Institutes of Health [NIH] or Research Councils UK [RCUK]) require articles based on funded research to be published in an open access format. Having the JDNA offer this as an option will allow a larger pool of authors to consider our journal for publication. When authors choose the open access option, they are asked to pay an article processing charge. The article processing charge means the article will be freely available online forever, and this up-front charge is associated with the costs of this service. Currently, only research-based articles have the option for open access.
So, as a reader, you ask why this important to you? First, I want to assure readers that the same peer review process is followed whether the article is open access or not. I think this full disclosure is important as well as the assurance that neither the peer reviewers nor I am made aware of the author's intention to make the article open access until after it has been accepted for publication. It is our hope that giving authors a choice will increase both the number and quality of submissions to JDNA.
As many of you know, for several years, I have been serving as the DNA representative to the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention (http://www.skincancerprevention.org/). I attend the Council's biannual meetings in Washington, DC, to learn how dermatology nurses can support campaigns and programs to affect sun awareness and skin cancer. Most of you probably are aware of the recent annual events held every year such as "Melanoma Monday," the first Monday in May, as well as with "Don't Fry Day," the Friday before Memorial Day each year. In anticipation of the upcoming May events and in light of the recently published The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent Skin Cancer (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2014; Figures 1 and 2), I ask you to consider several things. First, as a dermatology nurse, how will you or your practice support the May events? The National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention will be working hard over the next few weeks to communicate good information about these events as well as providing good resource material for those interested in getting involved (http://skincancerprevention.org/programs/dont-fry-day?q=programs/dont-fry-day/re). Second, how will you, as a dermatology nurse, respond to the Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent Skin Cancer? The 2014 report outlines "five strategic goals to support skin cancer prevention in the United States" (p. 46) and makes clear that we "are all essential partners in this effort." The five goals as outlined in the publication are the following:
1. Increase opportunities for sun protection in outdoor settings;
2. Provide individuals with the information they need to make informed, healthy choices about UV exposure;
3. Promote policies that advance the national goal of preventing skin cancer;
4. Reduce harms from indoor tanning;
5. Strengthen research, surveillance, monitoring, and evaluation related to skin cancer prevention.
To help with each goal, the report offers suggestions of several recommended strategies that would be effective. I strongly recommend each of you to take time to read the report at http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/calls/prevent-skin-cancer/. After reading the document, I hope you will think of ways that you as a dermatology nurse can become involved. If you would be interested in sharing your ideas or projects, I would love to feature them here in the JDNA!
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Angela L. Borger
Editor in Chief
E-mail: [email protected]
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