It is a pleasure to be continuing on as the editor of the Plastic Surgical Nursing journal for 2015-2016. This has been a rewarding, yet challenging, position, and I am grateful at being given the opportunity to serve the membership in this capacity.
EDITORIAL BOARD
I thank Jill Jones, Susan Lamp, and Marcia Spear, your 2013-2014 editorial board members, for their continued commitment to the "behind the scene" workings of the journal.
I am pleased to say that the 2015-2016 board has increased in size and will include the professional talents from across the United States:
Connie Brennan, RN, CPSN, CANS, CPC (Edina, Minnesota)
Lesley Coots, MSN, FNP-BC (Richmond, Virginia)
Linda Duffy, RN, CPSN, CPN (Chicago, Illinois)
Jill Jones, RN, CPSN, CANS (Buford, Georgia)
Susan Lamp, BSN, RN, CPSN (Columbus, Ohio)
Valentina S. Lucas, PhD, ANP-BC (Richmond, Virginia)
Nancy Radoslovich, RN, MA, CPSN (Fort Lee, New Jersey)
Marcia Spear, DNP, ACNP-BC, CWS, CPSN, CANS (Nashville, Tennessee)
This collective increase in brainpower will allow us to extend our fingers further, to grasp more ideas, and solicit more articles for your journal. The editorial board appreciates each and every article that is submitted. We understand that the process of writing an article can be a very tedious but is very rewarding to see your name in print. If you have an idea for an article, please reach out to any one of us for assistance.
DEPARTMENT CHAIRS
The design of the journal has been to include continuing medical education (CME) articles and shorter department articles. We realize that time is a very valuable commodity; so shorter articles can be ready more quickly while "on the go."
Many thanks to the following nurses who stepped into the Department Chair position and wrote or solicited authors to write articles for their department. The 2013-2014 Department Chairs were
* Aesthetics-Jill Jones and Connie Brennan
* Management-Nancy Radoslovich
* Pediatrics-Linda Duffy
* Reconstruction-Susan Lamp
* Skin Care-Barbara Dugas
* Wound Care-Marcia Spear and Valentina Lucas
The 2015-2016 year will see a few changes. We are sad to see Barbara Dugas step down from her position on the Skin Care Department, but are excited that she is taking time to enjoy retirement with her husband. Susan Lamp has stepped down from the Reconstruction Department but will remain on the editorial board; and Marcia Spear will focus her next 2 years as your President of the American Society of Plastic Surgical Nurses (ASPSN), but will oversee, and still have input, into the journal.
Your 2015-2016 Department Chairs will be
Aesthetics-Jill Jones, RN, CPSN, and Connie Brennan, RN, CPSN, CANS, CPC
Management-Nancy Radoslovich, RN, MA, CPSN
Pediatrics-Linda Duffy, RN, CPSN, CPN
Reconstruction-Valentina S. Lucas, PhD, ANP-BC, and Lesley Coots, MSN, FNP-BC
Skin Care-Kathleen Mortl, RN, CPSN
Wound Care-Susan Daughtery, BA, BSN
If you have an article that your would like to contribute to the department, please contact me at the contact information provided and I will contact the Department Chair.
MANUSCRIPT REVIEW PANEL
The role of a journal reviewer is a recognized and critical component to the journal submission process. Without skilled and knowledgeable reviewers, our journal would not be able to maintain the high standards that have been set forth by the ASPSN. As the editor, I am very grateful for the knowledge, professionalism, and dedication that have been displayed by your manuscript review panel. To recognize the time and effort involved in reviewing a manuscript, contact hours are awarded for each article reviewed.
Your Manuscript Review Panel members for 2015-2016 are
Connie Brennan, RN, CPSN, CANS, CPC
Marilyn Cassetta, BSN, RN, CPSN
Michelle Cluff, BSN, CPSN
Lesley Coots, MSN, FNP-BC
Linda Duffy, RN, CPSN, CPN
Claudette Heddens, BSN, MA, CPSN
Sharon Fritzsche, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, CPSN
Susan Lamp, BSN, RN, CPSN
Valentina S. Lucas, PhD, ANP-BC
Karla Malaney, MSN, MS, RN, CNS, CPSN
Sharon Matz, BS, RN, CPSN
Nancy Radoslovich, RN, MA, CPSN
Jenna Ryan, MSN, RN
Marcia Spear, DNP, ACNP-BC, CPSN, CWS
Shelley Springer, MS, ARNP, CS, CPSN, LHCRM
Pat Terrell, MSN, CPNP, CPSN, CNOR
Sharon Ann Van Wicklin, MSN, RN
PLASTIC SURGICAL NURSING JOURNAL AWARDS
The Plastic Surgical Nursing awards are presented every year at the annual business meeting during the ASPSN National Convention. As a board we looked at the articles submitted from September 2013 to September 2014. It was a difficult process to just single out three articles as we had several excellent articles to choose from. To determine the article winners, we tallied the total rating scores from the manuscript reviewers scoring card; the scores are based on content, creativity, readability/writing style, applicability, and significance to plastic surgical nursing. We combined these results with a list of the top 10 articles that received the highest number of hits on the journal website. We are pleased to announce the following journal award winners at the 2014 Annual Convention in Chicago.
3rd Place winner-Current Approaches to Free flap Monitoring (Volume 34-2). Author-Albert Chao, MD, from Columbus, Ohio
2nd Place winner-The Life After Weight Loss Program: A Paradigm for Plastic Surgery Care After Massive Weight Loss (Volume 33-4). Author-Mary Wakefield, MSN, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
1st Place winner-The "Nuts & Bolts" of Becoming an Aesthetic Provider Part 1: How Do I Get Started? (Volume 33-4). The Nuts and Bolts of Becoming an Aesthetic Provider Part 2: Building Your Aesthetic Practice (Volume 34-1)
Aesthetic Department: Nuts and Bolts for the Aesthetic Provider: Part 3: Maximizing Your Aesthetic Practice and Client Outcomes (Volume 34-2)
Author-Connie Brennan, RN, CPSN, CANS, CPC, from Plymouth, Michigan
BENEFITS OF WRITING AN ARTICLE
The nursing profession provides opportunities for nurses to demonstrate their professional accomplishments. Many institutions offer a Clinical Ladder program, which is designed to promote professional nursing practice by recognizing and rewarding experienced registered nurses who excel in clinical practice, education, and research. This is designed to enhance job satisfaction and promote retention and recruitment of professional nurses. The Clinical Ladder program also provides a role development tool and mentorship process for professional nursing as well as promote an evidence-based practice environment.
Another opportunity for the nursing profession to be recognized for nursing excellence is the Magnet designation. The hospitals who have achieved this recognition serve as the fountain of knowledge and expertise for the delivery of nursing care worldwide. This recognition identifies health care organizations that exemplify superior quality and professionalism in nursing. The hospital must demonstrate the strength and quality of their patient care and environment through measurement of nursing indicators and standards of nursing practice.
Both of the above recognitions are excellent opportunities for the professional plastic surgical nurse to gain recognition in this endeavor. By demonstrating professional nursing practice of certification, publishing, and participation in nursing research, the ASPSN member can achieve an increased level of professionalism in plastic surgical nursing, as well as their institutional nursing program.
WE NEED ARTICLES
There is the constant challenge of trying to solicit authors to write articles.
As a board we have reached out to the poster presenters and speakers at the national convention. As a member of the ASPSN you can do your part as well. If you are attending a meeting, and you feel that the presenter has some valuable information to share, please approach them and ask for their contact information. We will then follow through and contact them to see if they are interested in converting their presentation into an article. Please reassure them that they are not on their own with this seemingly tedious task, as the editorial board is poised and ready to assist them every step of the way. The more people we have putting their feelers out for potential authors, the better.
If you would like to become a member of the editorial team, submit an article, or know of a topic that you would like to see in print, please contact Tracey Hotta at mailto:[email protected].
This is your association. The success and recognition of our journal is a team effort and your contribution to nursing education is greatly appreciated.
Respectfully,
Tracey A. Hotta, RN, BScN, CPSN, CANS