The authors who contribute to the Journal of Infusion Nursing play an essential role in the development of each issue of INS' scholarly publication. Without their manuscripts, which explore nearly every facet of infusion nursing, the Journal would not exist.
Just as essential, however, are the Journal 's peer reviewers. Their role is key because "peer review is designed to assess the validity, quality, and originality of articles submitted for publication. Its ultimate purpose is to maintain the integrity of science by filtering out invalid or poor-quality articles."1 The expertise and diverse background of the Journal's peer reviewers-in clinical practice, research, and industry, to name a few-support the wide range and scope of scholarly submissions. Peer reviewers act as "advisors" to the editor, offering fair and unbiased assessments of the strengths and weaknesses of submitted manuscripts. "Their most important role is to help the editor evaluate a manuscript's quality, relevance, and importance"2(p152) by offering a fair and unbiased assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the work.
Although the work of peer reviewers may not be apparent to Journal readers, its result is invaluable. Their constructive feedback is essential in honing a submission for publication. In this way, peer review provides constructive feedback that not only helps authors strengthen their submissions but also helps Journal editors evaluate and improve accepted manuscripts to ensure that "published clinical and research articles, which guide nursing practice, are accurate, timely, and useful for readers."2(p151)
The Journal employs a traditional double-blind peer review process, which means that neither the reviewer nor the author knows the other's identity.3 The Committee on Publication Ethics' Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers has set out the basic principles of peer review, which all Journal reviewers are expected to adhere to during the review process. Examples of these rules remind reviewers to3:
* Agree to review manuscripts in their subject area of expertise.
* Respect the confidentiality of the peer review process by not revealing any details of the manuscript.
* Refrain from using any information obtained during the process for personal gain or organizational advantage.
* Declare any conflicts of interest.
* Be objective and constructive in reviews, and refrain from hostile or derogatory comments.
There are many benefits to serving as a peer reviewer. Your expert knowledge will help improve the quality and accuracy of the articles you review as well as enable the Journal to provide useful and trustworthy information that helps improve nursing practice. When you add the experience of being a Journal reviewer to your curriculum vitae, it indicates the value you place on your own professional development. Writing reviews will also sharpen your ability to improve the clarity of your own content.
INS cannot thank the Journal 's reviewers enough for the time, dedication, and expertise they contribute to making the Journal a preeminent resource for the infusion therapy specialty. If you want to add your expertise to the quality of published manuscripts, I invite you to apply to become a Journal reviewer at https://bit.ly/2CmuGGf. Your participation will help advance science and research in the specialty and, ultimately, have a positive impact on patient care.
Mary Alexander
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