As the new editor of CIN Plus, I am excited about the possibilities for this section of CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing. I have been a reader since it began in the early 1980s as a mimeographed newsletter from Gary Hales, who was then a Professor at the University of Texas in Austin. It has been gratifying to see it grow from that simple format to a full-fledged journal, shepherded first by Gary and, for the past decade, by Dr Leslie Nicoll.
Those of us who have been involved with informatics since the early days have seen not only the growth of this journal but also the growth of this specialty in nursing. My role in this growth has been mostly as an instigator. I introduced nursing informatics at several schools of nursing and started one of the first listservs in nursing called NurseRes, with a focus on research. NurseRes is now managed by Anita Bridges. Gordon Larivee started the first nursing informatics listserv, nrsing-l, which is now managed by Scott Erdley under the auspices of the Nursing Working Group of the American Medical Informatics Association (http://www.amia.org/working/ni/main.html). In 1998, I was instrumental in starting the Informatics Nurses From Ohio (INFO), which is now part of the Alliance for Nursing Informatics (ANI).
As I look back and prepare to move ahead, I remember many nursing informatics conferences in the 1980s and early 1990s when most people thought us a little offbeat, not realizing the role that informatics would have in healthcare. From these early networking experiences and the hard work of many has come not only the progress in CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, but the recognition by the profession that informatics is a specialty with standards and certification.
Believing that networking and collaboration amongst those of us involved in informatics, from both academia and practice, is important, I know that there are many of you readers who have knowledge that you could share. Those of you who have not yet shared your expertise in a publication may find that CIN Plus, a less formal publication than most peer-reviewed journals, would be a good place to write a first article. Experienced authors will find this venue a place to share information that does not lend itself to a formal approach. Articles in this part of the journal do not need an abstract. References are needed only if the topic lends itself to them. What we are looking for is "short" articles about informatics experiences, knowledge, or both that you could share with your colleagues, including those not in informatics, but those who are affected by it. The length should be approximately 1500 to 2000 words (about 5 to 8 double-spaced pages); however, shorter or longer manuscripts are acceptable if they address the topic. Pictures, graphs, screen shots, and other graphics are acceptable with an article. Please see the information for authors for more detailed guideline. They can be found at http://www.mainedesk.com/medesk_000004.htm under authors.
I hope to hear from you, to express your ideas, or thoughts about articles in the journal, or informatics in general, and especially as an article writer!!
To the future!!
Linda Q. Thede, PhD, RN, BC, Adjunct Professor
Kent State University, Kent, OH, Editor, CIN Plus