As year 35 comes to a close for The Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing (JPNN), it is a bittersweet legacy for me as CoFounder, Editor in Chief, and Perinatal Editor. I have been involved with JPNN since its inception in 1986-1987 through year 35 in 2021.
The "Pink Journal," as JPNN is known, was envisioned by myself and the neonatal cofounder as a clinically focused journal to document evidence-based care for practicing perinatal and neonatal nursing intensivists. The vision for JPNN was to be bifocal in nature, specializing in intrapartum care and neonatal intensive care.1 Both cofounders practiced at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston at the time, one managing a large 10,000 delivery service and the other the newborn intensive care unit. At the time, Aspen Publications was the original publisher for JPNN and then the journal was absorbed by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins/Wolters Kluwer in year 16 of its existence.2,3
The original intent of JPNN was to be similar to the OB-GYN Clinics of North America publication. Each issue would be a concise cadre of manuscripts focused from an in-depth perspective on that topic from both intrapartum/perinatal and intensive care/neonatal perspectives. It is with this focus that JPNN became the first nursing journal to topically combine perinatal and neonatal contents.2 This topical focus and approach have since been followed by many journals in this subspecialty for selected issues condensed around one topic. I have tried to stay true to the original intent and premise of JPNN as the journal has expanded in its realm of both manuscripts and column content.
During my tenure at JPNN, I have worked with 5 Neonatal Editors over the past 35 years, along with numerous Contributing Editors and multiple Perinatal Editorial Board members.4-6 In addition, this journal has a wonderful Production Manager, Kelly Crooks, who has always been indispensable to JPNN. Being an Editor demands being an excellent writer first and a great editor second. It demands mentoring and bringing new board members along in their journey to critically review manuscripts; assisting Contributing and Guest Editors in their preparation and execution of columns and issues; and working with authors to improve rigor with manuscript writing and revisions.
In 35 years as Perinatal Editor, I have witnessed transformational change in health practices, intrapartum care, and editorial services. These include going from e-mail attachments for manuscripts to complete electronic online submission systems, this being the biggest publication change for me, as well as having multiple publishers over the 35-year span. Within the clinical arena, the now common use of birthing rooms was new and the conversion to all electronic medical record documentation systems and expansion of intrapartum practices such as obstetric triage care and advan-ced midwifery collaborative, interprofessional practice were all innovative advancements.7,8 The first topical issue of JPNN I worked on involved AIDS/other Infections, and I now close out 35 years with the issue on Covid-19 and Pandemics, bringing JPNN full circle for me.
Caring for and crafting this journal, primarily topical in focus, allow for in-depth manuscripts on a single topic from dual perspectives. Keeping true to the original premise of JPNN has always been a guiding beacon for me in my 35 years as Editor. As the baton is passed, the hope is to keep the original purpose intact while moving JPNN forward. As my tenure at JPNN comes to an end, I sense the future is bright for the "Pink Journal" as it advances forward in its quest to be a resource for the intensivist nurses of labor and delivery and newborn intensive care.
With appreciation for everyone's participation and contributions to JPNN over 35 years, I am sincerely grateful.
-Diane J. Angelini, EdD, CNM, FACNM, FAAN
CoFounder and Editor, 35 Years
The Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing
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