Since it began publishing more than a century ago, AJN has enjoyed a close relationship with the ANA. For the past decade, that relationship has included designating AJN as the ANA's official journal and providing AJN as a benefit of ANA membership. Recently, however, the ANA announced its decision to launch a new publication as its official journal and to distribute that publication instead of AJN to its members. While many of us who are members of the ANA count on AJN as a benefit of our membership, we all are seriously concerned about the implications this decision holds for the ANA, AJN, and the nursing profession.
The ANA has characterized its move to launch a new publication as a business decision. Member subscriptions had been financed by the proceeds of the ANA's sale of AJN to a large publisher 10 years ago. As these funds approached exhaustion, the ANA was confronted with the need to determine how to finance continued member subscriptions, if at all. Ultimately, it decided to launch a new, more modest publication that surely cannot be expected to substitute for the reputation, history, leadership, educational value, and practice-changing capacity of AJN.
We understand that balancing priorities can be challenging. But hard-nosed budgetary decisions, no matter how well intentioned, can have unintended consequences that reach well beyond the financial. Certainly our profession has ample recent experience that illustrates this point.
AJN is a living link between nursing's history, its present, and its future. Maintaining a close relationship between the ANA and AJN has served both of them well-and has served the profession well since the dawn of organized nursing in the United States. AJN is also recognized internationally as an important voice for nursing. It provides ANA members and others with authoritative, credible, reliable, peer-reviewed, evidence-based, and useful content, including information, research, news, and analysis of issues in nursing practice, education, and policy. And by virtue of its stature as a long-established, highly respected, widely read, and cited professional journal, AJN is able to bring nursing's perspectives to a wide audience that extends beyond its readership and beyond nursing. In fact, AJN was one of the first nursing journals to be indexed by the National Library of Medicine and is one of few nursing journals included in the Institute of Scientific Information's Journal Citation Report.
The value of such a journal to the profession and to the ANA's image throughout the world should be apparent to the ANA's leaders, as should the importance of supporting the journal and maintaining a close relationship to it. Simply put, the profession is poorly served by separating the professional journal from the professional association.
It may well be too late for the ANA to reconsider its decision, at least for now. But we hope that the concerns of many members and nursing leaders in the United States and abroad can draw the attention of the ANA's leadership to the adverse implications of that decision. Moreover, in the coming months, both parties should act to mitigate the damage to the ANA, AJN, and the profession by ensuring that this separation, however unfortunate, does not become a complete rift. The ANA should explore with AJN any avenues for ongoing support and collaboration, including continued links between the journal and the ANA's membership.
We respectfully call upon the ANA's current and incoming leaderships to make this a high priority.
Mary Alexander, MA, RN, CRNI, CAE
Editor, Journal of Infusion Nursing, the official publication of the Infusion Nurses Society, mailto:[email protected]
Donna L. Algase, PhD, RN, FAAN, FGSA
Editor, Research and Theory for Nursing Practice,mailto:[email protected]
Elizabeth A. Ayello, PhD, RN, APRN,BC, CWOCN, FAPWCA, FAAN
Executive Editor, World Council of Enterostomal Therapists (WCET) Journal,mailto:[email protected]
Judith Gedney Baggs, PhD, RN, FAAN
Editor, Research in Nursing and Health,mailto:[email protected]
Susan Bakewell-Sachs, PhD, RN, APRN,BC
Neonatal Editor, Journal of Perinatal and Neonatal Nursing,mailto:[email protected]
Jane Bliss-Holtz, DNSc, RN, BC
Editor, Issues in Comprehensive Pediatric Nursing,mailto:[email protected]
Pamela J. Brink, PhD, RN
Editor, Western Journal of Nursing Research,mailto:[email protected]
Marion E. Broome, PhD, RN, FAAN
Editor, Nursing Outlook, the Official Journal of the American Academy of Nursing, mailto:[email protected]
Barbara J. Brown, EdD, RN, FAAN, FNAP, CNAA
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Rose Mary Carroll-Johnson, MN, RN
Editor, Oncology Nursing Forum, an official journal of the Oncology Nursing Society, Editor, International Journal of Nursing Terminologies and Classifications, the official journal of NANDA International, mailto:[email protected]
Mary W. Chaffee, MS, RN, CNAA, FAAN
Guest Editor, Nursing Clinics of North America, Former Managing Editor, Policy, Politics and Nursing Practice,mailto:[email protected]
Peggy L. Chinn, PhD, RN, FAAN,
Editor, Advances in Nursing Science,mailto:[email protected]
Phyllis G. Cooper MN, RN
Editor, Nursing Forum,mailto:[email protected]
W. Richard Cowling, III, PhD, RN, APRN,BC
Editor, Journal of Holistic Nursing,mailto:[email protected]
Patricia D'Antonio, PhD, RN, FAAN
Editor, Nursing History Review, the official publication of the American Association for the History of Nursing, mailto:[email protected]
Donna Diers, PhD, RN, FAAN
Former Editor, Image-Journal of Nursing Scholarship, Editorial Board Member, AJN,mailto:[email protected]
Nancy Donaldson, DNSc, RN, FAAN
Founding Co-Editor, Online Journal of Clinical Innovation,mailto:[email protected]
Molly Dougherty, PhD, RN, FAAN
Editor, Nursing Research,mailto:[email protected]
Marsha Dowell, PhD, RN
Senior Editor, Research in Healthcare Financial Management,mailto:[email protected]
James A. Fain, PhD, RN, BC-ADM, FAAN
Editor-in-Chief, The Diabetes Educator, the official journal of the American Association of Diabetes Educators, mailto:[email protected]
Harriet R. Feldman, PhD, RN, FAAN
Editor-in-Chief, Encyclopedia of Nursing Leadership,mailto:[email protected]
Joyce Fitzpatrick, PhD, RN, FAAN
Editor, Applied Nursing Research, Editor, Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, official journal of SERPN, mailto:[email protected]
Annette Flanagin, MA, RN, FAAN
Managing Deputy Editor, JAMA-Journal of the American Medical Association,mailto:[email protected]
Debbie Fraser Askin, MN, RNC
Executive Editor, Neonatal Network,mailto:[email protected]
Margaret Comerford Freda, EdD, RN, CHES, FAAN
Editor, MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing,mailto:[email protected]
Nancy Girard, PhD, RN, FAAN
Editor-in-Chief, AORN Journa l, mailto:[email protected]
Roslyn M. Gleeson, MSN, RN, APN
Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner,mailto:[email protected]
Laurie N. Gottlieb, PhD, RN
Editor-in-Chief, CJNR (Canadian Journal of Nursing Research),mailto:[email protected]
Joyce P. Griffin-Sobel, PhD, RN, AOCN, APRN, BC
Editor, Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, an official publication of the Oncology Nursing Society, mailto:[email protected]
Kathleen A. Gross, MSN, RN, BC, CRN
Editor, Journal of Radiology Nursing, the official journal of the American Radiological Nurses Association, mailto:[email protected]
Jane Hokanson Hawks, DNSc, RN, BC
Editor, Urologic Nursing, Co-Editor, Medical-Surgical Nursing (68th ed.),mailto:[email protected]
Sue Thomas Hegyvary, PhD, RN, FAAN
Editor, Journal of Nursing Scholarship,mailto:[email protected]
Barbara J. Holtzclaw, PhD, RN, FAAN
Editor, Southern Online Journal of Nursing Research, the publication of the Southern Nursing Research Society, mailto:[email protected]
Carolyn Humphrey, MS, RN, FAAN
Former Editor, Home Healthcare Nurse,mailto:[email protected]
Anne Katz, PhD, RN
Contributing Editor, AJN,mailto:[email protected]
David M. Keepnews, PhD, JD, RN, FAAN
Editor-in-Chief, Policy, Politics and Nursing Practice,mailto:[email protected]
Louanne Lawson, PhD, RN, FAAN
Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Forensic Nursing, the official journal of the International Association of Forensic Nurses, mailto:[email protected]
Cynthia Lewis, MSN, RN
Editor, Journal of Vascular Nursing,mailto:[email protected]
Judith A. Lewis, PhD, RNC, FAAN
Founding Editor, NAP Forum, Former Associate Editor, JOGNN,mailto:[email protected]
Nancy K. Lowe, PhD, CNM, FACNM, FAAN
Elnora Thomson Distinguished Professor of Nursing, Oregon Health and Science University, mailto:[email protected]
Tina Marrelli, MSN, MA, RN
Editor, Home Healthcare Nurse: The Journal for the Home Care and Hospice Professional,mailto:[email protected]
Maria Helena Palucci Marziale, PhD, RN
Editor, Latin American Journal of Nursing, Brazil, mailto:[email protected]
Sandra Nettina, MSN, APRN,BC, ANP
Editor, Medscape Nursing's Topics in Advanced Practice ejournal,mailto:[email protected]
Leslie H. Nicoll, PhD, MBA, RN, BC
Editor-in-Chief, CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing Editor-in-Chief, JHPN: The Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing, the official journal of the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association, mailto:[email protected]
Marilyn Oermann, PhD, RN, FAAN
Editor, J ournal of Nursing Care Quality,mailto:[email protected]
Ellen Olshansky, DNSc, RNC, FAAN
Editor, Journal of Professional Nursing, the official journal of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, mailto:[email protected]
Carol A. ("Pat") Patsdaughter, PhD, RN, ACRN
Co-Editor, Journal of Cultural Diversity Associate Editor, Journal of Multicultural Nursing and Health,mailto:[email protected]
Deanna Persaud, MSN, RN
Editor, SCI Nursing, the official journal of the American Association of Spinal Cord Injury Nurses, mailto:[email protected]
Belinda E. Puetz, PhD, RN
Editor-in-Chief, Journal for Nurses in Staff Development, the official publication of the National Nursing Staff Development Organization, mailto:[email protected]
Mary F. Rodts, MS, MSA, CNP, ONC, FAAN
Editor, Orthopaedic Nursing,mailto:[email protected]
Suzanne P. Smith, EdD, RN, FAAN
Editor-in-Chief, The Journal of Nursing Administration, Editor-in-Chief, Nurse Educator,mailto:[email protected]
Shirley A. Smoyak, PhD, RN, FAAN
Editor, Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services,mailto:[email protected]
Chris Stewart-Amidei, MSN, RN, CNRN, CCRN
Editor, Journal of Neuroscience Nursing,mailto:[email protected]
Christine A. Tanner, RN, PhD, FAAN
Editor, Journal of Nursing Education,mailto:[email protected]
Linda Q. Thede, PhD, RN, BC
Editor, CIN Plus,mailto:[email protected]
Sue Turale, DEd, RN, RPN, FRCNA, FANZCMHN
Editor-in-Chief, Nursing and Health Sciences,mailto:[email protected]
M. Terese Verklan, PhD, CCNS, RNC
Associate Editor, Nursing and Health Sciences,mailto:[email protected]
Christine Vourakis, DNSc, RN
Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Addictions Nursing, the official journal of the International Nurses Society on Addictions, mailto:[email protected]
Connie Henke Yarbro, MS, RN, FAAN
Editor, Seminars in Oncology Nursing,mailto:[email protected]
Susan Yox, MSN, EdD, RN
Editorial Director, Medscape Nurses,mailto:[email protected]