An international survey of nurse editors' roles and practices

Abstract

Purpose: To describe the editorial practices of nurse editors, including proprietary arrangements, manuscript processing systems, and editorial review, and to ascertain editors' opinions on effective editorial practices. Design: A descriptive study in which an author-designed 108-question survey was distributed and collected by e-mail. Of 177 international nursing editors identified, 164 e-mail addresses could be located, and 137 nurse editors expressed willingness to participate. Ninety journals were represented in the final purposive convenience sample, including 71 published in the US and 19 outside the US. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t test, chi square, and content analysis. Findings: Of the 90 journals, 78 were characterized by their editors as scholarly journals. Fifty-two were official journals of associations. The nurse editors' average age was 53, with over 20 years of experience in nursing and 8 years as editor. Although practices and compensation at U.S. and international journals did not differ significantly, scholarly journals and "other" publications such as magazines and newsletters were managed differently. Blinded peer review was in place at 98% of journals. Editors generally used manuscript reviewers as advisors rather than as voters; only 30% of editors thought their ultimate decision must agree with the majority of reviewers. Nurse editors often needed 3-5 years to feel comfortable in the role. Editors of association journals often reported struggling with the issue of editorial independence versus association control. Editors believed their role was influential in maintaining scholarly excellence and evidence-based practice, but many noted the constant pressure of deadlines and dealing with poor writing from authors as challenges of the work. Conclusions: The role of nurse editor is not part of the formal preparation of nurse scholars or clinicians; standards for nurse editors are not readily apparent, and nurse editors often work in isolation, lacking professional support. This survey included data by which nurse authors and readers of nursing journals can understand how nurse editors work and make decisions about manuscripts, ultimately influencing knowledge dissemination in nursing journals. Nurse editors can use this information to compare their practices with that of others, and advocate for adequate preparation, compensation, and assistance with production. ©2005 Sigma Theta Tau International.