Author guidelines

Articles for our journal are written in informal, concise language. When writing the manuscript, follow these guidelines:

• • Base your information on the latest nursing standards and clinical practice guidelines.
  • Be clear and concise; avoid convoluted sentences.
  • Provide examples and practical points that can be readily applied to practice.
  • Address readers directly, as if you’re speaking to them. For example: “After turning on the power, connect the tube….”
  • In general, use active—not passive—verbs. Active verbs engage the reader and make the writing simpler, clearer, and more interesting.

• Clearly explain theoretical or complex terms in everyday language. Avoid medical and nursing jargon.
• Don’t use acronyms or abbreviations, except those you’re sure every reader is familiar with (such as “I.V.”). Instead, spell out the full term.
• As appropriate, use trailing zeroes for diagnostic test results, as in “urine pH 5.0.” However, Do NOT use trailing zeroes for drug dosages; for example, use “15 mg,” NOT “15.0 mg.”
• Use generic names for medications.
• Consider using boxed copy (sidebar) for points you’d like to emphasize, clarify, or elaborate on. Also consider putting appropriate information in tables (using Microsoft Word).

Resources for new authors:

• SRedulla R. Writing clinical articles: A step-by-step guide for nurses. Am Nurse J. 2022;17(5)24-6. myamericannurse.com/writing-clinical-articles-a-step-by-step-guide-for-nurses
• Saver C. Anatomy of Writing for Publication for Nurses. 4th ed. Indianapolis: Sigma Theta Tau International; 2021.
• Saver C. The Writing Mind. myamericannurse.com/category/the-writing-mind/
• Nurse Author & Editor.

Use the following as a rough guide (word counts include tables, but not references):

• Continuing education article: about 3,300 words
• Feature article: about 1,800 to 2,400 words
• Department article: about 1,000 to 1,500 words.
  • Note: Rapid Response articles should be no more than 600 words.

List all references in alphabetical order at the end of your manuscript. Do NOT use Microsoft Word footnote function and do NOT cite them within the text unless you are citing statistics or discussing a single study. In that case, use a format such as:

• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cigarette smoking causes more than 480,000 deaths annually.
• A study by Jones and colleagues found that …
  You only need to provide sufficient information for readers to identify which reference matches with the information in the main text. References must be from professionally reliable sources and should be no more than 5 years old unless they are “classics.”

To format the references in your list, use the American Medical Association Manual of Style: A Guide for Authors and Editors (10th ed). If you don’t have access to this book, simply follow these examples:

Please limit the number of references to no more than 12 (20 for a CNE article).

We encourage you to submit tables and figures for your article (although publication isn’t guaranteed).

Figures

• Submit each figure in a separate electronic file, labeled with the number and brief name of the figure. For example: “figure 1, venous thrombo embolism.”
• In the text of your article, note where the figure should appear. For example, “Insert figure 1 here.”
• Place the names of the figures at the end of the article, and include a brief caption and the source for each. For example, “figure 1: venous thrombo embolism. From American Cardiovascular Association, 2020.”
• Submit images that go with figures as JPG files, with resolution 300 dpi at 4.5 inches wide.
• Save files of diagrams, drawings, graphs, and other line art at a resolution of at least 1200 dpi. If these were created in a Microsoft Office program, please send the native (DOC, PPT, XLS) file.

Tables

• Put tables at the end of the document.
• Number each table and include a name and a brief introductory statement. For example,

• In the text of your article, note where the table should appear. For example, “Insert table 1 here.”

Note: The author is responsible for obtaining permission for reprinting tables and figures from another source. If there is a fee, the payment can wait until after the article is accepted; simply note that you will obtain permission. If you have already obtained permission, please submit verification with your article.

Submit in Microsoft Word. Other formats will NOT be accepted.

• Put the article title, your initials (not your name), and the date at the top of the first page of your article.
• Do NOT include extra hard returns between lines or paragraphs, extra spaces between words, or any special coding.
• Send a separate cover letter that includes the following for each author:

Name
Credentials
Email
At least two telephone contact numbers
Employer name, city, and state
Position title
Disclosure of any funding sources or other support for preparation of the paper.

• • • Identify who will be the corresponding author (primary contact).
    • Send a signed author agreement and conflict of interest form as a PDF, which is available at myamericannurse.com/author-guidelines/. (Each author must sign separate agreements and forms.)
    • Verify you have all the submission information by completing the checklist below.
• • Email your submission to: production@healthcommedia.com and cmee@healthcommedia.com.

Research shows many patients exhibit signs and symptoms of increasing instability for several hours prior to a cardiac arrest. A Rapid Response Team, generally critical care specialists, intervene before a potential code situation, based on the bedside nurse’s sensitivity to a patient’s deteriorating condition and call to action. A Rapid Response article is designed to give the nurse the assessment, critical thinking, intervention and communication skills needed to respond appropriately and effectively.

Below is the format for Rapid Response Address each point below, with the total word count around 600 to 650 words, not including reference. Typically, the scenario will take place in a non-acute care setting, such as a med-surg unit, labor & delivery, orthopedic unit, and the like.

• Describe the series of events/assessments from the nurse’s perspective (include diagnosis, hospitalization status, and any significant history issues), beginning with the first encounter until the call for a rapid response. Be sure to start with vague complaints, including a valuable assessment finding, if possible, that makes the nurse more concerned and warrants a closer follow-up (nurse’s intuition).
• As the patient’s condition worsens, describe the nurse’s actions taken to modify her assessment, increase surveillance, (intervene or treatment steps until team arrives) touch base with the PCP, and other measures demonstrating critical thinking and communication skills.
• Include detailed step by step intervention/treatment steps that were taken by you or the RRT to derail further deterioration including drugs, doses, routes, etc.
• Provide an outcome/explanation for the scenario with the patient either stabilizing or being transferred to the appropriate acute care setting (ICU, CCU, OR).
• Give a brief overview of the issue that threatened, e.g.. as in anaphylaxis – what it is – how it occurs, etc.—what could have happened if you did not foresee, treat, etc. Please keep explanation short to paragraph or so.
• Offer patient/family education–or even for the reader (such as clues to assessment findings or lab values)

Again, the scenario doesn’t always have to be about a nurse calling the Rapid Response Team, but it should demonstrate how the nurse’s assessment skills, intervention, critical thinking abilities and effective communication contribute to positive patient outcomes.

• We will confirm receipt via email.
• If we’re interested in publishing your manuscript, we’ll send it for double-blind peer review (authors and reviewers do not know each other’s identity). Peer reviewers are selected based on their areas of expertise.
• After peer review, we’ll let you know whether the manuscript has been accepted, rejected, or recommended for revision.
• If accepted for publication, your article will go through our standard in-house editorial process to ensure adherence to our editorial style. Before it’s published (in print and/or online), you’ll have the opportunity to review the edited version.