The role of a general research journal in nursing and health science

Abstract

Research in Nursing & Health is now the highest-ranked general nursing and health research journal published in North America, and second-highest internationally (webofknowledge.com/JCR, 2012). This position gives RINAH strong influence in our fields and an equally strong responsibility to authors and readers. As the new Editor, I think about this responsibility every day. A general research journal should paint a picture of the cutting edge of knowledge development across disciplines and health topics. It may be tapped by policy-makers and standard-setters as a source for the best science. To hold up under this scrutiny, each article should reflect mastery of relevant evidence and methods. A general research journal should tie advances in ideas and concepts to important clinical realities. Authors should clearly position their work on the continuum from exploratory research to application in practice, with clear indications of what still needs to be done to achieve an impact on health. Each contribution must build on the research completed and direct the research to follow, toward a solution to the health-related problem at hand. Let us not assume the value of our work is self-evident. The “so-what?” question is carefully considered by RINAH reviewers and editors. A general research journal should not set national boundaries on knowledge development for health. RINAH is published in North America but receives submissions from active research centers all over the world. All these articles are taken seriously. If a conceptual model or measure developed in North America does not hold up in well-designed research in Taiwan, for example, researchers everywhere need to know this, because principles previously viewed as universal are now cast in a new light. Similarly, new concepts or approaches originating in rigorous study outside North America merit dissemination worldwide if they contribute to knowledge in the relevant field. Nonetheless, RINAH is not always the appropriate outlet for a narrowly applicable translation of a well-established instrument, regardless of the rigor of its validation. If the tool cannot be used outside a small region, does the work contribute new information about the concept being measured or about health status in the country of interest? This is my litmus test. RINAH is a highly selective journal, with an overall manuscript acceptance rate of <20%. We have an unusually thorough review process, with three peer reviewers and an associate editor weighing in on initial submissions before the Editor does a fifth review and makes a decision. By the time it is accepted, each article has undergone an average of three revisions. Even so, the time from initial submission through all revisions to online publication averages 8 months, meaning that the work is current despite the care taken in the review process to insure quality. Yet even a highly selective general research journal should have a humane and charitable culture. Authors, reviewers, and readers should be treated with respect and offered guidance. Reviewers should be careful in their judgments and constructive in their tone. Our editors and publisher should welcome inquiries and act to solve problems. This is my goal, every day. A general research journal must continue to earn its authors' and readers' confidence by presenting well-designed, clearly written, and forward-thinking work. A strong submission to a general research journal will present a project in which admirable research rigor is portrayed along with equally compelling clinical impact. One is not more important than the other. The author will situate the study in a specific health context, orienting us to the regions and institutions in which the data were constructed, and explaining why this work is important both there and beyond. The evidence underlying the research will be laid out as foreground to the questions at hand. If a concept or theoretical relationship rather than a clinical outcome is the focus of the study, a clear link will be made to an important health-related application. The approach will be clearly described and will have enabled the research questions to be answered fully. The analytic strategy, whether quantitative or qualitative, will reflect best practices and will have been carried out to the fullest extent the data permit. The author will interpret the results for researchers and clinicians, acknowledging the study's limitations and carefully mapping out other research needed before clinical application. Yes, this is a high level of achievement in scholarly writing, but if your work meets these expectations, our team is set up to help you disseminate it. Submit your major findings and innovations to RINAH, and they will be polished in the review and revision process and published promptly in a prominent venue. Your contributions can shape the scope of health science portrayed in this general research journal.