The Journal of School Nursing

THE JOURNAL OF SCHOOL NURSING

Manuscript Submission Guidelines

The Journal of School Nursing (JOSN) is the official journal of the National Association of School Nurses. It is a peer-reviewed journal whose purpose is to provide a peer-reviewed forum for improving the health of school children and the school community. The JOSN is an excellent vehicle for translation of research to practice to over 15,000 clinician-readers who are members of NASN. See theAims and Scope link for a description of types of manuscripts sought. Manuscripts from all disciplines related to child, school, and community health are welcome.

Because JOSN seeks manuscripts that bring new perspectives and innovations to school nursing, we urge authors to review previously published articles related to their topic in order to (1) build on the comprehensive body of published literature on the subject and (2) ensure the uniqueness of their own article’s contribution.

Average time from submission to first decision: 27 days

Types of Articles

For all types of manuscripts, please see The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Sixth Edition (2010) for guidance in developing the abstract. Identify three to 10 key words or short phrases placed below the abstract. These key words will be published with the abstract. It is important to embed key words in the abstract. Key words from Index Medicus are helpful.

Original Research Reports

Original research reports can address specific clinical problems that affect individuals in the school community or the school population. For intervention studies and randomized controlled trials, please review the Consort Statement including a description of the Flow Diagram for inclusion in the manuscript- http://www.consort-statement.org/ Original research reports include pilot, preliminary and feasibility studies as well as studies of all designs including epidemiological, quantitative and qualitative studies and clinical trials. The implications for school nursing and school health services delivery should be identified. See the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Sixth Edition (2010) for guidance in formulating elements of a research report as well as the reference list and tables. The following criteria guide the peer reviews of original research manuscripts:

• The title and abstract are descriptive of the study.
• The purpose of the study is clearly stated.
• Research questions or hypotheses are clear.
• The significance of the study is clear and builds on previous research.
• The literature review is adequate, current (most within the last five to ten years) and synthesized as well as related to the purpose of the paper.
• Theoretical/conceptual framework
• Described/operationalized
• Guides the research
• The purpose, theoretical framework, design, and methods are congruent.
• Methods include:
• Design
• Population/setting
• Sampling procedure description, sample size rationale
• Measures described
• The data collection and analysis procedures are accurate, appropriate, and clearly reported.
• The statistics are described in an understandable manner.
• Human subjects’ protection is assured and ethics maintained.
• Methods have scientific merit
• Discussion synthesizes the results
• The application to school nursing practice is relevant, clear, and practical.
• Limitations and recommendations for future research are presented.

Literature Reviews

Literature reviews should provide a comprehensive review of the literature and synthesize findings related to specific problems or school health programs. Simple or narrative reviews of the literature, as well as rapid assessments, integrated reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analysis or qualitative reviews are acceptable. All reviews should be guided by a clear statement of purpose or research question. Search procedures should be reported including search terms as well as inclusion and exclusion criteria. All reviews require a synthesis of the findings. While the following links are useful resources for systematic and meta-analysis literature reviews, they can also provide structural information for all reviews: the Cochrane Collaboration (http://www.cochrane.org/); Joanna Briggs Institute (http://www.joannabriggs.edu.au); PRISMA Group (http://www.prisma-statement.org/). School nursing and school health services implications drawn from the reviews strengthen the relevance for The JOSN. The following criteria guide the peer review of Literature Review manuscripts:

• The title and abstract are descriptive of the review.
• The purpose of the review is clearly stated.
• Research questions articulated.
• Data bases searched are described.
• The sampling procedure is clearly described including inclusion/exclusion criteria and time span of published articles.
• The data collection and analysis procedures of literature are accurate, appropriate, and clearly reported.
• For Meta analyses, statistics are described in an understandable manner.
• The results are clear and address the purpose or answer the research question(s).
• Results of the review show synthesis of manuscripts reviewed.
• The application to school nursing practice is relevant, clear, and practical.

Brief Research Reports

Brief research reports are shorter (no more than 10 pages excluding references) manuscripts addressing preliminary results, methodological issues in research or issues that influence research. Brief research reports are scholarly manuscripts that include references and call attention of researchers in school nursing and the school health community to developing research or issues in research. The following criteria guide the peer review of Brief Research Reports:

• The title and abstract are descriptive of the brief report
• The purpose of the research report is clearly stated
• The supporting literature is adequate and current (most within the last five to ten years).
• The methods are specified to the extent available
• Methods including design and analysis are appropriate for the purpose stated.
• The brief research report narrative is congruent with the purpose.
• The narrative is scholarly, properly supported and clearly stated.
• Human subjects’ protection is assured and ethics maintained.
• The application to school nursing practice is relevant, clear, and practical.
• Brief Research Reports do not exceed 10 pages excluding references.

Evidence Based Practice or Policy Reports

Evidence based practice reports of change projects or resulting policies and projects assessing program quality should include an introduction reporting a clear statement of the issue and purpose of the project. The introduction should also include a synthesis of the evidence base guiding the program or policy. The methods section should include ethical considerations, and setting description. A description of the measures and the implementation should be included as well as the analysis used in evaluation. Results can include outcomes, guidelines derived for the program as well as lessons learned. Implications for school nursing and school health services are expected. The Squire Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence provides guidelines for quality improvement project manuscripts: http://qualitysafety.bmj.com/content/early/2015/09/10/bmjqs-2015-004411.full?sid=a89deb16-b7c0-402c-b04f-a998b0b1c5fb. The following criteria guide the peer review of Evidence Based Practice or Policy Report manuscripts.

• The title and abstract are descriptive of the study
• The issue/problem statement or rationale for policy change and purpose are clearly stated.
• The evidence base is adequate, current (most within the last five to ten years) and well synthesized.
• The purpose and methods are congruent.
• Methods include:
• Description of the setting and population related to the project or policy change.
• The data collection and evaluation procedures are accurate, appropriate and clearly reported.
• The measures assessing the change project are clearly described. The data collection and evaluation procedures are accurate, appropriate, and clearly reported.
• Project implementation/policy development steps are well described.
• Statistics and/or analysis procedures are described in an understandable manner.
• Human subject’ protection is described.
• The results are clear and address the purpose statement. Use of tables as appropriate.
• Discussion synthesizes the results and identifies lessons learned.
• The application to school nursing practice is relevant, clear, and practical.

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor provide a forum for commenting on articles published in The JOSN and topics of general interest in school health care. The length should not exceed 800 words of text with a minimal number of references. One table or figure may be included, if necessary. Any comments regarding a specific article must include the title, author(s), and date of publication. Letters that contain questions or critique of a previously published paper will be forwarded to the author(s) of that article for a reply. The sharing of ideas, experiences, opinions, and alternative views is encouraged. The Executive Editor of The Journal reserves the right to accept, reject, or excerpt letters for clarity and appropriateness of content, and to accommodate space requirements. Submit Letters to the Editor to http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/josn. The following criteria guide the review Letters to the Editor.

• The title is descriptive of the letter to the editor.
• The purpose of the letter is clearly stated.
• The supporting literature is adequate and current (most within the last five to ten years).
• The narrative regarding the current issue or previous published manuscript in The JOSN is clear and not personal.
• The narrative is congruent with the purpose.
• The narrative is relevant, clear, and practical.
• The letter narrative does not exceed 800 words including references.

Referenced Editorials

Editorials are written by the editor, the editorial board or invited authors. Editorials address current issues important to the health of school children and school nursing practice. The purpose of editorials is to stimulate scholarly thought among school nurses and other school health practitioners and researchers.

Manuscript Format

Manuscripts should be prepared in accordance with the guidelines set forth in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6^th edition. Manuscripts, including abstracts (150 words) and references, should be double-spaced, using 12-point Times New Roman font, left justified margins, and one-inch margins on all sides. No identifying information about the author(s) should be in the body of the paper, abstract, or figures. Manuscripts should not exceed 20 pages, excluding abstract, references, tables, and figures. Tables should be typed one to a page with any notes/legends typed on the same page. Label each figure with its number and legend. All tables, figures, graphs, and drawings should follow the reference list and not placed in the body of the manuscript.

Manuscript Submission

Manuscripts should be submitted electronically at http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/josn. Authors will be required to set up an online account on the SAGETRACK system, powered by ScholarOne.

• Log in or click the “Create Account” option if you are a first-time user of Manuscript Central.
• After clicking on “Create Account,” enter your name and email information and click “Next.” Your email information is very important.
• Enter your institution and address information as prompted, then click “Next.”
• Enter a user ID and password of your choice (we recommend using your email address as your user ID) and then select your area of expertise. Click “Finish” when done.
• Note: You will need your cover letter, title page, manuscript, and figures in separate files to submit. It is helpful to create these individual files before beginning the submission process.
• Log in and select “Author Center.”
• After you have logged in, click the “Submit a Manuscript” link on the Author Center screen.
• Enter data and answer questions as prompted.
• Click "Save and Continue” on each screen to save your work and advance to the next screen.
• You will be prompted to upload your manuscript and title page files.
• Click on the “Browse” button and locate the file on your computer.
• Select the description of the file in the drop-down menu next to the Browse button.
• When you have selected all files you wish to upload, click the “Upload” button.
• Review your submission (in both PDF and HTML formats). Click the “Submit” button when you are done reviewing.

You may stop a submission at any phase and save it to complete later. After submission, you will receive a confirmation via e-mail. You can log on to Manuscript Central at any time to check the status of your manuscript. The Editor will inform you via e-mail once a decision has been made.

Submitted manuscripts will be reviewed by the Editor for adherence to page limitations and content appropriate for the journal. Manuscripts will then be sent out anonymously for peer review. Obtaining permission for any quoted or reprinted material that requires permission is the responsibility of the author and should be submitted with the manuscript as supplementary files. Submission of a manuscript implies commitment to publish in the journal. The Editor bases the decision to publish on the reviewers’ recommendations. Accepted manuscripts will be returned for revisions prior to sending to the publisher for typesetting. Authors will receive proofs for approval via email. Authors assume final responsibility for the content of the manuscript, including the edited copy. The Journal reserves the right to edit all manuscripts to its style and space requirements. When the manuscript is published, authors will receive a complimentary copy of the issue. Manuscripts are submitted to the software, iThenticate, to detect similarity to other published work.

Email questions to the Editor.

The Journal of School Nursing
Julia Muennich Cowell, PhD, RNC, FAAN
Executive Editor
jcowell@nasn.org

Permission

If permission is needed for a table, figure, or quote, it is the responsibility of the author to obtain permission and pay for any expenses incurred. Permission from the copyright owner must be submitted with the manuscript submission (it can be uploaded as supplementary material) and the original source must be referenced in the manuscript as a reference or in the legend of a figure or table. For more details on permission guidelines, please refer tohttp://www.sagepub.com/repository/binaries/guidelines/PermissionsGuidelines.pdf

Figures

Figures should be submitted as high resolution figure files and not embedded in the manuscript. Figures should not be submitted or embedded in Microsoft Word. Credit for any previously published illustration must be given in the corresponding legend and permission received if the author is not the copyright holder of the figures. Each figure should have a figure caption and figure call outs should appear in the text. Acceptable file formats include TIFF, EPS, JPEG, or PDF. Line art (black and white) should be scanned at 1200 dpi at 1 bit. Color and grayscale images should be scanned at 300 dpi at 8 bit. Save each figure as its own file and do not include any extra text (ie, figure captions).

Copyright Transfer and Financial Disclosure

Authors should list their primary affiliation or employer. In addition, authors should disclose all financial involvements connected with the work or its sponsors, as well as all sources of support, including government and industry support. All information should appear on the title page of the submitted manuscript.

SAGE Choice

SAGE offers authors of primary research articles the option to make them freely available upon publication in The JOSN. The 'SAGE Choice' publishing option enables authors to comply with funding body requirements, where publishing research findings open access is a stipulation of funding, such as is the case for the NIH/Wellcome Trust for example. For more details visit www.sagepub.com/sagechoice.sp.

Authorship Guidelines

Each author should report their contribution to the manuscript. If Conditions 1, 2 and 3 (below) are not met, please recognize other contributions in the acknowledgements.

"Authorship credit should be based only on: (1) substantial contributions to conception and design, or acquisition of data, or analysis an interpretation of data; (2) drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content; and (3) final approval of the version to be published. Conditions of (1), (2), and (3) must all be met. Acquisition of funding, the collection of data, or general supervision of the research group, by themselves, do not justify authorship.” COPE (Council on Publication Ethics).

Peer Review Policy

The JOSN adheres to a rigorous double-blind reviewing policy in which the identity of both the reviewer and author are always concealed from both parties.

Funding

To comply with the guidance for Research Funders, Authors and Publishers issued by the Research Information Network (RIN), The JOSN additionally requires all Authors to acknowledge their funding in a consistent fashion under a separate heading. Please visit Funding Acknowledgements on the SAGE Journal Author Gateway to confirm the format of the acknowledgment text in the event of funding or state in your acknowledgments that: This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Declaration of conflicting interests

It is the policy of The JOSN to require a declaration of conflicting interests from all authors enabling a statement to be carried within the paginated pages of all published articles.

Please include any declaration at the end of your manuscript after any acknowledgements and prior to the references, under a heading ‘Conflict of interests’. If no declaration is made the following will be printed under this heading in your article: ‘None declared’. Alternatively, you may wish to state that ‘The Author(s) declare(s) that there is no conflict of interest’.

When making a declaration the disclosure information must be specific and include any financial relationship that all authors of the article has with any sponsoring organization and the for-profit interests the organization represents, and with any for-profit product discussed or implied in the text of the article.

Any commercial or financial involvements that might represent an appearance of a conflict of interest need to be additionally disclosed in the covering letter accompanying your article to assist the Editor in evaluating whether sufficient disclosure has been made within the Declaration of Conflicting Interests provided in the article.

For more information please visit the SAGE Journal Author Gateway.

Patient consent

Authors are required to ensure the following guidelines are followed, as recommended by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals. Patients have a right to privacy that should not be infringed without informed consent. Identifying information, including patients' names, initials, or hospital numbers, should not be published in written descriptions, photographs, and pedigrees unless the information is essential for scientific purposes and the patient (or parent or guardian) gives written informed consent for publication. Informed consent for this purpose requires that a patient who is identifiable be shown the manuscript to be published.

Identifying details should be omitted if they are not essential. Complete anonymity is difficult to achieve, however, and informed consent should be obtained if there is any doubt. For example, masking the eye region in photographs of patients is inadequate protection of anonymity. If identifying characteristics are altered to protect anonymity, such as in genetic pedigrees, authors should provide assurance that alterations do not distort scientific meaning and editors should so note. When informed consent has been obtained it should be indicated in the submitted article.