Abstract
Dear Readers of the Nordic Journal of Nursing Research,
This is my first editorial as the new Editor in Chief (EiC) of the Nordic Journal of Nursing Research (NJNR). I had two main objectives in writing this editorial. First and foremost, to acknowledge the important work done by the journal’s very first Editor in Chief, Professor Kim Lützen, and second to indicate for authors and readers of the Journal what I very much would like to see happening in order to continue the transformational work initiated by Kim.
For me, it is important to acknowledge Kim’s hard and tenacious work for the NJNR. I feel honoured to be able to take over the role as Editor in Chief after her, who for such a long time steered the journal straight into the future. Together with the Swedish Association of Health Professionals and the Swedish Society of Nursing, Kim was the one who took on the challenging task of transforming the longstanding journal Vård I Norden into the Nordic Journal of Nursing Research. Taking on a local journal (read Nordic), which had mainly accepted submissions not written in English, often describing small studies conducted by master’s students (no offence meant), and then to transform it into an international research journal published within SAGE Journals has demanded a very experienced, knowledgeable and hardworking EiC such as Kim. I wish her all the best for the future, and I am certain that despite her retirement she still has a lot of important tasks on her plate. Thank you, Kim, you have most certainly set the stage for me, and I now need to carry on with the work you initiated.
As the new EiC I have experienced the role initially as both exiting and daunting. Even so I have a very clear vision and ideas for the direction in which I want NJNR to travel. One of the most important tasks is to continue Professor Lützen’s work towards indexation, as this is a sign of journal quality. As a consequence, this year our submission guidelines will be carefully revised. For example, the use of reporting guidelines such as those recommended by the Equator Network (https://www.equator-network.org/reporting-guidelines/) will become mandatory for all future submissions, as will two to three bullet points highlighting the implications that can be drawn from the reported work in those cases where it is relevant.
With the help of the editorial board, the structure of the Journal and which submissions to attract will also be looked into. It is important to acknowledge that all types of study designs are of importance within research into nursing, but it might be timely to increase the knowledge base about nursing from the perspectives of those receiving it, as well as about evidence-based nursing interventions focusing on essential human needs. Issues surrounding nursing – concepts such as missed care 1 and poor nursing care 2 as well as our failure to deliver evidence-based fundamental nursing care, 3 i.e. supporting essential human needs for patients 4 – are also something I would like to be discussed and debated in NJNR during the coming years, with a particular focus on what needs to be done to rectify such issues. In addition to supporting a possible focus on nurses’ core roles, i.e. undertaking and leading fundamental nursing care, 5 and the impact of this for patients and their nursing care, a call for a 2021 special issue will come out during the summer. The topic of this issue is yet to be decided. I would welcome suggestions from you, the readers of NJNR.
One of the most accessed articles in NJNR is an Editorial by my co-editor Professor David Edvardsson 6 ‘Notes on person-centred care: what it is and what it is not’ from 2015. Five years later, person-centredness can be said to be a firmly(?) established concept within both clinical nursing and research into nursing. Somewhat provocatively, what can often be said to be missing within the nursing community is an ongoing critical analysis and discussion of the concepts, that at time we embrace and integrate into nursing care and research into nursing very quickly. Open critical debate, discussion and opinions are, therefore, important as they can either support the further development or, if deemed necessary, the elimination of concepts of irrelevance for nursing and patient care. With that in mind in forthcoming editions of the Journal (September and December issues), I hope to be able to present a series of articles about person-centred care in relation to nursing and research into nursing five years after Edvarsson’s 6 well-written editorial. My hope for NJNR is that it will also attract Nordic and international authors wishing to raise topics of importance for patients, clinical nursing and research, as well as more sustainable research such as well-written literature reviews of different designs. In summary, I am full of anticipation for 2020 and look forward with excitement to this year’s submissions to NJNR. May it be a productive year for the Nordic Journal of Nursing Research.