Evidence-Based Nursing - Instructions for authors

For guidelines on BMJ Journals policy and submission please click on links below.
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Editorial Policy

Evidence-Based Nursing surveys a wide range of international medical journals applying strict criteria for the quality and validity of research. Practising clinicians assess the clinical relevance of the best studies. The key details of these essential studies are included in a succinct, informative expert commentary on their clinical application. Published quarterly, Evidence-Based Nursing is designed to alert practising nurses to important and clinically relevant advances in treatment, diagnosis, aetiology, and prognosis.

Article types and word counts

UNFORTUNATELY, EBN DOES NOT ACCEPT UNSOLICITED CONTENT, OR PUBLISH LETTERS IN THE JOURNAL.

Commentaries
These are commissioned only articles. Original papers should not be submitted under this article type unless invited. Commentaries summarise and critically appraise clinically relevant studies that appear in the peer reviewed literature.

The article under review should be described using the following heading structure for the commentaries:

1. Implications for practice and research

• List the implications for nursing practice of this research
• List the implications for nursing research in the light of this study

NB This information should be presented in bulleted point form and will be included in a box at the start of the commentary.

2. Context

The context of the problem addressed by the paper - i.e. the research questions answered; the reason the study was carried out, how many people are affected by this condition, practice setting, country, etc.

3. Methods

A brief description of the methodology used in the study. Depending on the type of research carried out this should include:

• Sample
• Data collection tools
• Procedure for collecting data (including blinding for RCTs)
• Methods of data analysis

Please do not include any critique of the methods in this section - any comments on the methods used should be included in the commentary section

4. Findings

A brief description of main findings of the article.

5. Commentary

In this section you should:

For quantitative studies: comment on the suitability of the methods used and the validity and generalisability of the results.

For qualitative studies: comment on the suitability on the methods used and the strategies used to ensure the credibility, transferability and auditability of the study.

NB avoid using lots of references - a maximum of eight should be used.
References follow the Vancouver style.Please do not cite the article you are reviewing, as your commentary will appear on the same page as a declarative title and citation of the article. You may refer to it as (e.g.) "Smith and colleagues screened..." or "This paper follows up..."

Word count: 800 words, including reference list. NB if the word count is exceeded you will be asked to address this before the commentary is accepted for publication.

Abstract: None
Tables/illustrations: none
References: up to 8

Please note abstracts are not required for this article type.

Resources page
These are commissioned only articles. EBN's Resource Pages bring together sources of information about the current evidence for nursing practice.

Supplements

The BMJ Publishing Group journals are willing to consider publishing supplements to regular issues. Supplement proposals may be made at the request of:

In all cases, it is vital that the journal's integrity, independence and academic reputation is not compromised in any way.

When contacting us regarding a potential supplement, please include as much of the information below as possible.

 

For further information on criteria that must be fulfilled, download the supplements guidelines (PDF).