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‘Past public health lessons must be learnt’

STEVE FORD, EDITOR

• You are here: Clinical content

Nursing Times author guidelines for clinical articles

04 March, 2022

Nursing Times publishes articles usually written by practising nurses to support readers in their clinical, management, leadership and teaching roles. Articles are published in print and online, becoming part of our online archive at nursingtimes.net – the most visited nursing website outside of the United States. These guidelines:

• Offer advice on writing;
• Describe the types of articles you may write;
• Explain our submission and review process.

Download a print-friendly PDF of these guidelines here . An author template for articles is available to download here .

Before writing, look at a selection of our articles on nursingtimes.net to become familiar with our style and article types.

ARTICLE TYPES

Articles published by Nursing Times usually fall into one of the following categories:

• Discussion;
• Innovation;
• Clinical comment.

Usually commissioned, this type of article discusses aspects of nursing practice or theory, and uses the literature and expert clinical knowledge to explore professional and practice issues. It could be on a topic about which there may be different opinions and emerging issues that affect patients and/or the profession. A discussion article aims to:

• Support readers to think about and challenge their views;
• Promote discussion about, and reflection on, practice.

Example Professional midwifery advocates: delivering restorative clinical supervision

A review article provides an update and overview on a nursing issue in clinical practice. It could cover a diagnosis (for example, COPD, heart failure) or a nursing intervention (for example, ECG, peritoneal dialysis, management of pain). It should discuss the literature in a clear, logical format, broken into sections, as appropriate, to guide the reader through the article. It is an opportunity to publish a literature review that aims to:

• Help nurses to provide evidence-based practice.

Example Essential critical care skills 3: arterial line care

An innovation article will report on innovative practice developments done, or led, by nurses. It aims to:

• Share useful information;
• Inspire nurses to undertake similar initiatives to improve their own services.

www.nursingtimes.net/innovations

A research article will report on original nursing research. It should aim to:

• Make research available in clear, plain English to nurses who are unlikely to read academic or specialist journals.

The experiences of grief in patients with end-stage kidney disease

CLINICAL COMMENT

Clinical comments are more informal in style than other clinical articles in Nursing Times and represent a viewpoint or describe an experience – authenticity is key.

‘MASD is a significant problem and not getting the attention it deserves’

Submission checklists for each article type are provided below. If you wish to discuss the suitability of a proposed article, please submit it to: [email protected]

WRITING STYLE

Nursing Times aims to meet the information needs of busy nurses, most of whom work in clinical practice or managerial roles. We publish articles in clear, plain English, avoiding complex or overly academic language, and keeping jargon to a minimum.

Articles should have a logical order, and be broken up with headings, bullet points, boxes, tables and figures, as appropriate, to help readers to follow your ideas.

Writing in plain English

Plain English is not simplistic or patronising; it is clear and concise with a tone and language that is appropriate for the audience. It means readers have to do less work to understand what is written, and can focus on evaluating and appreciating its content.

The list below shows how words and phrases can often be replaced by something simpler:

Complex                                   Simple

Utilise                                         Use

With regard to                            About

In order to                                  To

Prior to                                       Before

For the purposes of                   For

For more information on writing plain English, go to http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/free-guides.html

ABBREVIATIONS

Keep abbreviations to a minimum; any used must be spelt out in full the first time they are used, followed the abbreviation in brackets. Specialist terms should also be explained.

REFERENCES/CITATIONS

References and citations should be in:

• Harvard style;
• Alphabetical order;
• Reverse chronological order (ie, from newest to oldest) – ‘no date’ (nd) references should be listed first.

Author name and the year of publication should be cited in the text. If there are more than two authors, name the first author followed by et al.

“xxx (Jones, 2021; Smith et al, 2020).”

“Jones (2021) stated that…”

Noting the punctuation given in the examples, format references according to the type of source (journal, book, chapter in book, website etc), as indicated below.

Journal articles

Author surname(s) and initial(s), year of publication, article title, journal title in full (Journal of Advanced Nursing, not J Adv Nurs), volume, issue (where available), page numbers/range in full.

Smith K, Jones P (2012) The challenges of multiprofessional education. Journal of Advanced Nursing; 42: 5, 470-478.

Author surname(s) and initial(s), year of publication, full book title, publisher. There is no need to include edition or publisher location.

Macrophagus MH (2012) Viral Warts: Their Biology and Treatment. Oxford University Press.

Chapters in books

If the chapter author differs from the editors of the book, you must note the name of the book’s editor(s) as well as the author of the particular chapter. Include the following:

Chapter author surname(s) and initial, year of publication, chapter title, book editors, book title, publisher.

Cathala X, Cost A (2019) Anatomy and physiology. In: Moorley C (ed) A Guide to Your First Year in Nursing. Sage.

Clarke M (2005) The autonomic nervous system. In: Hinchliff S et al (eds) Physiology for Nursing Practice. Baillière Tindall.

If the chapter author is the same as the author of the whole book, include the following:

Chapter author surname(s) and initial, year, chapter title, book title, publisher.

Jones CF (2019) Symptoms. In: Managing Diabetes. Elsevier.

Documents/reports

Noting punctuation, set as: organisation name/author(s) surname(s) and initial(s), year of publication, full document title, publisher (abbreviated if appropriate).

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2018) Urinary Tract Infection (Catheter-associated): Antimicrobial Prescribing. NICE.

Please include the:

• Date you accessed the source;
• Day/month of publication, or ‘n/d’.

Cancer Research UK (nd) Screening for cancer. cancerresearchuk.org (accessed 9 December 2021).

Howarth G (2022) London nurse wins case for unfair dismissal over religious necklace. nursingtimes.net , 10 January (accessed 11 January 2022).

With the exception of seminal works, references should only cite work published in the last 10 years. Please ensure all books cited are the most up-to-date edition that hold the stated information/data.

Graphs and tables

Graphs and tables can be used to clarify information. Graphs/charts should be supplied separately as Excel files and must not be embedded in the Word document. Please include the raw data for graphs and charts so they can be accurately reproduced.

Figures, illustrations and photographs

Images must:

• Be supplied as a high-resolution files in JPEG format;
• Be more than 1MB file size for head and shoulder shots; at least 3MB for images appearing in the article;
• Include your name in the filename;
• Not be embedded in a Word document;
• Be provided with a source, copyright credit, and notification that permission has been granted by the copyright holder for images to be reproduced.

SUBMITTING YOUR WORK

Articles should be emailed to [email protected] stating ‘Clinical article’ in the subject line. You must not submit your article to other publications while it is under consideration by Nursing Times.

Submission checklists for each article type are provided on below.

DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY

You need to confirm that by submitting to Nursing Times, your submission is your own work and any additional sources of information have been correctly cited.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

If you have a financial or personal interest in products, technology or methodology mentioned in your article (for example, if research was funded by a commercial company), please make this clear on your manuscript.

Articles should be:

• Word-processed;
• Not use reference management functions, coloured text or special formatting;
• In plain English (see above);
• Use British spelling.

On the title page, state the full name, job titles and places of work of all authors in the order you would like them to be published, with full contact details for the lead author and, if appropriate, a second author.

THE REVIEW PROCESS

If the subject matter and article level seem appropriate for Nursing Times, the article will be sent for double-blind peer review. Reviewers report on articles from a range of perspectives, including whether they fit with Nursing Times’ formats, accuracy, relevance and level. They are also asked to make suggestions on how the articles could be developed.

You should receive a decision within eight weeks of submitting your article. We may accept it as is, but it is more likely that we will ask you to undertake developments on the basis of the reviewer’s report. Some articles sent for review are rejected.

We cannot give a publication date when your article is accepted, but will usually contact you shortly before publication with editing queries, and can let you know at this stage. You will be sent a copy of the issue in which your article is published.

Nursing Times does not ask the authors of journal articles to transfer to us the copyright for their work. Instead, we ask authors or their employer to grant us an exclusive licence to publish their article. The exclusive licence enables us to publish, reproduce, distribute, display and store your article, and to translate, create summaries or derivative works and to sublicense such rights and exploit all subsidiary rights. Nursing Times is committed to disseminating your published article through our journal, website and partnerships.

You will be sent a publication agreement form if your article is accepted (a copy of this form is available to download here ). Please complete and return this as soon as possible, as your article cannot be published until we receive it.

If you send us copyright material from other sources, such as diagrams or assessment tools, you are responsible for obtaining permission to do so. Please obtain permission before submitting your article.

ARTICLE SUBMISSION CHECKLISTS

  all articles.

• Declaration of originality has been completed
• Additional sources of information have been correctly cited
• Conflict(s) of interest has/have been declared
• Article is word-processed and reference management functions, coloured text or special formatting have not been used
• The title page includes the full name, job titles and places of work for all authors, in the order you would like them to be published
• Full contact details have been included for the lead author and, if appropriate, a second author
• Additional data has been supplied in correct format (Excel, JPEG, etc) and with raw data as necessary
• Copyright credit has been included for all images used
• Permission has been granted for images to be reproduced

DISCUSSION ARTICLES

Including the abstract and a maximum of 35 references , these articles can be either:

• 2,600 words, or
• 3,500 words.

Include the following:

• Different opinions and emerging issues affecting patients and/or the profession
• Three or four keywords
• A 50-100-word abstract
• Five key points, highlighting the main issues nurses should consider in their own practice – these can be specific to the type of initiative described or may be applicable more generally
• Illustrative material: one or two graphs, tables or boxes picking out key information or results, or suggestions for illustrations or photographs

REVIEW ARTICLES

Including the abstract and a maximum of 35 references , these articles can be:

If you have concerns about the word count or number of references, please contact the clinical team at: [email protected]

• Key issues relevant to the subject
• Evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of relevant literature
• Gaps in the literature or problems to be solved
• Drawing together of the main themes and arguments
• Explanation of the relevance of the literature and its implications for nursing practice

INNOVATION ARTICLES

Including the abstract and references, an innovation article should be:

• 1,600 words, or
• 2,600 words.
• Explanation of why and how the initiative was done, citing any evidence used to support the work and/or national policies or guidance used to inform the piece
• The results of any audits or evaluations demonstrating outcomes of the initiative
• Any problems encountered, from which others could learn

RESEARCH ARTICLES

Including the abstract and a maximum of 35 references , a research article should be:

• Literature review
• A 100-150-word abstract
• Five key points, highlighting the main issues arising from the study that can inform nursing practice
• Up to four boxes, figures or tables
• Up to four keywords or search terms

CLINICAL COMMENT ARTICLES

Including a maximum of five references , a clinical comment article should be:

• 750 words approx.

The piece must be free flowing, without sections or headings.

Related files

Author template, license to publish form 2022, nursing times author guidelines – march 2022.

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Writing and submitting articles for publication with RCNi

A guide for nurses on how to write and submit articles for publication in an RCNi nursing journal

The journals, in print and online, support the sharing of knowledge and experience within the nursing community. We commission articles but also welcome unsolicited clinical articles, literature reviews, and reports of original research and service innovations, as well as comment on issues in practice, education, policy or management.

Articles need to be informative, of interest to a journal’s readership, have something new to say or offer a fresh approach to an old subject, challenge current thought or practice, predict future trends or review current thinking.

One of the best ways nurses can understand how to write for publication is to read a selection of articles published in the journals. There are various kinds of articles that may suit the topic you are considering.

What nurses can write about

If you have an idea but are unsure how to proceed or whether readers will be interested, contact the editor, who will tell you whether your planned article will be appropriate for the journal. If it is not, the editor may suggest another journal that might be more suitable. It is also important to get advice if you are planning to base your article on an essay or dissertation because you will need to adapt the length and style of writing to suit the journal.

Types of nursing articles that are published in ‘evidence and practice’ include:

Description of practice

This is an article that describes logically and informatively a particular nursing procedure, the work of a ward or unit, or the role and function of a nursing post or specialty. The relevance of this work to other nurses should be discussed.

Literature review

This is a thorough and comprehensive review of current writing on a particular aspect of nursing. Up-to-date referencing is essential, as is a strong conclusion to bring the subject together. Implications for practice need to be explicitly stated – that is, how is this relevant to readers?

Original research

This should be written in classic research style, that is, abstract, introduction, literature review, aims, method, results/findings, discussion and conclusion.

Case studies are a form of evidence and can be used to introduce or illustrate specific points in an article. Even though you will anonymise the case study, you should get permission from the subject for publication of such material.

Informing or updating article

Readers appreciate summaries and updates on specific topics including new policy or practice guidelines. Check that the topic has not been addressed in depth recently. For some topics, a continuing professional development (CPD) article may be appropriate, particularly if you want to convey mainly factual information. Check with the editor before you embark on this kind of article.

But they also publish:

The journal provides opportunity for comment on issues current in the field of practice. Writers should express a definite opinion rather than simply restate commonly known arguments. And while there is scope to be provocative and partisan, opinions should be based on fact.

Letters to the editor

These are a useful medium through which to comment on articles that have been published or to inform readers of practice developments or issues in your area in a more informal way than writing a feature article.

Book reviews

Please contact the editor if you are interested in becoming a book reviewer, specifying your area of practice and interests.

How much to write

Talk to the editor of the journal about the word count for your chosen style of article. As a guide, opinion pieces range between 600 and 700 words. For evidence & practice articles, general articles should be no more than 4,800 words in total and CPD and research articles no more than 5,400 words in total, including references.

Preparing your manuscript

Articles should be prepared in a Word document or text file. There can be problems translating some computer commands so please keep these to a minimum.

• Use only one space after full stops.
• Do not use more than one space.
• Use only one return to denote the end of a paragraph.
• Do not use bold, underline or italic type.
• Do not start a new page for sections.
• Do not use block capitals. Use sentence case, capitalising only the first work and any proper nouns.
• Please put text for all boxes, tables and figures at the end of the article and clearly label them. Please also indicate where they should appear in the main body of the text.

If you have a query about preparing your manuscript, contact the editor of the journal or administration manager Helen Hyland on 020 8872 3138 or email [email protected]

Checking your manuscript

You should carefully check your article before submitting it:

• Have you checked the spelling using a UK spell-check program?
• Have you checked statistical calculations?
• Have you had a friend or colleague read the article for clarity and sense?
• Are the references in the reference list complete and in style? If you have rewritten or edited the copy, do you need to take out references from, or add any to, the reference list?
• Have you included all the information for any boxes, tables or figures? Are boxes, tables and figures cited in the text?
• Do you need to include photographs or other illustrations?
• Have you gained the necessary permission to reprint photographs? Are they good enough quality and size?
• Have you declared any potential conflict of interest?

Submitting your manuscript

All contributions should be submitted through the online submission system.

A tutorial to help authors use the system is available through the ‘Instructions for authors’ link on that page. The registration and submission process will ask for all your contact details and the following information for all other authors of your article: full name, job title, institution, email address and country.

Please note that your manuscript must be sent to one journal only. It is considered unethical to send it to more than one, and doing so will not increase your chances of publication because editors will not consider articles that have been published elsewhere.

What happens next

All manuscripts submitted to the journal are acknowledged.

The article is then assessed internally before being sent to an external clinical expert for peer review. This is usually double-blind, which means that the reviewers do not know who the authors are and the authors are not informed who the reviewers are.

Some people think this helps to ensure the manuscript is given an objective and unbiased review; others see open, as opposed to double-blind, review as being more honest. Nursing Children and Young People, for example, operates an open peer review system. More information about this can be obtained by contacting the editor: please see the contact information in Exploring our journals.

Reviewers advise the editor who is responsible for the final decision. To be accepted the article needs to be:

• Have a message that is important to the readership.
• And, in the case of original research, demonstrate appropriate rigour.

Reviewers give an informed or expert opinion on the work of an informed or expert author, which is why it is called ‘peer’ review.

It takes about 12 weeks from acknowledgement to receive a response. Responses may be:

• Acceptance without revision.
• A request for minor or major revision.
• A letter explaining that your manuscript has not been accepted for publication.

Requests for revision. In most cases, authors are asked to revise their manuscripts in the light of the comments made by external reviewers and editorial staff. These comments are intended to be constructive and useful and to help to produce a high-quality article. The manuscript will be returned to you by email with a copy of the reviewers’ comments and a deadline for re-submission. Revised manuscripts may be returned to the original reviewers to ensure the changes made are satisfactory.

Not accepted for publication. There are many reasons why your manuscript may not be accepted for publication and these may not necessarily reflect the quality of the submission. Where possible, we will to try to explain why but we retain the right not to engage in further correspondence on the matter.

The review process may be a bit uncomfortable when you have spent many hours labouring over your first or even your tenth article but it is a healthy and constructive process that ensures quality in the journal. The author does not have to accept all the views in the review report. Most find the comments helpful but authors are free to respond with reasons for not making one or more of the changes suggested. Please contact the editor to discuss any questions that you have about your review feedback.

RCNi offers continuous online publishing so that, once your manuscript is accepted for publication, it will be published online first. Peer-reviewed articles will be posted as soon as they are accepted and edited to ensure that readers have access to new content as soon as possible. Please note that not all articles we publish online will appear in print.

Bear in mind that RCNi subscribers can read your article online even if they subscribe to another RCNi journal. This is because they can access ten free articles from other RCNi journals every month. So publishing online rather than only in print can mean that even more people can read, and act on, what you have written. 

Plagiarism detection

Articles that are accepted are checked using antiplagiarism software. This generates a ‘similarity report’ which shows any matches between text in your article and text in other published articles. If lengthy verbatim or unreferenced passages from previously published articles are identified during this check, you may be asked to revise the passages, including any from published articles that you have authored. The article may also be rejected based on the report.

Editing and production

Accepted articles are then edited, for example, for sense, flow and grammar and to check that the article is in-house style.

If any queries arise or are outstanding at this stage, you may be emailed directly by an editor, perhaps with an attached Word document of the edited article with the queries highlighted. The editor may also explain a particular format to use in answering the questions.

Otherwise, the article is prepared by members of the RCNi production team. They will send you this draft in Word form, along with images or figures that you have provided and have been redrawn.

At this stage, there may still be unresolved editorial queries, which will be highlighted. This is also your chance to check the accuracy of the text of the article and any images or figures, for example, the labelling of anatomical drawings.

Please list any amendments separately from the article in an email to the production editor, whose details you will now have. Do not try to amend the PDF or resubmit an amended Word document.

Where payment is due for an article, for example for a continuing professional development (CPD) article, it should be received within between eight and ten weeks of publication.

The publisher’s agreement that you are asked to sign when your article is accepted assigns copyright of your paper to the RCNi Company. This protects you from someone else taking your work and using it ‘unfairly’. If someone wants to reprint or adapt your work or place it on a website, they will need to obtain permission from us and credit you as the original author. We do not usually allow articles published in our journals to appear on third-party websites. We would generally support reprinting provided the proposed use was appropriate. If you have any specific questions, email  Helen Hyland

• How to Write in Plain English from the Plain English Campaign (Last accessed: 7 May 2017.)
• Nurse Author & Editor is an international publication dedicated to nurse authors, editors and reviewers. It was first published in 1991 as a print publication but it is now published by Wiley-Blackwell as a free quarterly online publication. To access, click here  (Last accessed: 7 May 2017.)
• Albert T (2009) Winning the Publications Game. Third edition. Radcliffe Publishing, Abingdon.
• Happell B (2008) Writing for publication: a practical guide. Nursing Standard. 22, 28, 35-40.
• Happell B (2012) A practical guide to writing clinical articles for publication. Nursing Older People. 24, 3, 30-34.
• Leary A (2006) Nursing a Secret. To access, click  here (Last accessed: 7 May 2017.)
• Orwell G (2000) Politics and the English Language. In Orwell G. Essays. Penguin Classics, London.
• Turnbull A (2001) Plain Words for Nurses; Writing and Communicating Effectively. Foundation of Nursing Studies, London.

Further reading

• RCNi writing style guidance
• RCNi guidance on planning and structuring articles
• Become a reviewer for RCNi
• Explore our journals

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Writing style guide for publishing an article with RCNi

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Tips for Writing Nursing Journal Articles

October 29, 2021

View all blog posts under Articles | View all blog posts under Master of Science in Nursing

Benefits of Writing Nursing Journal Articles

It’s exciting for nursing professionals to see their names in print in a reputable nursing journal. Yet the benefits of writing nursing journal articles extend far beyond the thrill of a byline. Journal articles provide critical information that nurses can apply to their own practice. Ultimately, the information may uncover vital insights into health care concepts that could lead to higher-quality care and improved patient outcomes.

Writing nursing journal articles has practical benefits. For instance, these articles can provide extra sources of income, as journals will pay authors for the rights to publish their work. Rates vary from journal to journal, so nurses should research these rates before submitting an article for publication.

Furthermore, publication in a nursing journal gives nurses a potential advantage when applying for a new position. While an advanced degree may demonstrate an applicant’s deep knowledge and refined skill set, a published article can provide prospective employers with a written example of a candidate’s strengths.

Tips for Success

Writing a nursing journal article isn’t as simple as putting ideas on a piece of paper and sending it off to a publication. There are several steps nursing professionals can take to improve their chances of getting published.

Draw on Your Expertise

When writing an article for a nursing journal, adhering to the adage “write what you know” is critical. Journals allow nursing professionals to share their expert knowledge on a subject, which could lead others to develop new strategies, possibly resulting in the more efficient or effective delivery of health care. For example, a nurse practitioner with a specialization in gerontology could write an article on the potential use of artificial intelligence in palliative care, which could inspire other nurses to create innovative end-of-life care strategies. That said, it’s important to make sure that the article avoids plagiarism and adds a unique perspective to what exists in other journals. To this end, professionals can read up on various nursing journals to become familiar with current health care theories and philosophies.

Do Your Research

Extensive research is the backbone of any professional journal article. While it’s common to cite other sources, such citations must support the author’s original research. If the article hinges on physical research, such as lab work or similar testing, the article must contain a detailed description of the methodology, such as the test setup and equipment used; carefully curated analysis; accurately represented results; and a logical, well-constructed discussion that presents the article’s hypothesis in a neutral tone. These elements are unwavering, and no level of writing quality can compensate for inadequate or biased research.

Become Familiar with Nursing Journals

Before writers submit an article to a nursing journal, it’s important that they become familiar with the types of articles that particular journal tends to publish. Some journals focus on a specific health care topic, such as women’s health or oncology. Others may feature theoretical explorations of care concepts, such as an emerging health care technology. It’s key for nurses to develop a thorough understanding of what suits a particular publication. Doing so may prevent authors from spending time and energy on approaching a journal that’s a poor fit for their work.

Choose an Article Type

Authors can explore several kinds of journal articles. Again, an article can focus on original research conducted to prove a hypothesis or test the parameters of a given process or procedure. It can also be a review of an existing piece of care-related literature. Additionally, nursing journal articles can share detailed descriptions of a practice or procedure. Finally, an article can explore the impact of existing and emerging care policies. Each of these article types requires thorough research and evidence to support any proposed theories.

Make a Difference in Health Care

Publishing articles in nursing journals can give nurses a modest extra income and another way to demonstrate their competency to potential employers. Publication can also help nurses impact care. Articles that share carefully researched data and uncover new insights can prompt readers to rethink their approaches to health care, possibly leading to higher-quality care and improved patient outcomes. Learn how Regis College’s post-master’s certificate program can offer you the knowledge needed to write these authoritative, game-changing articles.

Recommended Readings Degrees Defined: What Does MSN Mean? The Importance of Teamwork and Collaboration in Nursing Using Nursing Skills to Provide Primary Care

Sources: American Journal of Nursing, “What Types of Articles to Write” Elsevier, The Journal for Nurse Practitioners The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, “How to Increase Your Odds of Getting Published” RCNi, RCNi Guidance on Writing and Submitting Articles for Publication

Let’s move forward

Wherever you are in your career and wherever you want to be, look to Regis for a direct path, no matter your education level. Fill out the form to learn more about our program options or get started on your application today.

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Journal Publishing: A Review of the Basics

• PMID: 30266551
• DOI: 10.1016/j.soncn.2018.09.004

Objectives: To provide an overview of publishing in nursing journals, including topic identification, manuscript formats, manuscript assembly, journal selection, and the manuscript review process.

Data sources: Journal articles, publishers' information for authors, online publishing resources, discussions with nursing journal editors, personal experience.

Conclusion: Publishing a scholarly article is a major step in developing as a professional. Novice nurse authors should become familiar with the journal article publishing process before preparing a manuscript to best prepare the manuscript, target an appropriate journal, and increase the likelihood of publication.

Implications for nursing practice: Nurses at the point of care need to write about what they do to showcase nursing's value, and contribute to nursing's body of knowledge and the public's knowledge of nursing's work.

Keywords: journal publishing; peer review; scholarly writing.

Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Nursing Resources: Writing for Publication

• Databases & Resources
• Writing for Publication
• HFH Nursing Research This link opens in a new window
• HFH Evidence-Based Practice Change This link opens in a new window
• Cardiac Nursing
• Geriatric Nursing
• Maternal/Neonatal Nursing
• Perioperative Nursing
• Human Trafficking This link opens in a new window
• NCLEX-RN Prep
• Apps for Nurses
• Library Help

How-to Books at Sladen

Helpful Websites

• Writing for Professional Journals - University of Utah College of Nursing This online course is free and open to the public. It consists of 12 online modules with accompanying videos, slides, assignments, and reading lists.
• Nurse Author & Editor Provides helpful articles on scholarly writing and publishing within nursing literature.
• Directory of Nursing Journals A service of "Nurse Author & Editor" and INANE, a vetted list of journals to help nurses find an appropriate place to publish their work.
• Top 10 Avoidable Mistakes as an Author

AJN "Writing for Publication" Article Series

This is...a series of articles to help nurses share their knowledge, skills, and insight through writing for publication. Nurses have something important to contribute no matter what their nursing role. This series will help nurses develop good writing habits and sharpen their writing skills. It will take nurses step by step through the publication process, highlighting what gets published and why, how to submit articles and work with editors, and common pitfalls to avoid. (Author's abstract)

• Roush, K. (2017). "Becoming a Published Writer." American Journal of Nursing 117(3): 63-66.​
• Roush, K. (2017). "Writing Your Manuscript: Structure and Style." American Journal of Nursing 117(4): 56-61.
• Roush, K. (2017). "What Types of Articles to Write." American Journal of Nursing 117(5): 68-71.
• Roush, K. (2017). "Navigating the Publishing Process." American Journal of Nursing 117(6): 62-67.

Tips By Section

General Writing Guidance

Writing for Publication for Nurses: An easy-to-follow guide for nurses  - Wiley

Baker K. G. (2022). " Unleash your inner author: Getting published in a professional nursing journal." Nursing 52 (10): 36–39. 

Drury, A., Pape, E., Dowling, M., Miguel, S., Fernández-Ortega, P., Papadopoulou, C., & Kotronoulas, G. (2023). "How to Write a Comprehensive and Informative Research Abstract."  Seminars in Oncology Nursing, 39(2): 151395.

Alspach, J. G. (2017). "Writing for Publication 101: Why the Abstract Is So Important." Critical Care Nurse 37(4): 12-15.

Oermann, M. H. (2014). "Writing an Abstract." Nurse Author and Editor 24(1): 7.

Introduction

Watson, R. (2018). ' I Say “Introduction”; You Say “Background” .' Nurse Author and Editor 28(1): 4.

Atherton, I. M., & Lasater, K. (2024). "The value of introductions and how to write them." Nurse Education Today 139: 106226. 

Conn, V. S. (2017). "How to Craft a Strong Discussion Section." Western Journal of Nursing Research 39(5): 607-608.

Watson, R. (2018). "Starting the "Discussion" Section of a Manuscript." Nurse Author and Editor 28(2): 3.

Vortman, R., Darbyshire, P. E., & Talatala, R. A. (2024). "Sharing Perioperative Nursing Expertise Through Publication: A Guide for the Novice Author."  AORN Journal 119(3): 186–196.   (Although published in a periop journal, this article has a lot of useful info for all types of nurse authors)

Rodts, M. F. (2019). "Writing for Publication: Your Professional Journey."  Orthopedic Nursing  38 (4): 229–231.

Benton, M. J. (2014). "Dissemination of Evidence: Writing Research Manuscripts for Successful Publication." Clinical Nurse Specialist 28(3): 138-140.

Morton, P. G. (2017). "Strategies for Writing a Research Article: An Editor's Perspective." Nurse Author and Editor 27(1): 5. 

Don't Give Up! How to Bounce Back from Rejection or Revision

Pierson, C. A. (2016). "The four R's of revising and resubmitting a manuscript." J Am Assoc Nurse Pract 28(8): 408-409.

Chinn, P. L. (2018). "Dealing with the Disappointment of the "Reject" or "Revise" Letter." Nurse Author and Editor 28(2): 5.

Manuscript Preparation Services

The Sladen Library offers FREE manuscript preparation assistance for Henry Ford Health employees.

Manuscript preparation services cover many types of documents such as journal articles, book chapters, grants, conference abstracts/posters, and CVs.

Librarians will provide support with :

• Updating citations and references within the manuscript to the journal's style
• Confirming that the manuscript meets the specific style, structure and formatting requirements of the journal as outlined in their instructions for authors
• Verifying that standard style requirements have been followed (e.g., numbers vs numerals, consistent abbreviations/acronyms, etc.)
• Light grammar checking

Please note: there is a minimum 1 week turnaround time for this service.  

Contact Stephanie Stebens at [email protected] or at (313) 916-2550 for more information about manuscript preparation services.

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• Last Updated: Aug 27, 2024 9:26 AM
• URL: https://henryford.libguides.com/nursing

Scholarly Writing and Publishing: Nursing/Health Sciences

• Biology/Life Sciences
• Nursing/Health Sciences
• Faculty Research Symposium
• JSU Writing Center

Selected Books on Writing for Publication

Below are selected electronic books held by the library. Click on the title or cover to see the book or check the online catalog for availability.

Writing Journal Articles

Predatory Publishing

• Characteristics of E-Mail Solicitations From Predatory Nursing Journals and Publishers Article from The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing. (Must be affiliated with JSU for access.)
• How to Assess a Journal How not to publish in undesirable journals
• Predatory Publishing: Getting Start(l)ed? This guide from Rutgers University helps with Open Access publishing by helping to identify "potential non-scholarly, for profit only publishing practices, also known as predatory publishing."
• Predatory Publishing: How to Avoid Exploitative Journals Predatory Publishing: How to Avoid Exploitative Journals from the American College of Sports Medicine
• Predatory Publishing is No Joke Article from American Journal of Nursing on how unethical publishers take advantage of unsuspecting authors.
• Think Check Submit A collaborative effort from a number of scholarly communication organizations to help researchers with selecting trusted journals in which to publish.

Search Tips

Academic or scholarly writing and publishing and related subjects span several disciplines, Library floors, and subject headings. Below are just a few selected examples of Library of Congress call number ranges for browsing.

Writing in Nursing and Health Sciences: 9th Floor RT 24 Nursing- Authorship Writing: 5th Floor LB 2369 Academic Writing Academic Writing: 6th Floor PN 146 Scholarly Publishing PE 1408 Academic Writing  

Some Keyword Searches in the JaxCat catalog are:

• Academic journals writing
• Academic writing
• Writing in nursing
• Scholarly writing

Some Subject Heading Searches in the JaxCat catalog are:

• Technical writing
• Communication in science
• Technical writing--Handbooks, manuals, etc.

Resources for Wrting for Publication

• Mulford Health Sciences Library Instructions to Authors in the Health Sciences Provides links to instructions for authors for more than 6,000 journals in the health and life sciences
• Nurse Author & Editor A free quarterly online publication dedicated to nurse authors, editors and reviewers more... less... From Wiley-Blackwell
• Writing for Professional Journals (12 modules) This course is open to the public and is licensed under Creative Commons. Patricia Gonce Morton, PhD, RN, FAAN, University of Utah College of Nursing Dean, authored the content as part of a grant provided by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) while participating in the RWJF Executive Nurse Fellow program. more... less... From the University of Utah College of Nursing
• Writing for Publication: Step By Step This series of articles from the American Journal of Nursing takes "nurses step by step through the publication process, highlighting what gets published and why, how to submit articles and work with editors, and common pitfalls to avoid."
• Creative Commons: About the Licenses "Creative Commons helps you legally share your knowledge and creativity to build a more equitable, accessible, and innovative world."

Resources from Scholarly Writing and Publishing Presentations

• Adding Your Citations to RefWorks: 8/24/24 Detailed instructions for using RefWorks in science and health databases
• RefWorks Setup Getting started with RefWorks
• Scholarly Writing and Publishing PowerPoint slides from the Scholarly Writing and Publishing workshop on October 20, 2023
• Scholarly Writing Presentation Handout PDF handout for October 20, 2023
• Scholarly Writing and Publishing, Part 2 PowerPoint slides from the Scholarly Writing and Publishing Part 2 presentation on October 27, 2023

Where to Submit a Paper

• Elsevier Journal Finder Elsevier® Journal Finder helps you find journals that could be best suited for publishing your scientific article.
• JANE (Journa/ Author Name Estimator) JANE helps authors decide where to submit a paper or find relevant articles to cite in a paper.
• Selecting a Journal Resources to help you select a journal in which to publish your research.

Health and Sciences Librarian

Literature Reviews

Nursing Journal Lists

• Directory of Nursing Journals Compiled by Nurse Author & Editor and INANE (International Academy of Nursing Editors)
• Lippincott Nursing Center Over 70 journals listed by subject.
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• Next: Psychology >>
• Last Updated: Aug 25, 2024 7:42 PM
• URL: https://libguides.jsu.edu/scholarlywriting

Reflective Journaling for Nursing Students: A Guide

Did you know that for every experience you encounter, you could reflect on it and learn? As a nurse, you will navigate complex and challenging clinical experiences filled with varied emotions, interventions, decisions, etc, influencing your actions. A nursing reflective journal offers a way to pause, think, and analyze how these feelings and experiences influence and shape your behavior and practice. It is a personal record; call it a diary, where nurses document their thoughts, experiences, emotions, and encounters related to clinical practice.

Knowing how to write a reflective journal assignment is one of the best ways of understanding the past to predict the future. While these papers are personal, they should have an academic tone, which is why most students struggle to write one. However, fear not!

In this guide, our nursing writers have done the heavy lifting, and in this article, they take you through what a reflective journal entails and its importance and provide step-by-step instructions on how to write a reflective journal.

Reflective Journal Meaning?

Reflective journaling in nursing refers to writing about your feelings, thoughts, fears, opinions, and interactions about a specific event. It is a way to explore the “so what" question rather than "what."

Reflective thinking entails the following elements: 1) description, where you talk about the experience; 2) interpretation, which is how your experience challenged your existing knowledge and opinions; and 3) outcome, which is how the experience contributed to your understanding and professional development.

As a nursing student, your instructor will ask you to write your reflections about an experience during clinical rotations. You will need to be introspective and deeply examine your thoughts, feelings, and opinions about the event before writing them.

Reflective thinking is used in nursing to help students and nurses develop critical thinking skills and the art of reflection to understand better and clarify stubborn concepts.

History of Reflective Practice

Reflective writing has its roots in education. John Dewey , a philosopher and educator, addressed reflection in 1910 as "Active, persistent, and careful consideration of any belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the grounds that support it, and the further conclusions to which it tends." This is considered the first description of reflective writing.

Over the years, this description has had many interpretations, but the message is still the same.

Dewey believed that every experience is a source of learning. Reflective thinking is activated the moment you sense a problem or any situation. By going deeper and understanding those experiences and trying to solve the problem through available data, you create a connection between beliefs, thoughts, opinions, and real actions.

Another prominent contributor to reflective practices was Donal Schön, an American theorist and educator. In his book, “ The Reflective Practitioner ," Schön describes reflection as an important practice that helps professionals, including nurses, to critically examine all their experiences in a real-world context.

Schön’s ideas were not specifically related to nursing. However, they had a profound effect on nursing education, shaping the way nursing students engage in reflective journaling to enhance their future clinical skills.

Why is Reflecting Important in Nursing?

The following are the reasons why reflection in nursing is important:

Close the Gap between Theory and Practice

Nursing instructors believe that writing a reflective journal in nursing can help close the gap between theory and practice by facilitating the inclusion of a theoretical framework into clinical experience. Reflective journaling allows you to apply theories learned in the classroom to real-world hospital situations. When you can document your experience and reflect on how nursing theories and principles apply in practice, you can deepen your knowledge of a theory and how it is helpful in nursing interventions.

Improve Your Critical Thinking Skills

By engaging in reflective thinking practices, you can critically analyze a clinical situation and identify areas of improvement. Remember, reflective thinking is about deliberate stranger contemplation of your experiences and actions. Applying this in real-life situations will force you to critically assess the situation and relate the new knowledge acquired to prior knowledge.

In other words, you will be forced to cultivate in-depth critical thinking, which entails asking questions, analyzing, and integrating your answers.

Teaching Strategy for Educators

Reflective journals in nursing are important for students, but educators can also use them as a teaching strategy. When students engage in reflective writing, educators can identify areas they are struggling with or gaps in knowledge and competence. Then, they can develop additional education and training opportunities to address these gaps.

By taking a proactive approach to learning, educators can ensure their students continuously enhance their knowledge and competence while also staying updated on nursing research and evidence-based practices.

Enhance Self-Awareness

Self-awareness refers to the ability to focus on yourself and how your thoughts, feelings, and opinions align or do not align with your values and standards. Research shows that self-awareness is essential in nursing and profoundly affects nurse-patient relationships and patient care. When you engage in reflective thinking practices, you take a close look at yourself. Still, more importantly, you develop a deeper understanding of your beliefs, values, and biases that influence your decisions and interactions in a clinical experience.

Step-by-step Guide for Writing a Nursing Reflective Journal

Reflective journaling in nursing takes a structured process that involves documenting and reflecting on your thoughts, emotions, and actions about a clinical experience. Use the following steps to write your reflections:

Choose What to Reflect On

First, take time to think about what you want to reflect on before writing the paper. As a nurse or a nursing student, you can reflect on anything you experience during your shift, ranging from a missed diagnosis, stubborn or dissatisfied patients, a nursing ethical dilemma , a failed surgery or procedure, etc.

You can also reflect on things that went right in your shift, such as:

• A cancer diagnosis that was caught early
• A teaching experience with patients
• A difficult procedure that you managed to do successfully.

If you are not sure which experience to focus on, use the following tips to help you:

• Think of a recent clinical experience you went through. Think back to what stood out most and left a lasting impression in your life.
• Consider things that evoked strong emotions during your clinical rotations and enhanced your understanding of nursing education and practice.
• Additionally, consider people (either colleagues or patients) who had a profound impact on you during the clinical experience.

No matter which event happened during your clinical, you can reflect on it and use it for self-development.

Ensure you choose a topic that resonates with you lea, leads to deep introspection, and facilitates personal growth.

Choose a Topic

Just like other types of academic writing, your reflective journal in nursing must have a topic. A topic will provide focus and direction and guide you when writing. The topic you select will guide the writing process, so it is important that you take time to choose the right topic.

So, what is the best topic for a reflection paper? Well, the best topic must have the following characteristics:

• Relevant to the experience and nursing practice that you encountered and reflect your learning.
• It has personal significance and has an impact on your learning.
• Evoke strong emotions, whether positive or negative.
• Complex enough to let you have a deep introspection and provide a critical analysis of the experience.
• The topic must align with your academic and professional goals.

Ensure you consider all the characteristics when selecting a topic to provide a meaningful reflection and learning.

Choose a Proper Format

The first step to writing your nursing reflective journal is choosing the right to follow. Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, your reflection paper must contain the following elements:

• Introductions

The introduction is where you introduce the essence of your paper. Start your reflection paper by briefly introducing what you are reflecting upon so that readers know what to expect. Additionally, provide a thesis statement that provides a general opinion of the subject you are analyzing. This could be a lecture, a nursing article, a clinical experience, etc.

The body of your reflection paper should explore the main idea of your paper. In other words, the thesis statement. Go into detail about what you went through and how it influenced you. This is where you also talk about what you learned from the experience.

Conclusion. As the last part of your reflection paper, the conclusion should briefly state the thoughts, opinions, and experiences discussed in the paper. It should also state what you learn based on your analysis of the experiences.

That said, most reflective journal assignments in nursing are written in APA, Harvard, Vancouver, or AMA format. Ensure that your in-text citations and references align with the formatting styles.

Select a Reflective Framework for Your Nursing Reflective Journal

A reflective framework is a model that guides the thought process and reasoning about a particular event. Whenever you engage in reflective practices, you must use a reflective framework to write down your thoughts, feelings, and opinions about the events.

There are various models of reflection you can use. The main framework is Gibbs's reflective model, a powerful tool that fosters deep learning and critical thinking. Developed by Grahams Gibbs, this reflective model provides a structured framework for writing your reflective journal in nursing.

Some of the reflective models you can use when engaging in reflective practices include:

• Kolb’s Learning Cycle
• Schön’s framework
• ERA framework
• CARL framework
• Brookfield framework
• Roper Logan and Tiernerys reflections
• Atkins and Murphy's model

Ensure you select a reflective model that resonates with you and provides guides that help you write your reflection in a structured format.

Related Articles:

• How to write a nursing reflective essay.
• Nursing theories and theorists.
• Non-nursing theories used in nursing practice.

Describe the Experience

Go into detail about what you went through. Be objective about this and ensure you recount in detail the experience. To help you with this, use the following questions:

What happened?

• Where did the experience take place?
• When did it take place?
• Who was involved
• What did you do? Talk about everyone who participates, even if you feel their role was insignificant.
• Why did the event happen? What was the intention of the event when it occurred?
• What was the outcome?
• What did you want to happen instead?

The main things to include at this point involve what happened. Whenever you talk about the experience, detail it in the order in which it happened. Paint a clear and accurate picture of what occurred. Think of this stage as narrating the story only when you are providing facts. Do not talk about feelings or opinions.

Identify your Feelings about the Experience

This stage calls for self-reflection in your nursing reflective journal. Discuss your feelings during the experience and acknowledge any frustration, joy, anger, empathy, or other emotions you felt during the event.

Take a moment to think back to the event. What emotions were you experiencing? What was your gut reaction? Were you disgusted? Frightened? Angry?

After the event occurred, how did your feelings change? Detail how your feelings change with each passing moment.

Next, think of how those involved in the event might have felt. Did you observe any reactions? For instance, did someone throw up? Cry? Storm out of the room? Ensure you talk about all this, as they will help you make sense of the events.

Use these questions to describe your emotions in detail. Remember, by being detailed in your descriptions, the reader will feel what you felt.

Analyze the Experience

At this stage of your nursing reflection journal, evaluate the experience by considering both your actions and outcomes. Assess the situation by considering both the good and bad. Ask yourself, the following questions to properly make your evaluations:

• What was so good about the experience? Highlight the positive outcomes of the experience.
• What went wrong or what didn't work well?
• Did you contribute anything? If yes, what was it? Highlight all your contributions through the experience. Were they positive or negative?
• What were the contributions of others? Were they positive or negative?
• If the experience was difficult, state whether it was resolved in the end.
• Was there something that the people involved did that made you think twice about the situation or taught you something?

Provide an Analysis 

Up until now, you aimed to describe the events and feelings. Now you have the opportunity to say what it all means. In other words, this is the point where you make sense of what happened during the experience.

Ask yourself the following questions to analyze the situation properly:

• Why did this go well or bad? Reconsider the things that went badly and ask why
• What do you think could have caused the problem?
• Think about your contributions and state whether they made any meaningful impact on the experience.

Basically, ask questions like, so what? And why?

Ensure you connect the experience to a nursing theory. To ensure this is successful, choose a theory that aligns with the topic of your reflection. For example, if your reflection is about the challenges you encountered when communicating with patients, choose a theory like Trans-cultural Nursing Theory.

Once you have chosen the theory, identify its concepts, which will help you as you write. Talk about how your actions, decisions, and emotions align with or diverge from the principles of the chosen theory.

Please note that this part is analytical. So, do not describe it; analyze it by analyzing the experience, emotions, and feelings to make sense of everything.

Pay attention as you write this section, as it will determine whether you indeed learned something from the events that happened. Many students lose marks at this point because they fail to capture the essence of

Write Your Conclusion

Think about what can be concluded from the event that happened and the analyses you have done.

Ask yourself the following:

• Did you learn anything?
• Was there anything you missed that you think could have made an impact on the whole experience?
• Could you have discussed what happened with your instructor? If yes, would it have influenced you or the actions in any way?
• Is there any nursing literature you think you should read to make sense of the

Consider providing examples of how you intend to apply all the lessons learned. This way, you will show your instructors that you have truly reflected on the experiences.

Develop an Action Plan

At this stage, you should wrap up anything else you need to understand about the experience and what you should improve in the future. So, how do you write an action plan for a reflection?

Use the following questions to help you develop a great action plan:

• How will you use what you have learned in a similar situation? Have you become more confident in handling such a situation?
• How has the experience helped you improve in your studies and clinicals?
• Will you be able to communicate with patients and colleagues during your practice?
• What advice will you give others going through a similar situation?
• What actions are you committed to taking?
• What are the benchmarks for these actions?
• When do you think you will be able to complete these actions?

Remember, the action plan is about the future of you and your actions. So, capture this action well in your reflective journal nursing.

Proofread and Revise Your Paper

Once you are done writing, take some time off, preferably a day or two, depending on the deadlines given, before reviewing your paper. This will allow you to review your paper with a fresh pair of eyes and ensure you identify any errors in your work.

Check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors and correct them. Additionally, ensure that your nursing reflective journal has properly described your experience and feelings and provided an evaluation analysis before finally writing your action plan.

Example of a Reflective Journal

Below is an example of a reflective journal written by a student who did a clinical rotation with a patient named Mrs. Smith. If you need to hire a nursing writer to write your reflective journal, don't hesitate to place an order on our website. 

Experience Today, I cared for Mrs. Smith, a 78-year-old patient admitted with pneumonia. Mrs. Smith presented with difficulty breathing, a persistent cough, and decreased oxygen saturation levels. Description Mrs. Smith was visibly distressed upon arrival, her labored breathing evident even from a distance. As I approached her bedside, I noticed her apprehension, which mirrored my own. Despite my attempts to maintain a calm demeanor, I could feel my heart racing as I assessed her condition.   Thoughts and Feelings Initially, I felt overwhelmed by the severity of Mrs. Smith's symptoms and the urgency of her situation. Doubts crept into my mind about whether I possessed the skills and knowledge necessary to provide effective care. However, as I focused on attending to her immediate needs, my anxiety began to subside, replaced by a sense of determination and purpose. Analysis Reflecting on the experience, I recognize that my initial reaction was driven by fear of the unknown and a lack of confidence in my abilities. However, as I engaged with Mrs. Smith and collaborated with my colleagues, I drew upon my training and expertise to deliver competent and compassionate care. This experience reaffirmed the importance of remaining calm under pressure and trusting in my capabilities as a nurse. Strengths and Weaknesses One strength I demonstrated during this encounter was my ability to prioritize Mrs. Smith's needs and mobilize resources efficiently. However, I acknowledge that there were moments when I struggled to maintain composure, particularly when her condition deteriorated. Moving forward, I aim to cultivate resilience and emotional regulation to better cope with challenging situations. Alternative Actions In hindsight, I recognize that I could have benefited from seeking assistance earlier when Mrs. Smith's condition worsened. By involving other members of the healthcare team sooner, we could have implemented interventions more promptly and potentially mitigated the escalation of her symptoms. Theory and Practice This experience underscored the significance of effective communication and interdisciplinary collaboration in nursing practice. By leveraging the expertise of my colleagues and adhering to evidence-based protocols, we were able to optimize Mrs. Smith's care and achieve positive outcomes. Goals for Improvement Going forward, I aspire to enhance my crisis management skills and develop strategies for maintaining composure in high-stress situations. Additionally, I intend to pursue further education and training in respiratory care to broaden my knowledge base and enhance my ability to care for patients with pulmonary conditions. Action Plan To achieve these goals, I will seek out opportunities for professional development, such as attending workshops or enrolling in relevant courses. I will also engage in regular reflection and seek feedback from my peers and mentors to continually refine my practice. This journal entry serves as a testament to my growth as a nurse and a commitment to ongoing learning and improvement. Through reflection and self-awareness, I strive to cultivate the skills and attributes necessary to deliver exemplary care and make a meaningful difference in the lives of my patients.

Final Thoughts

Writing a nursing reflective journal is never a walk in the pack. However, by following the above guide, you can write a reflective journal in nursing that captures the vents, critically analyzes them, and improves your future experiences as a nurse.

If you need help with writing these or any other types of nursing papers , we can help. Our writers have the skills and expertise to help guide you when writing a reflection paper. Reach out to us today for high-quality papers.

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Article types and general guidelines, commentaries, research discussion, evidence for nurse education, editorial policy, copyright and authors’ rights, article processing charges.

• The context of the problem addressed by the paper
• A brief description and critique of the methods, results & conclusions
• implications for practice
• How the results fit in with what is currently known in the field
• Research Made Simple : These articles are an opportunity to publish an overview of a fundamental element of research. These primers should aim to make potentially complex research methods, approaches and concepts accessible to EBN readers. Articles should either focus on a specific approach to research (e.g. “What are Delphi Studies?”), particular concepts that are fundamental to understanding research (e.g. “What are Sensitivity and Specificity?”), or practical approaches to completing research (e.g. “Data collection in qualitative research”).
• Research Masterclass : These articles discuss a specific research method and then provide a detailed example of its use. This example could either be the author’s own published research, or could be another piece of published literature which provides an exemplar of nursing research which uses that approach. Approximately half of the article should focus on exploring and summarising the approach (e.g. constructivist grounded theory); the second half should discuss a case study of how that approach has been used effectively to develop the nursing evidence base. The primary research discussed in the masterclass must have been published previously, and the article should cite this publication. It will therefore be similar to a commentary, but with a very specific focus on the method (or one element of it).
• Research Opinion : These articles discuss a particular – and potentially contentious – issue related to nursing research. It is an opportunity for you to outline the issue, explore the different opinions within the research community, and to articulate your own view. You could look at broad issues (e.g. is qualitative research generalisable?), or more practical questions (e.g. are video-mediated research interviews an acceptable alternative to face-to-face?).
• a) Review the first two papers in the series, to offer an insight into the format “ Effectiveness of empathy education for undergraduate nursing students ” and “ Impact of COVID-19 on nursing students’ mental health: a systematic review and meta-analysis ”. These are free to read and download.
• b) Please also download the template for educational summaries .
• The starting sentence must include the citation for the systematic review you are precising (as indicated in the template ).
• Following the style used in the two examples and the template provided, summarise the systematic review using bullet points and plain English. Please remember to explain terms people may not understand.
• Remember to include a title for the paper and ensure the information provided fits on one page of A4 (Times New Roman 12 or Arial 11).
• When you have completed the educational summary, please submit via ScholarOne .
• If you have any questions please email them to [email protected] .

Supplements

• The journal editor, an editorial board member or a learned society may wish to organise a meeting, sponsorship may be sought and the proceedings published as a supplement.
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Jewish Journal

Connect. inform. inspire., comedy rapper polly wolly on getting elders to dance and children to write.

• By Brian Fishbach
• Published August 29, 2024

Brian Fishbach

Jewish comedian and songwriter Polly Wolly, born Pauline Schantzer, is carving a niche in performing at nursing homes and helping children to tap into their funny side. Her hilariously edgy performances have racked up over 7 million views online — and elderly crowds love her.  

Schantzer grew up in Philadelphia in the 1990s identifying as a Jew, but with a slight twist.  

“I didn’t know any Jewish stuff as a kid, nothing — I was raised in a Jews for Jesus household,” Schantzer told The Journal. This made her feel out of place quite often. Their family would sometimes go to New York City and hand out Jews for Jesus pamphlets.

“One time a Hasidic Jew — I didn’t know who these guys were — he took the pamphlet and yelled at me, ‘You’re not a real Jew’ and ripped it up,” Schantzer said. Those confusing days led to her finding an outlet that Schantzer can trace her comedy rap career to: The Spice Girls’ 1996 album “Spice.”  

“I was obsessed with the Spice Girls,” Schantzer said. “They were my escape from everything that was really traumatic. I went to them for so much hope and love.” During her teenage years, Schantzer covered the walls of her bedroom with Spice Girls posters and began writing poetry. It helped tune out her parents’ incessant bickering. Still, her Jews for Jesus confusion persisted long into her 20s, when Schantzer moved to Los Angeles and started leaning into her Jewish roots on her own terms.  

“I just started hanging out with Jews because where I’m from is all white trash people,” Schantzer said. “It’s not like there had been Jews around me. I started going to a Chabad.” But it wasn’t until she lost a parent that Schantzer started channeling her grief into creating more comedy music at an industrial pace. In February 2018, her father fell ill following cardiac bypass surgery. The night that his beloved Philadelphia Eagles won their first Super Bowl, Schantzer’s father passed away. She watched the game in Los Angeles that night, but made phone calls home to Philadelphia to try to share some victory nachas with her father.  

“He’d say, ‘All I want is the Eagles to win the Super Bowl before I die,’ and then they did,” Schantzer said. “I was calling my dad and he wasn’t answering. I called my mom and she’s just singing, ‘Fly Eagles, Fly’ And I’m like, ‘Mom, where’s dad?’ And she’s like, ‘He’s lying down, he doesn’t feel well.’ And I say, ‘I want to talk to him.’ She says, ‘No he’s going to sleep, bye.’ I texted, ‘Dad, go Eagles.’ And he said, ‘Yes, go Eagles.’ So he didn’t answer the phone, I didn’t talk to him. I talked to him the day before.” That last text was as much of a victory hug and high-five that Schantzer and her father could share. But the emotional toll of not being able to say “goodbye” weighed heavily on her.  

“After my dad died, I got really committed to it where I was posting more videos,” Schantzer said. The following year, she applied for a Birthright trip to Israel. She was honest during the interview process about her convoluted Jewish upbringing. And during her inaugural visit to Israel, she “discovered hot Jews” for the first time.  

“I didn’t know there were hot Jews before that,” Schantzer said with a laugh. “I was obsessed. I fell in love with Israelis.”

Since then, Schantzer’s comedy music is heavily influenced by her love of the Jewish community in Los Angeles. She regularly attends Shabbat dinners and has made a commitment to only date Jewish men. “I hadn’t dated a Jewish guy in five years,” Schantzer said. She releases the songs, “Imma Real Jew,” “Purim” and “Oy Vey Booty.” Her comedy rap chops earned Schantzer an audition in 2022 for Nick Cannon’s rap battle show, “Wild N Out.” She was one of 15 finalists selected. Although she didn’t make it to the main competition part of the show, she is proud that she won a rap battle during the on-screen audition. That video would be her first Instagram reel to get over 10,000 views.

Schantzer’s comedy music is heavily influenced by her love of the Jewish community in Los Angeles.  

Some of her next most popular songs include, “I Want A Baby,” a Passover rap “Burn the Bread,” and a parody of Aqua’s “Barbie Girl,” “Jewish Barbie Girl.” Her next song was about a real conversation she had with her mother in 2023. By this time, her mother Judy was under the care of a psych ward at a Philadelphia hospital. When Schantzer tried to reach her via phone one day, one of the other patients picked up. Watch the video for “The Psych Ward” to find out what happened next — it involves knives. She also created a YouTube series, “Judy and Me,“ where she portrays her blunt, filter-free mother.  

During the High Holy Days of 2023, Schantzer released “Shabbat Shabbat Shalom” which includes the lyrics, “You know what we do we schmooze but on Shabbat we snooze.” When she posted it on Instagram two days after the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, Schantzer prefaced it with, “I wrote this fun song about Shabbat, then this Shabbat, we awoke to the most terrifying news about Israel. My heart is with you Israel and my Israeli friends. Despite all the hate I will continue to proudly express my Judaism, I am proud to be a Jew! Hashem is by our side.” Her next video was a freestyle rap, “Bye Hamas.” On Nov. 3, 2023, Schantzer released her most popular song to date — singing “Jewish Barbie Girl” at a nursing home. Unlike the other releases, which were staged and choreographed music videos, this was a live performance at a nursing home. It garnered over 12 million views.

In the subsequent weeks, Schantzer would release snippets from the performance in the courtyard of the nursing home, surrounded by the elderly crowd. For another taste of the adorableness of Schantzer’s connection with the elderly demographic, watch the video for “Shake It Doll.” She’s as excited as ever right now — even though this past summer, Schantzer’s Instagram account was hacked and shut down. She is doing all she can to get it back. Until then, Schantzer encourages anyone at Meta to help her reinstate her account, @pollywollycomedian.  

“I write from what I know,” Schantzer said. “So it’s all real. Some of it’s exaggerated for the video, but it’s all personal,” Schantzer said. In so many ways, she still is that dancing, Spice Girls-loving kid. That sentiment has led her to teaching audiences on the other side of the age spectrum — children. She is channeling her talents into teaching and helping children create comedy music.  

“Write something that makes you laugh,” is what Schantzer tells her students. “It’s all about having fun and not taking anything too seriously.” Schantzer believes in teaching the power of humor to address and cope with difficult subjects.  

“I hope they let go of their fear of laughing about things they’re not supposed to laugh at,” she said.

To book Polly Wolly to sing at nursing homes or lead a children’s workshop on writing comedy songs, contact her at https://pollywollycomedian.com/  

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Journaling: A valuable tool for registered nurses

Write about your life and experiences to better understand them and yourself..

• Journaling is a valuable resource that nurses can use to support their health and wellness.
• Journaling allows you to script feelings and thoughts to better understand yourself and events, as well as cultivate self-compassion and self-awareness.
• Writing strengthens cognition, fosters insight, and improves emotional regulation.

NURSES’ FOCUS on compassion can be both rewarding and depleting. To offset the fatigue that can come with nursing care, nurses must find ways to express their feelings and tend to their own well-being. Journaling is a valuable resource that nurses can use to support their health and wellness. Using journaling to script feelings and thoughts promotes understanding, self-compassion, and self-awareness. In addition, writing strengthens cognition, fosters insight, and improves emotional regulation.

Although the benefits of journaling are well established, it’s underused as a method for self-care and reflection. Philosopher and educational reformer John Dewey wrote that “reflective thinking alone is educative.” Journaling provides a foundation for reflective thinking and can help anyone, including nurses, express their emotions and improve their health and well-being.

Journaling defined

At its most basic, journaling is a record of personal thoughts, daily events, and evolving insights. It also provides a foundation for creativity, guidance, selfawareness, understanding, and spiritual development. While journaling, authors can express themselves without censorship, disapproval, or judgment. Screaming, expressing anger, whimpering, feeling sad, wailing, and raging may occur while journaling.

Journaling benefits

Research also shows that journaling is an important tool for developing critical-thinking skills. Nurses use journaling to explore “general observations, questions, speculative statements, expressions of self-awareness, statements of synthesis, revisions of previously held ideas, and the accumulation of new information to develop critical thinking…” as noted in a 2017 article by Dimitroff and colleagues. Scheffer and Rubenfeld defined reflection as “contemplation upon a subject, especially one’s assumptions and thinking, for the purposes of deeper understanding and self-evaluation.” And Raterink found that journaling was valuable in the clinical setting when used by graduate nursing students. As the students became more comfortable with journaling and self-reflection, they felt more competent about their critical-thinking skills and habits.

Journaling tips

Use these suggestions to get started with your journaling.

A proven tool

Journaling provides an opportunity to express emotions and gain self-awareness. It also is a proven way to gain perspective and achieve a higher level of health and wellness, which benefits nurses directly and, in turn, all of the people whose lives we touch.

Lynda J. Dimitroff is an educational and leadership consultant in Rochester, New York.

Selected references

Adams K. Expressive Writing: Foundations of Practice . Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Education; 2013.

Brady EM, Sky HZ. Journal writing among older learners. Educ Gerontol . 2003;29(2):151-63.

Burtson PL, Stichler JF. Nursing work environment and nurse caring: Relationship among motivational factors. J Adv Nurs . 2010;66(8):1819-31.

Dewey J. How We Think . Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, Inc.; 1997.

Dimitroff LJ, Sliwoski L, O’Brien S, Nichols LW. Change your life through journaling—The benefits of journaling for registered nurses. J Nurs Educ Pract . 2017;7(2): 90-8.

Field V, Bolton G, Thompson K. Writing Works: A Resource Handbook for Therapeutic Writing Workshops and Activities . London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers; 2006.

Francis ME, Pennebaker JW. Putting stress into words: The impact of writing on physiological, absentee, and self-reported emotional wellbeing measures. Am J Health Promot . 1992;6(4):280-7.

Hiemstra R. Uses and benefits of journal writing. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education . 2001;90:19-26.

Hinderer KA, VonRueden KT, Friedmann E, et al. Burnout, compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and secondary traumatic stress in trauma nurses. J Trauma Nurs . 2014;21(4):160-9.

Keidel GC. Burnout and compassion fatigue among hospice caregivers. Am J Hosp Palliat Care . 2002;19(3):200-5.

Kuo CL, Turton M, Cheng SF, Lee-Hsieh J. Using clinical caring journaling: Nursing student and instructor experiences. J Nurs Res . 2011; 19(2):141-9.

Lepianka JE. Using reflective journaling to improve the orientation of graduate nurses. J Contin Educ Nurs . 2014;45(8):342-3.

Parr G, Haberstroh S, Kottler J. Interactive journal writing as adjunct in group work. The Journal for Specialists in Group Work . 2000; 25(3):229-42.

Pennebaker JW. Opening Up. The Healing Power of Expressing Emotions . New York: The Guildford Press; 1990.

Pennebaker JW, Colder M, Sharp LK. Accelerating the coping process. J Pers Soc Psychol . 1990;58(3):528-37.

Raterink G. Reflective journaling for critical thinking development in advanced practice registered nurse students. J Nurs Educ . 2016;55(2):101-4.

Sacco TL, Ciurzynski SM, Harvey ME, Ingersoll GL. Compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue among critical care nurses. Crit Care Nurse . 2015;35(4):32-43.

Scheffer BK, Rubenfeld MG. A consensus statement on critical thinking in nursing. J Nurs Educ . 2000;39(8):352-9.

Smart D, English A, James J, et al. Compassion fatigue and satisfaction: A cross-sectional survey among US healthcare workers. Nurs Health Sci . 2014;16(1):3-10.

Stamm BH. The ProQOL Manual . Idaho State University: Sidran Press; 2005.

Waldo N, Hermanns M. Journaling unlocks fears in clinical practice. RN . 2009;72(5):26-31.

Zori S. Teaching critical thinking using reflective journaling in a nursing fellowship program. J Contin Educ Nurs . 2016;47(7):321-9.

3 Comments .

Do you help in writting nursing reflective journal for others. if, what is the cost?

American Nurse Today reached out to a nurse attorney who has contributed to the journal. Here are her comments:

I think journaling is a very useful tool—as long as it does not include actual descriptions of actual events with actual patients. Keep in mind that journaling about adverse events poses a potential risk to nurses. In a deposition nurses will be asked if they have any logs, journals, or diaries and if so, they can be discoverable and will need to be produced. There will always be something in that journal that can be a statement against that nurse’s interest. Additionally, nurses will be asked if they keep this kind of detailed log on every patient they take care of. The answer is no, so the next obvious question is why they did so in this case. It is difficult to overcome presumption that the reason the nurse made a detailed log in this case is because something happened that should not have. It also makes the nurse less credible when under oath he or she testifies to not remembering some details about the case when being asked about it in what can be years after the event. There are also potential problems with HIPAA, state privacy laws, violation of organizational policies, and professional misconduct charges. I always advise nurses to NOT keep journals, logs, or diaries about patient events, much less copies of documents like incident reports or medical records for just these reasons. Journaling about feelings and one’s personal journeys can be helpful. Just remember that journaling about feelings is one thing—memorializing adverse events is another.

Edie Brous, Esq. PC Nurse Attorney Note: This information is not intended to provide legal counsel.

In reading my November issue of American Nurse Today I found an article on journaling. While attending a workshop given by a nurse/attorney we were told never to journal anything about your job as this can be “discoverable” in any future litigation. The article in this issue promotes journaling about work experiences. I wonder what would be the response from a nurse/attorney on this practice. Is there one on staff of this publication who could comment?

Paula Milner MS, RN Phoenix, AZ

Comments are closed.

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CE: How to Write an Effective Résumé

Welton, Robert H. MSN, MDE; Moody, Laurel MS, MSN, RN, CNE

Robert H. Welton is the former director of clinical practice and professional development, Department of Nursing, University of Maryland Medical Center–Midtown Campus, Baltimore. Laurel Moody is assistant professor for nursing education, Sandra R. Berman School of Nursing and Health Professions, Stevenson University, Owings Mills, MD. Contact author: Robert H. Welton, [email protected] . The authors and planners have disclosed no potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise.

In today's health care job market, nursing students are aggressively recruited for jobs even before graduation. Employers want to see accurate, informative résumés that efficiently and honestly convey an applicant's education and skills and how they match up with the employer's needs. Although résumés remain essential tools for job seekers, in recent years requirements have changed: nursing students and new graduate nurses need to develop an employer-focused résumé geared toward a specific job. This article can assist these nurses in developing résumés that accommodate these latest trends.

A step-by-step guide to crafting an accurate, informative résumé for nursing students and new graduate nurses.

Our nation faces an urgent need for nurses. Between 2021 and 2031, job vacancies for nurses in all health care settings are expected to increase by 6%, with approximately 200,000 new opportunities each year. 1 Many health care agencies are recruiting nursing students even before graduation. These employers are looking for accurate, organized, and informative résumés that efficiently and effectively convey the background and skills needed for their entry-level nursing jobs. According to the employment website Monster, for employers, a résumé is second only to an in-person interview in determining whether a candidate is a good fit. 2

Although résumés remain an essential tool for job seekers, in recent years they have changed. An effective résumé now

• is more focused on posted job requirements for a specific job opening.
• is tailored for successful automated scanning by applicant appraisal and tracking systems.
• includes COVID-19 vaccination status (if you are vaccinated).
• uses metrics or numbers instead of words (for example, the number 15 instead of the word fifteen ). Readers interpret numbers easier and faster than words, and numbers have more impact than words. 3
• contains keywords from the job posting in relevant résumé sections whenever possible.
• is customized to each position you are applying for. 4 For example, if the position is in cardiovascular care, include specific experience such as, “helped manage care for over 10 post-op heart valve replacement patients,” as opposed to just “experience with cardiac patients.”

Although the employment market is wide open for nursing students and recent graduates, an effective résumé is still key. This step-by-step guide is aimed at making sure your résumé gives you the best chance at getting that new job.

PLANNING THE RÉSUMÉ

Focus your résumé on the prospective employer's needs—not your own . Traditionally, résumés have been developed with the candidate's job needs in mind, but this is the wrong approach. The purpose of a résumé is not to get you a job, it's to get you an interview for a job.

The traditional résumé is fine in many cases, such as graduate school applications, proposals to speak at a conference, or attachments to letters of introduction. But for a résumé to be effective in a job search, prospective employers must be able to see that you can do the work they need done—which they usually describe in the job posting or ad. This approach to developing a résumé uses the time-tested rule in writing of knowing your audience and writing for that audience. The audience for nursing students' and new graduate nurses' résumés is recruiters, hiring managers, and senior staff nurses; your résumé should be based on what this audience wants to know.

Frequently the résumé becomes the agenda for the interview. When that time comes, make sure you can talk in detail about your skills and experience.

Choose the most appropriate format . A résumé (French for “summary”) is a brief description of a candidate's educational and professional achievements. Those achievements can be organized in one of two basic formats: functional or chronological (or a combination of the two).

Functional résumés organize skills and work history according to skill sets, such as clinical work, project management, certificates, and leadership. These terms may in fact become subheadings in the functional résumé. Previous employers' names, dates of employment, and job titles are deemphasized or even omitted. Functional résumés are rarely used in health care, though, except by very experienced individuals or consultants, and they are not the best format for nursing students, new graduates, or entry-level nurses.

Chronological résumés are the most used and readily accepted résumés in health care, particularly for nursing students, new graduates, or entry-level nurses. Most hiring managers and interviewers are familiar and comfortable with this format. In a chronological résumé, the candidate's education, work, and other experiences are listed in inverse chronological order, with the most recent experiences first.

Curriculum vitae (Latin for the “course of one's life”), also known as a “vitae” or CV, is another type of résumé. When applying for teaching or research positions at colleges, universities, or research institutions, candidates with master's or doctoral degrees are usually required to submit a CV. This is typically a longer document (frequently two pages or more) that provides a description of a candidate's educational background and professional accomplishments in considerably more detail than a résumé. The inverse chronological format in résumés is also used in all CVs, regardless of a candidate's profession, discipline, or industry, which makes converting résumés to CVs less time consuming.

Over time and with more experience, like many nurses in academia and scientific disciplines, you will want to convert your early résumés to CVs, so keeping detailed records of your work and related experiences is useful.

Choose the right length . Résumé length varies across disciplines, and it can generate big debates, as there are lots of opinions on the subject. Although some may suggest that there are rules regarding length, in reality there are only norms or conventions that vary among disciplines. For example, one-page-only résumés are common in journalism, whereas people with more than 10 years' experience in management will often have two-page résumés. Senior executives' résumés typically run to three pages or more.

In health care, though, the “keep your résumé to two pages” rule is now a myth and can be bad advice. Many hiring managers don't care about length. Moreover, a one- or two-page résumé may be fine for a young professional, but it can shortchange an experienced and accomplished candidate and fail to fully explain their past work. A résumé should be as long as it needs to be to convince an employer that your qualifications make you a good fit for an open position.

Find the right template . Many word processing programs have résumé templates that use fixed formatting styles to organize and outline the content. However, these templates may limit your ability to alter the layout and look of the résumé. The best practice is to use these templates only if they allow customization.

The quality, clarity, and accuracy of the content in a professional résumé are critical. Several important elements can improve the résumé's overall look and appeal. For example, use white or off-white paper and black ink. Set one-inch margins on all sides; this adds white space to improve the look of the résumé and provides space for employers to make notes during interviews. Left-justify your text and write the résumé in an 11- or 12-point serif font, such as Times New Roman, which is considered easy to read. 5 You may be tempted to use fancy fonts or lots of bold, italics, all caps, or underlining—but these can make text look dense and hard to read.

A modest header or footer with your name and page number in a small font is a good idea as it can help keep the pages in order if they are faxed or dropped.

What not to include . It is illegal for an employer to ask your height, weight, birth date, or physical health—and it's not relevant to the job in any case, so leave this information off your résumé. 6 Same for your marital status and number and ages of children. Keep your social security number and nursing license confidential until you are hired. And save salary requirements for the interview unless the employer has asked for it, in which case you can include it in the cover letter.

WRITING THE RÉSUMÉ

Begin with a contact header . Entry-level job candidates must make a good first impression. A well-worded header at the top of the résumé guides the hiring manager or tracking system to find your information. A résumé header should include your name, degree, related credentials, and preferred contact information. For example, a nursing student's résumé might have a header like this:

Jane Smith, CNA

123 Main Street - Owings Mills, Maryland 21117

410-999-9999 - [email protected]

COVID-19 Fully Vaccinated

A new graduate nurse might add “BSN” to their credentials.

You can add home phone or mobile phone numbers as well. Avoid using your student email address, which is often inactive after graduation. Be professional right from the start: don't use an email address such as [email protected] ; instead, open a new account with a more professional-sounding address.

Correctly labeling and positioning résumé headers sends a professional message. The header can be centered or left justified. Using 1.5-line spacing can add eye-appealing white space and improve readability. The contact header is the only section of the résumé where the font size for the name or the entire header can be slightly larger, such as 14 point, and printed in boldface. The remainder of the résumé should be 11 or 12 point. However, subheadings such as Education and Work Experience can also be bold.

Vaccination status . Note that the sample header above includes information about COVID-19 vaccination. Since the pandemic, most employers prefer to hire vaccinated candidates. 7, 8 In an August 2021 ResumeBuilder.com survey of 1,250 hiring managers, 63% said they preferred to see a candidate's vaccination status. 9 In fact, one-third of respondents said they automatically eliminate résumés that don't include this status. According to Maurer, “Some experts are beginning to say that vaccination status is a must-have line item on résumés and LinkedIn profiles as employers prepare for regulations that limit hiring to people who have been vaccinated.” 10 As Jeremy Worthington of Worthington Careers and Buckeye Résumés told us in an email, “Our main priority is that the client uses the hiring process to stand out to hiring professionals. When an applicant includes [their] vaccine status on [their] résumé, the need for recruiters to ask a difficult and sometimes sensitive question is eliminated.”

List your credentials . The header is the first résumé section where prospective employers see your credentials. Credentials include academic degree(s), accreditation, certification, or licensure, but they can reflect other achievements or competencies as well. The American Nurses Credentialing Center's preferred order of credentials is as follows 11 :

• highest degree
• state designations
• national certifications
• awards and honors

Education degrees are always the first credential listed because they are considered a “permanent” credential: they cannot be taken away except under extreme circumstances. 12 Only the highest academic degree is listed: if you list your BSN and in future go on to earn an MSN, you should delete the BSN and just list MSN after your name.

Never include a degree, certification, or license in your credentials until it is awarded. To do otherwise would be fraudulent, even though for the soon-to-be graduating or certified nursing student, the degree or certification may be only a few months away. Senior students close to graduation, however, can include their academic degree with the notation that this degree is anticipated at a specified date.

Nursing students with a second degree in another field—a degree in the physical or social sciences, such as biology or psychology, for example—should include this credential in their résumé header, as it may be relevant to the nursing job they are seeking.

After your education degrees, list your licensure and certifications, such as certified nursing assistant (CNA), followed by any honors or awards. Use commas to separate each credential. Do not use periods in the credential abbreviations. For example, you would write Jane Smith, CNA, not Jane Smith, C.N.A. Do not use unapproved or unfamiliar abbreviations without clarifying them in the résumé. When you have your license, delete the CNA credential, and list RN.

Skip an objective statement and go with a summary of qualifications . For decades, an “Objective” section followed the résumé header. Typically a one-sentence statement describing the type of job a candidate was looking for, these objective statements were often uninformative, trite, and in some cases a waste of the reader's time. 13 And, according to the Glassdoor Team, candidates who include a résumé objective instead of a summary tend to have little to no professional experience. 14

New graduates or nurses who are soon to graduate are not without qualifications, they just need to communicate what they can do at this stage of their career in a convincing manner. Most candidates should include a “career summary” or “profile of qualifications” (or whatever name they choose) that lists relevant competencies, required skills, and what they think they can accomplish for the prospective employer.

Instead of going line by line through each résumé, many hiring managers will look for the career summary to determine whether they should keep reading. In our experience, it typically takes readers one to two minutes to scan résumés. A good summary can quickly give a hiring manager an overall idea of your current and evolving strengths and how your past experiences have helped you develop into a well-qualified candidate. A summary section typically includes

• a brief paragraph (three to five sentences or three to five bulleted points).
• content that functions similarly to an abstract in a journal article.
• keywords from the job posting.
• a concise overview of critical skills and competencies that match those required in the targeted job.

You may need to rewrite the summary section to address a new position every time you submit your résumé. When keywords from the job posting are used in the summary, it can be compelling (see Example of a Qualifications Summary ).

Qualifications summaries can be difficult to write, and it usually takes several drafts to develop the final text. Some nursing students and new graduates find it easier to write this section last—after they have finished writing the rest of the résumé. That way, the student can cut and paste and then edit the salient parts of each section into a summary rather than develop this section from scratch.

Use keywords and action verbs throughout your résumé . To be most effective, your résumé should include keywords and action verbs. Action verbs (such as executed , initiated , and attained ) show what you have done and can do if hired. (The Muse website lists some action verbs you can use in your résumé: www.themuse.com/advice/185-powerful-verbs-that-will-make-your-resume-awesome .)

Keywords, in this context, are nouns that reflect the skills and experience sought by a potential employer. You can find them by reviewing the job postings and job descriptions for the position you want and taking note of the terms that routinely pop up on these job listings.

Ask yourself these questions:

• How does the employer define the position and its responsibilities?
• What specific language do they use to describe the core competencies for the role?
• Do I have these same skills, competencies, and experience?

If you've done this type of work before or possess those qualifications, describe them in your résumé using similar keywords. However, do not duplicate or cut and paste portions of the job posting: a CareerBuilder survey found that 44% of 650 hiring managers would “automatically dismiss” a résumé or cover letter that appeared to duplicate the job posting. 15 “Nobody likes to see their work plagiarized,” the survey report says, “including human resource professionals.”

Place keywords throughout your résumé in the work experience section and wherever else they appropriately fit. If you're unsure which keywords to use, Amanda Augustine at TopResume offers some advice: “Start by collecting three to five job descriptions that represent the type of position you're pursuing. Then, copy and paste the job description into a free word and phrase frequency tool like Online-Utility.org 's Text Analyzer to identify the terms that are regularly used throughout your desired positions.” 16

Establish your education background . The education section immediately follows the qualifications summary. Although résumés outside of health care may begin with the work experience section, health care employers want to see a candidate's educational achievements first. Don't include high school education. It's assumed if you are currently enrolled in college or newly graduated, you've completed high school. Include all college work in the appropriate inverse chronological sequence.

List both nursing and nonnursing degrees and education, beginning with the most recent. Include the graduation year and list the degree-granting institutions, including city and state (no street addresses). If you're currently enrolled in a program, indicate the anticipated degrees, date of graduation, and institution:

Candidates should include coursework at any two-year institutions they attended before earning a four-year degree, not only for completeness but also to avoid surprising prospective employers who may see the two-year degree on a college transcript. Some nursing applicants may think that a degree in a nonnursing major or another field is not relevant and omit it from their résumés. But, in fact, a background in another field may have some relevance to the targeted new job. Also, it can distinguish you from other candidates with less education.

If candidates have unfinished college work that may be of interest to the desired job, a mention of this can be included in the education section with a statement as to why the degree wasn't earned, as in this example:

When to add your GPA . Including your grade point average (GPA) on your résumé can either help or hurt your chances of getting an interview. There are no specific rules on GPAs, but here are some general guidelines. Including your GPA is always optional unless the employer asks for it. But if the employer hasn't asked for it, how do you decide when to provide it? Here are two instances when you could add your GPA to your résumé 17, 18 :

• when you are a recent graduate, or a student approaching graduation, with little or no work experience
• if your GPA is 3.5 or higher

The only appropriate time to include a GPA on your résumé is when you're applying for your first job. GPAs have short half-lives; after a year or more their value diminishes rapidly. If you've been out of school for at least a year and working, you should remove it, because your work experience will be more relevant than your grades.

Your GPA is a metric of your education, but your hands-on, practical experience is almost always more persuasive to a prospective employer than your GPA. 19 “Employers know that it's an imperfect gauge,” says career consultant and former manager Alison Green. “Lots of people with high GPAs end up doing mediocre work, and lots of people with unimpressive GPAs end up excelling in their careers.” 20

Not including your GPA won't shut doors that were meant to be open. Just make sure your résumé highlights your skills and experience in a way that shows you're an achiever and don't worry about not including it. If the employer hasn't asked for it—and they rarely do—then they will not miss it.

If you decide to list your GPA on your résumé, it could look like this:

Bachelor of Science in Nursing –GPA 3.9

Anticipated Graduation, May 2023

Display your work experience . This section covers your work experiences in inverse chronological order, including nursing-related jobs such as student intern, extern, or nursing assistant, as well as nonnursing jobs. These work experiences can detail the development of skills that candidates will continue to master as RNs. For example:

• Taught (with preceptor) 3 patients how to self-administer their subcutaneous insulin
• On 3 occasions (with preceptor) presented patient condition updates during morning multidisciplinary rounds
• Co-conducted (with preceptor) 2 family conferences
• On 2 occasions gave family members reports on patients' conditions over the phone (with preceptor listening in)

Including metrics or numbers on your résumé adds concrete information and sends a signal to a recruiter or manager that you may be a good fit for their job opening. 21 For example, when talking about your clinical experience, instead of saying you “performed urinary catheterizations,” you could say you “performed urinary catheterizations on 15 male patients,” which is more impressive to readers. Monster.com has some useful tips on how to quantify your measurable achievements at www.monster.com/career-advice/article/use-numbers-to-make-your-resume-seem-more-impressive-0916 .

Include other nonnursing jobs, even outside of health care, that showcase skills such as communication, conflict resolution, educating the public, and more. 22 For example:

• Conducted staff development training seminars on management, fundraising, and communication skills
• Coordinated leadership training in 7 national Clean Water Action offices, including San Francisco, Austin, Denver, and Providence
• Recorded and made nightly cash deposits

These early job listings and competencies can be eliminated or replaced in subsequent résumé revisions once you've gained more clinically focused experience.

If you are an older new graduate nurse with a lengthy work history, it can be difficult to decide how many years of past work to include. Most online recruitment and résumé-writing experts follow the standard rule to keep work experience to 10 to 15 years. 23-26 Yet applicants' work histories can vary widely, as can perspectives on this standard rule. Tomas Ondrejka, résumé expert at LinkedIn, suggests that older applicants should consider how long they've been in the workforce, how aligned their experience is with their target job, and their other qualifications when deciding what past work to include. 27 And CareerBuilder advises that “if some of your earlier jobs are able to effectively communicate the strengths and abilities that you want to emphasize to your future employer, then by all means include them.” 23

Include your internships . Citing your internships is an excellent way to expand the work experience section of your résumé and increase the likelihood of an invitation for an interview. Many hiring managers and recruiters view internships as valuable real-world work experiences. Internships allow students to increase their social and professional skills, 28 put into practice the theoretical knowledge they've learned in class, 29 and acquire more general skills such as time management. 30 Additionally, potential future employers may perceive students who participate in internships as highly motivated, hardworking, and ambitious. 31

Nunley and colleagues found that job seekers who had industry-relevant internship experience while completing their college degree had interview rates approximately 14% higher than those without internship experience. 32 The positive effects of internship experience were greater for those who obtained nonbusiness degrees and indicated a high GPA on their résumés. Similarly, Baert and colleagues found that applicants with internship experience had, on average, a 12.6% higher probability of being invited to a job interview. 33

You can add your internship experience to the work section of your résumé or create a dedicated internship section. Include the title of your internship, the dates it began and ended, who sponsored it, and where it occurred. Also list your responsibilities and achievements during the internship. Emphasize the experiences that are relevant to the position you're applying for.

Here's an example of how to list an internship experience in the work experience section (again, use concrete numbers where possible):

June–August 2020. Student Nurse Internship, Critical Care Unit, Mercy Medical Center, Baltimore, MD. Worked alongside an RN preceptor for 350+ hours in the critical care unit:

• Managed IV infusion and IV bolus medication administration on over 30 patients
• Completed physical assessments under supervision on over 30 patients
• Performed complex wound care and dressing changes on 10 patients
• Participated in interdisciplinary rounds and bedside change of shift reporting on over 30 patients
• Assisted patients with their activities of daily living
• Obtained ECGs on 10 patients
• Collected blood, urine, fecal, and sputum specimens on over 8 patients
• Reported stat lab results to health care team as necessary on over 20 patients

Display related experience . Pitch your presentations . List significant and relevant presentations you've given, such as poster sessions or health education talks at school or outside programs. (This section should not include workshops or conferences where you were an attendee and not a presenter.) Here's an example of how such an entry could be worded:

2022. “The Effects of Compassion Fatigue on Pediatric Nurses Caring for Medically Complex Patients.” Senior Clinical Practicum Poster Presentation, Sandra R. Berman School of Nursing and Health Professions, Stevenson University, Owings Mills, MD.

Presentations to lay audiences can also reveal essential patient teaching experiences. The following example shows how these experiences can be summarized:

2022. “Recognizing Early Warning Signs of a Stroke.” Presented to the Senior Citizens Club of Towson, MD.

List certifications, certificates of completion, and licensure . Next, list professional certificates of completion and certifications, spelling out any credentials that may not be familiar to the reader. List the name of the agency that provided the certification, the year obtained, and expiration if applicable. For example:

To prevent identity theft, never include certification or social security numbers. Your documents are handled by and accessible to a wide range of agency staff during the recruitment and onboarding process.

List memberships in professional groups and organizations . Use the association's full name the first time it's mentioned, followed by its abbreviation or acronym thereafter. Include the years of membership:

If you belong to an underrepresented racial or ethnic group, use terms that will let the system identify you to employers trying to diversify their workforces and become more inclusive. 34 For example:

Share software and language skills . Nursing plays a vital role in electronic health record (EHR) use in the clinical setting. If you have experience with this information technology, include it among your other proficiencies. Cite your language skills or level of ability (fluency) in any language other than English and include mastery of American Sign Language or Braille. For example:

Software Skills:

2022–EpicCare EHR

2021–Cerner Ambulatory EHR

Language Skills:

Spanish–reading proficiency only

American Sign Language

Document research activities . Not all nursing students or new nurse graduates have conducted research. However, some students may have been involved in an evidence-based practice (EBP) initiative, introductory research, or a quality improvement project under the supervision of a faculty member or preceptor. These experiences can be impressive on novice nurses' résumés. Beginning research experiences, such as searching for, reviewing, and appraising the literature on a specific clinical question; helping develop data collection tools; assisting in data collection; and managing or interviewing subjects or respondents, can show basic research competencies, as well as the ability to understand statistical terms and the language used in research articles (see Example of a Nursing Research Listing ).

Include EBP experience . EBP initiatives are rapidly becoming the norm in most medical centers nationwide. EBP is a core competency of baccalaureate education. 12 Showing evidence of basic EBP capabilities can be advantageous, particularly if you're considering a job in an academic medical center. However, numerous reports, including from nurses, suggest that nurses are not properly trained to apply EBP and do not use it often enough. 35-41

If you are properly trained in EBP, you should list this information on your résumé. Include experiences such as assisting with the critical thinking required to formulate valid clinical questions and skills such as knowing what strong evidence looks like and how to search for it. These experiences can also include assisting with searching electronic databases for relevant evidence, critically appraising that evidence, and assisting in the difficult process of translating findings into practice changes.

REVIEWING AND SUBMITTING THE RÉSUMÉ

Write for the robot . After you have drafted your résumé, edit it for scanning by an applicant tracking system (ATS). Many nurses think their résumés are personally read by human eyes after they submit them to a job site. This was true—up until about 1999, when job searches first went online. 42 Nowadays, most employers use automated résumé scanning software, such as an ATS, to sort through multitudes of applicants. An ATS uses artificial intelligence to scan for relevant keywords, assess and screen candidates, and rank those that make it through the initial screening. 43, 44 Most résumés pass through an ATS before they get to a human—and an estimated 75% are never seen by a human at all. 45, 46

Eye-catching fonts, unique styling, and formatting used to help a résumé stand out and appeal to human reviewers. Now, a résumé should be designed using the simplest, most generic résumé template you can find so it can be readily scanned, read, and “understood” by the ATS. 42 Writing for these robots is not hard, though—it just requires attention to detail so your résumé will deliver what the ATS has been programmed to find. See How to Tailor Your Résumé for Scanning . 4, 34, 42, 46-49

Proofread, then proofread again . A recent study found that “applicants with error-laden résumés were less likely to be interviewed [and] hired [and were] offered lower starting salaries and rated lower on job-related traits than applicants with error-free résumés.” 50 Allow enough time for a thorough review of your completed résumé. Proofread it for layout consistency and check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. Bear in mind that it's very easy to miss errors in a document you've been working on repeatedly. And don't rely on your computer's spelling or grammar tools, which can miss mistakes such as misspelled uncommon words that aren't in the program's database. Ask someone else to proofread the résumé too. And last, avoid using the same words over and over. It suggests a lack of attention to detail. 51

Be honest . This should go without saying, but truth matters. Avoid embellishments in your education section, make sure all your dates are accurate, and don't exaggerate your skills and accomplishments.

A 2020 survey study of 400 applicants and 400 hiring professionals found that as many as 78% of applicants misrepresented themselves on their résumés and in interviews. 52 Moreover, about 44% of applicants reported they had faked or would fake references. 53 This is unwise, as lies can be easily exposed through routine background checks, or soon after starting work when you cannot meet job expectations. 54

Always send a cover letter . In response to a CareerBuilder survey, 40% of hiring managers said that the presence of a cover letter was more likely to get a résumé noticed. 55 A cover letter is usually a one-page letter addressed to the hiring manager briefly describing your interests, credentials, and qualifications for the available job. 55 A cover letter can significantly boost your application if it's well written or sink it if it's poorly written. Job search expert Alison Doyle offers some useful tips on writing cover letters for students and recent graduates at www.liveabout.com/student-cover-letter-samples-2063664 . For example, she suggests mentioning “soft skills—interpersonal ‘people’ skills like creative thinking, communication, teamwork, or time management that will help you to adapt easily to the people and clients or customers you will be working with.” 56 Specific references can be given during the interview rather than in a cover letter, but you can end your résumé with “References on Request.”

Stay in touch with prospective employers . Stay on top of communications with prospective employers. Try to respond to all requests from employers as soon as you can. And check your spam folder often: the automatic email responses frequently sent by ATSs may be read by your email provider as spam.

Bring a copy of your résumé to the interview . A good rule to follow is to always have a printed hard copy to share with nurse recruiters and nurse managers at the in-person interview. Although nurse recruiters and managers have the ATS version you submitted, many prefer to read and take notes on a hard copy. They also like to use these hard copies as a guide or blueprint for the interview. What's more, bringing a hard copy with you is your opportunity to adapt the initial résumé to include more details and appear more attractive than the ATS version. For an example of a final résumé, see Sample of New Graduate Nurse Résumé .

Make sure your résumé reflects your progress . Throughout your career, you'll need to revise the résumé as you apply for new positions. Although showcasing student work can be useful in a first-time job search, once you graduate and begin your first professional job, prospective employers may see some of these student entries as inappropriate or irrelevant. These entries should now be removed to make room for new professional accomplishments that show a progression in clinical and scholarly contributions, responsibility, authority, and leadership.

Remove items like anticipated date of graduation, school projects and papers, GPA, student clinical rotations, and part-time student jobs (such as babysitting or lawn mowing). However, any nonnursing jobs involving working with people, meeting deadlines, and essential responsibilities can remain for a few years before eventually being deleted.

It's a good idea to save a copy of your résumé that contains this older information. It serves as historical evidence of your past work and other achievements and could be useful at a future date. In fact, you should maintain a thorough, detailed master copy of your résumé, as well as a collection of all your old résumés. When you apply for a new position, you can pull from this database and use only those items that are relevant to the targeted new job.

An entrée into employment . Your résumé is your ambassador. It goes before you, introducing you to prospective employers and giving them a good first impression of you and your abilities. Highlighting your competencies by using keywords and metrics, formatting your content for an automated reviewer, and remembering to be employer focused can help push your résumé to the top of the stack. Writing an effective résumé can be challenging and time consuming. It requires research, editing, proofing by another reader, and rewrites. However, all that work can pay off—generating a prospective employer's interest and resulting in that sought-after in-person job interview.

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curriculum vitae; interview; job application; qualifications; résumé; résumé writing

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