Virtually everyone reports to a boss, a board, or an oversight committee and many of us report to more than one. In my position as Editor of the Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing, I serve at the pleasure of the Officers and Directors of the WOCN Society. The Journal is a significant benefit for WOCN members (part of your Society dues pay for an annual subscription), and it is part of the Society's estate (along with other enduring legacies). In addition to reporting regularly to the leadership of the WOCN, I believe it proper to report to the larger board, our subscribers. Reports to the WOCN Board, as you might expect, largely focus on matters of administrative process, costs, and profits. In contrast, my report to you, our readers, will primarily focus on the editorial process, followed by a call for papers designed to provide some insights into the priorities for Volume 35, which will begin with Issue 1 in January, 2008.

Editorial Process

All editorial decisions arise from a peer-review system designed to obtain a consensus of opinion about the accuracy, clinical relevance, and applicability of manuscripts to WOC practice. When a manuscript is submitted to the Journal, it is sent to 2 to 3 peer reviewers. Peer reviewers are usually WOC nurses, but we also seek reviews from researchers, physicians, or physical therapists interested in wound, ostomy, or incontinence issues for selected articles. All peer reviewers must have published at least one article in a peer-reviewed journal, ensuring that they have experienced the same process of critique and revision you will experience as you move toward publication of your article. Peer reviewer comments are then examined by a Section Editor, who combines redundant comments, and determines which revisions are essential. These comments are then forwarded to me, and I embed these comments into your manuscript in a manner that is intended to allow authors to respond to comments in the most efficient manner. The vast majority of manuscripts require some level of revision; this is common for all journals. Most manuscripts are ready for publication after a single round of revision. Some manuscripts require 2 rounds of communication between author and editor, where the second round typically focuses on clarification of specific points.

You will note that separation of manuscripts into a pile of rejects versus accepts is not a prominent step in this process. Contrary to myth, the Journal seeks to work with authors to ensure that their manuscripts are ultimately published, and I speak for the entire Editorial Board when I say that this policy remains in place and will continue to be employed as long as I am able to serve as Editor. For our part, the process requires considerable editorial time devoted to ensuring that revisions are presented in a clear and concise manner that is not judgmental or harsh. For the author's part, the process requires the willingness to revise based on input from peer reviewers. Comments about the editorial process should be directed to the Editorial Office of the Journal at [email protected].

Promotional and Editorial Content

Industry partners and the products they manufacture are essential to our practice (refer to Ben Peirce's View from Here in this issue for an insightful historical review of the impact of product innovation on wound care practice). Nevertheless, the Journal exists for clinicians, and its editorial mission supersedes any commercial considerations. This separation is often a surprisingly difficult process, since authors often wish to express legitimate praise (or criticism) of a particular product, and since industry partners are understandably anxious to introduce or ensure that you remain mindful of their product and its intended uses. The Journal continues to employ a variety of policies to separate promotional materials from editorial content. These policies include: (1) advertisements are placed between editorial content (between sections or features in the Journal), (2) advertisements for products are never placed immediately adjacent to an article that focuses on that product, (3) advertisements are limited to those companies that manufacture products designed to enhance patient care or our practice (advertisements for cars or unrelated electronic products are never allowed in a professional journal), (4) products are primarily described using generic terms when feasible and product names and manufacturers are mentioned once in parenthesis, and (5) authors are required to disclose financial relationships with industry partners and sources of funding for research. You may note one change in the placement of advertisements. We will begin placing advertisements between the 3 principal sections of the Journal (Wound, Ostomy, and Continence). This decision was made because it will help spread promotional pages more evenly throughout the Journal, enabling you to more rapidly locate editorial content while retaining our policy of never placing these materials within an article. Comments about the policies related to promotional materials should be directed to the Editorial Office of the Journal at [email protected].

Volume 35: A Call for Authors

The Journal is always interested in any manuscript focusing on wound, ostomy, or continence practice. We are also seeking professional practice articles of particular interest to WOC nurses. However, we are especially seeking manuscripts in the following areas of wound, ostomy, and continence care. See accompanying boxes for a detailed list.

Wound Care

* Review articles, case studies, case series, and original research reports focusing on the potential role of unprocessed honey in wound healing

* Review articles or original research reports focusing on the antibacterial properties of silver

* Continuous Quality Improvement projects, research reports, or institutional case studies focusing on innovative approaches to reduce facility-acquired pressure ulcers

* Case studies, case series, review articles, and original research reports focusing on topical therapies for pressure ulcers, vascular ulcers, or neuropathic (diabetic foot) ulcers

* Original research reports focusing on the histologic and clinical effects of negative pressure wound therapy

Ostomy Care

* Original research reports comparing surgical outcomes for patients who undergo preoperative stoma site marking by a WOC nurse compared to patients who do not

* Case studies, case series, or original research reports focusing on stomal or peristomal complications

* Case studies, case series, or original research reports focusing on other potential sequelae of ostomy surgery including physical manifestations such as low back pain or psychosocial manifestations such as depression, altered sexual function, or embarrassment

* Original research reports conforming or challenging the assertions of the ongoing WOCN Ostomy Consensus Session including ostomy pouch wear time and minimum standards for immediate postoperative education of patient and family

Continence Care

* Original research, case studies, and case series on urinary or fecal stream diversion using an indwelling catheter or fecal/bowel management system

* Case studies, case series, or original research focusing on pelvic floor muscle rehabilitation for stress, urge, and mixed urinary incontinence

* Review articles, case studies, and case series focusing on conservative management of bowel dysfunctions such as chronic constipation, diarrhea, or C difficile associated diarrhea

* Original research reports, case studies, and case series focusing on incontinence-associated dermatitis or moisture-associated skin damage in patients with urinary and/or fecal incontinence

Challenges in Practice

Our Challenges in Practice Section Editor invites case studies or multiple cases series that illustrate the importance of critical thinking or provide alternative or novel approaches to WOC management. This section is ideal for the novice author who has not published platform articles in JWOCN or other journals. Potential cases discussed on the WOC Web Forum that would translate into excellent Challenges in Practice articles include:

* Use of BCT ointment in full thickness wounds

* Perineal erythema in a frail elderly patient nonresponsive to urinary stream diversion with an indwelling catheter

* Rationale for selecting a particular debriding technique based on wound type, care setting, and expertise within the facility

* Case studies or case series focusing on initial experiences with novel mattresses, wound care dressings, wound care devices, or other topical wound care therapies

* Case studies or case series focusing on unusual stomal or peristomal complications

Respectfully submitted,

Mikel Gray

Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing