Author Guidelines
Outcomes Management addresses the needs of all health professionals involved in the measurement, evaluation, and management of the quality and outcomes of patient care. Given the movement toward interdisciplinary team care delivery in a complex healthcare environment, Outcomes Management is a valuable resource for evidence-based practice.
MANUSCRIPT REVIEW
Outcomes Management is a refereed journal. Published manuscripts have been reviewed, selected, and developed with the guidance of the Editorial Board. Manuscript content is assessed for relevance, accuracy, and usefulness to advanced practice nurses, nurse managers and leaders, and nurses in other clinical practice roles; physicians; staff in outcomes management offices of hospitals; quality improvement managers and staff members; other health providers; and academicians involved in outcomes or related research. Manuscripts are reviewed with the understanding that neither the manuscript nor its essential content has been published or is under consideration by others. Following review by the Editorial Board, authors will receive a letter notifying them of the manuscript's status.
MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION
Submit 4 copies of the manuscript, along with a stamped, self-addressed, business-size envelope if you want receipt of your manuscript acknowledged. If you want your original manuscript returned after the review process, enclose a self-addressed, manuscript-size envelope with sufficient postage affixed. Address correspondence to: Marilyn H. Oermann, PhD, RN, FAAN, Editor, Outcomes Management, 168 North Cranbrook Cross Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301-2508; (248) 594-6933; e-mail: moermann@msn.com.
In the alternative, manuscripts can be submitted via e-mail to Marilyn Oermann at the address in the preceding paragraph. The e-mail should have attached the manuscript saved as MSWord from Office 2000 or earlier version of MSWord. The e-mail address from which the submission is sent will be used for return correspondence including the request for new submission if the submission cannot be opened.
AUTHORSHIP RESPONSIBILITY
All persons designated as authors should qualify for authorship. Each author should have contributed significantly to the conception and design of the work and writing the manuscript to take public responsibility for it. The editor may request justification of assignment of authorship. Names of those who contributed general support or technical help may be listed in an acknowledgment placed after the narrative and before the references.
MANUSCRIPT PREPARATION
Although not necessary, query letters allow the editor to indicate interest in, and developmental advice on, manuscript topics.
The maximum manuscript length is 18 pages including figures, tables, and references. As a general rule, the paper should have no more than 3 figures or tables. Tables and figures should be placed in the back of the manuscript after references. Tables must be numbered consecutively with Arabic numbers, should be double-spaced, and must have a title at the top. Figures and tables must be cited in numerical order in the text. If the author would like to submit art electronically, the images may be sent as a Tagged Image File Format (TIFF) or as an Encapsulated PostScript file, Adobe Illustrator®, Adobe Photoshop®, or QuarkXPress®. A laser proof must accompany the electronic art that is being submitted on disk.
Number pages consecutively in the upper right corner starting with the title/author biography page. Do not justify the right margin. Do not use running headers or footers. Use a 12-point font. Divide the manuscript into main sections by inserting subheads in the text. Subheads should be succinct, meaningful, and similar in sense and tone. Relative weights of the subheads and their relation to one another should be clear.
Prepare references according to the style used in the AMA Manual of Style, 9th ed. Sample references follow:
- Duffy JR. Cardiovascular outcomes initiative: case studies in performance improvement. Outcomes Manage Nurs Practice. 2000;4:110-115.
- Leape LL, Bates DW, Cullen DJ, et al. System analysis of adverse drug events. JAMA. 1995;274:35-43.
- Sullivan MP, Sharts-Hopko NC. Preventing the downward spiral. Am J Nurs. 2000;100(8):26-32.
- Hickey JV, Ouimette RM, Venegoni SL, eds. Advanced Practice Nursing: Changing Roles and Clinical Applications. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2000.
- Hixon ME. Professional development: socialization in advanced practice nursing. In: Hickey JV, Ouimette RM, Venegoni SL, eds. Advanced Practice Nursing: Changing Roles and Clinical Applications. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2000:46-65.
Each of the following should be placed on a separate page: (1) a 50- to 75-word abstract that stimulates readers' interest in the topic and states what readers will learn or how they will be better off after reading the article; (2) a title/author biography page. The author's biographic information includes name, credentials, position, place of employment, city, state, and e-mail address (optional), phone and fax numbers; (3) reference list; (4) acknowledgments; and (5) illustrations.
PERMISSIONS
Written permission must be obtained from (1) the holder of copyrighted material used in the manuscript; (2) persons mentioned in the narrative or acknowledgment; and (3) the administrators of institutions mentioned in the narrative or acknowledgment. Where permission has been granted, the author should follow any special wording stipulated by the grantor. Letters of permission must be submitted before publication of the manuscript.
REVIEW OF PROOF
Authors will see only page proof, not copy-edited manuscript. Alterations to page proof should be kept to a minimum and are subject to approval by the publisher.
