This past year has been one of sustained excellence for The Nurse Practitioner journal. The content is scholarly, evidence-based, cutting edge, practical, and interesting. Topics have been broad with appeal to advanced practice nurses (APNs) and other healthcare professionals working with different populations in a variety of practice and academic settings. There are even representative quality improvement projects and original research reports. Our mission addresses APNs' need for a venue that fosters professional development "to support nurse practitioners (NPs) in their pursuit of professional excellence through continuing education offerings and by providing a forum to discuss and strengthen their role in healthcare delivery."
I would like to thank the authors for writing manuscripts and choosing to submit them for consideration to the journal, the peer reviewers who share their expertise by taking the time to review manuscripts, faculty who introduce students to the journal, and readers who continue to support the journal.
I would also like to extend a special thank you to the editorial staff at the journal office who work tirelessly to convert the manuscripts into published articles; they work hard to transform those diamonds in the rough. As editor-in-chief, I am only one member of a large team that manages the production of the journal. The dedication and efforts of each member-ndividually and collectively-result in the depth and quality that readers expect in each issue.
Establishing connections
With every issue, the staff and I strive to establish a connection between the reader and/or author(s) and the journal. If you receive the print edition, the cover is the first thing you will notice. My favorite cover this year was the May issue featuring the continuing-education article, "Skin of color: A basic outline of unique differences" by Victor Czerkasij. The rich earth tones of the graphic grabbed my eye, and the circle of overlapping hands in alternating shades of brown evoked thoughts of diversity for me. The image instantly kindled my desire to reread the article.
An interactive experience
For an interactive reading experience using links and videos, you can view the journal with the iPad app available from the App Store. For even more options, visit http://www.tnpj.com, and you will find a list of the most popular articles, continuing-education offerings, archived issues, online exclusives, and published ahead-of-print material. You can even create your own personal collection of articles for easier organization and reference. To get you started, we have created collections of articles based on several common themes: dermatology, diabetes, mental health, obesity, pediatrics, and women's health. I also invite you to participate in the blog discussion on contemporary issues related to APN roles, education, and scope of practice.
Let your voice be heard
Technology puts the events of the year at our fingertips. Healthcare reform, implementation of the Affordable Care Act, new models of healthcare delivery, funding for NP education and training, full practice authority for NPs, and, of course, our dysfunctional federal government have been some of the headliners throughout the year. The Nurse Practitioner content includes related topics during the year through feature articles and the regular departments. It is unfortunate that after almost 50 years of existence, NPs must remain steadfast in working to increase awareness about the role. In October, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (http://www.aanp.org) launched a radio, TV, and print campaign to bring greater visibility to the NP role in primary, acute, and specialty care. More than 171,000 strong, each and every NP has a voice, so let yours be heard. The journal is here to meet the needs of its readers. Reflect on the progress we have made in 2013, and anticipate the exciting changes to come in 2014.
Jamesetta Newland, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, FAANP, DNPNAP
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF [email protected]