Editorial Policies

I. Introduction and Scope

This policy outlines the general editorial standards and publication-ethics commitments governing all manuscripts submitted to the Nurse Educators and Practitioners Journal (NEPJ). It applies to all authors, co-authors, reviewers, editors, and editorial staff involved in the submission, review, and publication process.

II. Policy Statement

• Submission of a manuscript to NEPJ implies that all authors have read and agreed to its content and that the manuscript conforms to the journal’s editorial policies and publication ethics.
• Only original works, free of plagiarism (including self-plagiarism), and not under simultaneous consideration by another publication outlet, will be accepted for review.
• Once a manuscript has been submitted to NEPJ, it may not be submitted elsewhere unless peer review results in NEPJ’s inability to accept the work for publication.
• The editors reserve the right to accept or reject any material submitted for consideration.
• Works published in NEPJ do not represent the views and opinions of the editors or of NEPraGuild, Inc. The journal will retract works that, after publication, are revealed to have breached norms of research and publication ethics.
• NEPJ does not charge authors for manuscript submission or initial editorial screening. A one-time manuscript processing fee is collected after completion of peer review and prior to release of the final review decision (see Section 13). Once processing has commenced, this fee is non-refundable, including where an author withdraws a manuscript already undergoing copyediting or final preparation for publication.

III. Procedures

• Editorial Screening: Incoming manuscripts are screened for scope, originality, and compliance with submission requirements.
• Desk Rejection: A submission may be rejected without proceeding to review if it—
  • Falls outside the scope of the journal;
  • Violates research ethics;
  • Is heavily plagiarized (similarity index exceeding 30%);
  • Has been previously published or is under consideration elsewhere; or
  • Does not sufficiently contribute new knowledge to the field.
• Article Types: NEPJ welcomes Original Research Articles, Feature Articles, Literature Reviews, Policy Papers, Commentaries, and Concept Papers.
• Decision-Making: Publication decisions are based on originality, scholarly contribution, clarity of writing, and significance of the work, and are not influenced by authors’ personal characteristics or institutional affiliation.
• Post-Acceptance Conduct: Once accepted, authors must consent to copyediting. Manuscripts undergoing copyediting may not be withdrawn except by mutual agreement and subject to a fee. Authors must respond promptly to editorial queries, approve major editorial changes, and have the right to review page proofs before publication.

IV. Responsibilities

Editors

Exercise final authority to accept or reject submitted material; ensure editorial decisions are free from bias.

Editorial Staff

Conduct initial screening and administer the desk-rejection process.

Authors

Ensure the work is original, properly cited, and not under simultaneous consideration elsewhere; respond promptly to editorial queries.

NEPraGuild, Inc.

Publisher of record; does not direct or influence individual editorial decisions.

V. Definitions

Desk Rejection

Rejection of a manuscript prior to peer review, on the grounds listed in Section III(2).

Similarity Index

The percentage of a manuscript’s text matching existing published or online sources, as measured by plagiarism-detection software.

VI. Review and Revision History

This policy will be reviewed periodically, consistent with COPE and ICMJE updates.

I. Introduction and Scope

This policy defines authorship eligibility, contributor roles, and acknowledgment practices for all manuscripts submitted to NEPJ.

II. Policy Statement

• Responsibility for authorship rests with those who carried out the work and submitted the manuscript; the journal does not itself adjudicate authorship disputes.
• An author is one who has made a significant intellectual contribution to a work and who accepts accountability for that contribution.
• Authorship Criteria — authorship must be based on substantial scholarly contribution falling into at least one of the following:
  • Conceptualizing and designing the study;
  • Processing and interpreting gathered data;
  • Drafting the manuscript or revising it critically for important intellectual content; and
  • Giving final approval of the version to be published.
  Participation solely in data gathering or funding, or general supervision of the research process, does not by itself justify authorship. Author order in the byline should reflect relative contribution.
• All listed authors must approve the manuscript as submitted and the page proofs prior to publication.
• Individuals whose contributions do not warrant authorship must be named, with their specific contribution, in an acknowledgments section rather than as authors.
• Should questions about a published work arise, the author(s) should respond honestly and professionally.
• Contribution Details: Submissions with three or more authors must provide a description of each author’s contribution, categorized as applicable into: Concept, Design, Definition of intellectual content, Literature search, Data acquisition, Data analysis, Statistical analysis, Manuscript preparation, Manuscript editing, and Manuscript review.
• Acknowledgment: Individuals who contributed (e.g., general supervision, funding acquisition, study design, data collection, technical or writing assistance, substantive scholarly discussion) but do not qualify as authors are acknowledged in the opening paragraph of the Notes section, as are organizations providing funding or other resources. Authors must notify and obtain permission from anyone named in this section, sharing the article so the individual can verify the context of the acknowledgment.
• Any assistance from artificial intelligence (AI) tools in content generation must be clearly acknowledged within the article (see Section 5).

III. Procedures

1. At Submission: Corresponding author confirms the author list and order.
2. For 3+ Authors: Corresponding author submits a contribution statement mapped to the categories in Section II.
3. Acceptance: All authors complete and submit an Authorship and Publishing Agreement confirming authorship eligibility, individual contributions, and responsibility for the content (see Section 14).
4. Acknowledgment Verification: Authors secure and document permission from every individual or organization named in the acknowledgments.

IV. Responsibilities

Corresponding Author

Ensures all co-authors agree on the author list, order, and contribution statement, and serves as the point of contact with the journal.

Co-Authors

Review and approve the submitted manuscript and final page proofs; respond to post-publication questions.

Journal

Does not mediate authorship disputes among contributors but requires the Authorship and Publishing Agreement as a condition of publication.

V. Definitions

Author

An individual meeting all four authorship criteria in Section II.

Acknowledgment

A named, non-authorship credit for a contribution that does not meet the authorship threshold.

VI. Review and Revision History

This policy will be reviewed periodically, consistent with COPE, ICMJE, and GPP3 updates.

I. Introduction and Scope

This policy governs the conduct of peer review for manuscripts submitted to NEPJ.

II. Policy Statement

• All manuscripts undergo double-blind peer review.
• Editors and reviewers evaluate submissions solely on scholarly merit.
• Editors recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where a conflict of interest exists.
• Reviewers provide objective, respectful, and confidential evaluations and receive no compensation for their review activity.
• Acceptance of a manuscript is not affected by an author’s agreement (or declining) to serve as a peer reviewer for other submissions.

III. Procedures

1. Manuscripts passing initial screening are assigned to qualified double-blind reviewers.
2. Reviewer comments are returned to the corresponding author for response and revision.
3. Revised manuscripts are re-evaluated by the editors and, where necessary, the original reviewers.
4. A final editorial decision (accept, revise, or reject) is issued to the corresponding author.

IV. Responsibilities

Editors

Assign qualified, conflict-free reviewers; make timely, merit-based decisions.

Reviewers

Maintain confidentiality; provide unbiased, constructive, and specific feedback; disclose any conflicts of interest; decline reviews where a conflict exists.

Corresponding Author

Submits timely and complete responses to reviewer comments.

V. Definitions

Double-Blind Review

A review process in which both reviewer and author identities are withheld from one another.

VI. Review and Revision History

This policy will be reviewed periodically, consistent with COPE and ICMJE updates.

I. Introduction and Scope

This policy establishes NEPJ’s ethical standards and its procedures for addressing publication misconduct, in accordance with COPE guidelines.

II. Policy Statement

• NEPJ addresses all forms of misconduct in accordance with COPE guidelines, including but not limited to: affiliation misrepresentation, copyright breaches, citation manipulation, data or image fabrication and falsification, duplicate submission or publication, ethics dumping, improper authorship attribution, peer review manipulation, plagiarism, redundant publication and self-plagiarism, undisclosed competing interests, and unethical research.
• Conflicts of Interest: All authors must declare competing interests, financial or non-financial, that are or could be perceived to be relevant to the article, including with products that compete with those discussed in the manuscript. Authors in doubt should consult their institution or the Editor-in-Chief.
• Data Integrity: Deliberate manipulation or fabrication of data constitutes serious academic misconduct. Authors must ensure all presented data are accurate, retain original data, and provide it upon request; failure to do so may result in rejection or retraction.
• Citation Integrity: Authors must cite relevant, timely, and verified literature and must avoid excessive or inappropriate self-citation, or prearrangements among author groups to cite one another inappropriately (citation manipulation).
• Reviewers are expected to uphold integrity, confidentiality, and conflict-of-interest disclosure throughout the review process.

III. Procedures

1. Initial Assessment: Allegations of misconduct are reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief (and, where the journal establishes one, an Ethics Committee), who may request explanations, raw data, or institutional documentation.
2. Investigation: Conducted following COPE guidelines, and may involve authors, reviewers, institutions, or funding agencies as relevant.
3. Outcomes: Depending on severity, actions may include rejection of the manuscript, correction (erratum/corrigendum), expression of concern, retraction, or notification to institutions or regulatory bodies. All outcomes are documented.

IV. Responsibilities

Authors

Ensure accuracy and integrity of data; disclose conflicts of interest and funding sources; retain and produce original data on request.

Reviewers

Maintain confidentiality and objectivity; disclose conflicts; decline reviews where conflicted.

Editors

Investigate allegations impartially; follow COPE flowcharts; recuse themselves where conflicted.

V. Definitions

Conflict of Interest

A financial or non-financial relationship that could influence, or appear to influence, an author’s, reviewer’s, or editor’s judgment.

Citation Manipulation

Excessive, inappropriate, or coordinated self-citation intended to inflate citation metrics.

VI. Review and Revision History

This policy will be reviewed periodically, consistent with COPE updates.

I. Introduction and Scope

This policy defines the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-assisted tools in the preparation, review, and editorial handling of manuscripts submitted to NEPJ, consistent with the journal’s editorial policies on authorship and principles of publishing ethics.

II. Policy Statement

• AI tools cannot meet authorship criteria and must never be listed as an author or co-author.
• Any assistance from AI tools for content generation (e.g., large language models) or other similar technical tools must be clearly acknowledged within the article.
• Authors are expected to use AI tools responsibly and remain fully accountable for the accuracy, integrity, and originality of all submitted content, regardless of AI involvement.

III. Procedures

1. Authors disclose the name and purpose of any AI tool used in manuscript preparation as part of the acknowledgment section, consistent with Section 2.
2. Editorial staff verify that disclosed AI use is consistent with the journal’s authorship and integrity requirements before proceeding to copyediting.

IV. Responsibilities

Authors

Disclose all substantial AI assistance and verify the accuracy of any AI-assisted content.

Editorial Staff

Confirm that AI disclosures are complete and appropriately placed in the acknowledgment section.

V. Definitions

AI-Assisted Technologies

Large language models, chatbots, image generators, code assistants, and similar automated tools used in manuscript preparation, analysis, or editing.

VI. Review and Revision History

This policy will be reviewed periodically to remain aligned with evolving ICMJE and COPE guidance on AI in scholarly publishing.

I. Introduction and Scope

This policy governs concurrent submissions, duplicate or redundant publication, and related desk-rejection criteria.

II. Policy Statement

• Authors must declare upon submission that their manuscript is not under consideration elsewhere. This applies equally to manuscripts previously published in another language, unless submitted and clearly declared as a translation.
• A submission found to be heavily plagiarized (similarity index exceeding 30%, as measured by Turnitin — see Section 7), previously published, under simultaneous consideration elsewhere, outside journal scope, in violation of research ethics, or lacking sufficient new contribution, is subject to desk rejection.

III. Procedures

1. Authors disclose, at submission, any related manuscripts in preparation, under consideration, or already published.
2. Where overlap with prior work exists, authors must cite the original work and clarify how the current submission adds to it.
3. Suspected duplicate or concurrent submission is investigated following COPE guidelines and may result in desk rejection, correction, or retraction if already published.

IV. Responsibilities

Authors

Verify and disclose the originality and publication status of their submission.

Editorial Staff

Screen for duplication and coordinate any necessary investigation.

V. Definitions

Concurrent Submission

Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal at the same time.

Duplicate/Redundant Publication

Publishing whole or substantial parts of previously published work without transparent declaration and referencing.

VI. Review and Revision History

This policy will be reviewed periodically, consistent with COPE and ICMJE updates.

I. Introduction and Scope

This policy defines plagiarism and describes NEPJ’s detection and handling procedures.

II. Policy Statement

• NEPJ places immense importance on integrity in publishing and supports a comprehensive anti-plagiarism approach.
• All submitted manuscripts are checked for plagiarism using Turnitin.
• Manuscripts exceeding a 30% similarity index are rejected.

III. Procedures

1. Every submission is screened through Turnitin as part of initial editorial processing.
2. Manuscripts exceeding the 30% threshold are desk-rejected (see Section 6).
3. Where plagiarism is suspected post-review or post-publication, the matter is investigated under the journal’s misconduct procedures (Section 4).

IV. Responsibilities

Editorial Staff

Run and review Turnitin similarity reports for every submission.

Authors

Ensure all borrowed ideas, text, and data are properly cited and attributed, including their own previously published work.

V. Definitions

Plagiarism

The presentation of work copied in whole or in part from another source, including one’s own prior work, without proper documentation or acknowledgment.

Similarity Index

The percentage of matched text identified by Turnitin against existing published or online sources.

VI. Review and Revision History

This policy will be reviewed periodically, consistent with COPE guidance.

I. Introduction and Scope

This policy governs post-publication corrections, expressions of concern, and retractions of articles published in NEPJ.

II. Policy Statement

• Corrections may be made to a published article with authorization from the Editor-in-Chief, who determines the extent of the correction.
• Minor corrections are made directly to the original article, with a post-publication erratum notice appearing in the following issue.
• Major corrections leave the original article unchanged; a corrected version is published alongside it, the two versions are linked, and a statement explains the reason for the change.
• Retractions are carried out in accordance with COPE retraction guidelines. These are permanent, transparent records intended to preserve scholarly integrity and are not punitive.

III. Procedures

1. Requests to publish corrections, clarifications, or amendments are submitted in writing to the editorial office.
2. Reported errors are reviewed by the editors in consultation with the authors.
3. Where a correction is warranted, NEPJ publishes a Correction (Erratum or Corrigendum) notice describing the nature of the error and the correction made; the corrected article is updated online with the correction date clearly indicated.
4. For suspected serious flaws or erroneous content, authors are given the opportunity to respond to claims (e.g., of fraud or other anomalous activity) raised by a reader before a retraction decision is made.
5. Retractions and expressions of concern, where necessary, follow COPE guidelines.

IV. Responsibilities

Editor-in-Chief

Authorizes corrections and determines their scope; oversees retraction decisions.

Authors

Respond to error reports and claims raised against their published work.

Editorial Staff

Publish and link correction/retraction notices and update the online record.

V. Definitions

Erratum/Corrigendum

A notice correcting an error or omission in a published article.

Expression of Concern

A notice indicating an unresolved or ongoing integrity investigation into a published article.

Retraction

Formal withdrawal of a published article due to serious ethical or scientific flaws.

VI. Review and Revision History

This policy will be reviewed periodically, consistent with COPE retraction guidelines.

I. Introduction and Scope

This policy describes how authors and other parties may raise appeals or complaints regarding editorial decisions.

II. Policy Statement

• NEPJ follows COPE guidelines on appeals to editorial decisions and on management of the peer-review process.
• The journal welcomes genuine appeals, including concerns raised post-publication.

III. Procedures

1. Appeals are addressed in writing to the Editor-in-Chief.
2. The Editor-in-Chief investigates by first requesting information from all parties involved, then proposes a course of action consistent with academic ethical principles.
3. Submissions may be halted in the review or publication process until the issue is resolved.
4. Where the Editor-in-Chief is a party to the complaint, the Editorial Board, led by its most senior member, investigates the claim and proposes a course of action.

IV. Responsibilities

Editor-in-Chief

Investigates and resolves appeals and complaints not involving themselves.

Editorial Board

Investigates and resolves complaints involving the Editor-in-Chief.

Complainant/Author

Submits the appeal in writing with supporting information.

V. Definitions

Appeal

A formal request to reconsider an editorial decision, such as a rejection.

VI. Review and Revision History

This policy will be reviewed periodically, consistent with COPE guidelines.

I. Introduction and Scope

This policy governs copyright ownership, licensing terms, and open-access distribution of content published in NEPJ.

II. Policy Statement

• Open Access: NEPJ is a fully Open Access journal. All articles are immediately and freely available to read, download, and share, without subscription or access fees.
• License: All published content is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0), permitting copying, distribution, display, performance, and creation of derivative works, provided the original author(s) and source are properly credited.
• Bethesda Definition: NEPJ follows the Bethesda Statement on Open Access Publishing: authors and copyright holders grant all users a free, irrevocable, worldwide, perpetual right of access to, and license to copy, use, distribute, transmit, and display the work publicly, and to create and distribute derivative works in any digital medium for any responsible purpose, with proper attribution. A complete version of the article, including this permission, is deposited immediately upon publication in a recognized online repository committed to open access and long-term archiving.
• Preprints: Authors may freely share preprints. After acceptance, authors are encouraged to link the preprint to the official publication using its DOI.
• Third-Party Material: Authors must obtain written permission for images, figures, and other third-party content that is owned or copyrighted by others, and must supply proof of permission.

III. Procedures

1. Authors secure and submit proof of permission for third-party material as part of the submission or acceptance process.
2. Upon publication, a complete version of the article and supplemental materials is deposited in the journal’s designated open-access repository.
3. Authors linking a preprint to the published version do so via the assigned DOI.

IV. Responsibilities

Authors

Secure and provide proof of third-party permissions; link preprints to the DOI post-publication.

Journal

Deposits the published version in an open-access repository and administers the CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

V. Definitions

CC BY-SA 4.0

A Creative Commons license permitting reuse and adaptation with attribution, provided derivative works are shared under the same license.

Preprint

A version of a manuscript shared publicly prior to or during peer review.

VI. Review and Revision History

This policy will be reviewed periodically, consistent with open-access and licensing best practice.

I. Introduction and Scope

This policy governs the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and the handling of personal data collected by NEPJ, consistent with Republic Act No. 10173 (Data Privacy Act of 2012).

II. Policy Statement

• Manuscript Confidentiality: Submitted manuscripts are treated with utmost confidentiality. Access is limited to editors, reviewers, and authorized journal staff. In cases of suspected misconduct, manuscripts may be shared with relevant institutional bodies or authorities as required for investigation and resolution, following applicable COPE flowcharts.
• Personal Data: NEPJ collects and processes personal data provided during registration, submission, peer review, and editorial processing — including names, email addresses, institutional affiliations, and academic information — solely to operate and manage the journal.
• Personal data are used exclusively for legitimate scholarly publishing activities (editorial communication, peer review, publication, indexing, archiving) and are never sold, traded, or used for commercial or marketing purposes.
• Access to personal data is limited to authorized editors, journal staff, and system administrators, and may be disclosed only where required for journal operations or by law.
• NEPJ implements reasonable organizational, technical, and physical security measures to protect personal data against unauthorized access, loss, or misuse, and retains personal data only as long as necessary to meet editorial, publishing, and legal obligations.
• Data Subject Rights: In accordance with RA 10173, data subjects have the right to be informed, to object to processing, to access, to correct, and to request portability, blocking, or deletion of their personal data, subject to applicable legal and publishing requirements, and may file a complaint with the National Privacy Commission.
• By registering with or submitting to NEPJ, users acknowledge and consent to the collection and processing of their personal data as described in this policy.

III. Procedures

1. Personal data collected at registration/submission is stored in restricted-access systems.
2. Requests to access, correct, or delete personal data are directed to the editorial office and handled in accordance with RA 10173.
3. Manuscripts flagged for suspected misconduct may be shared with institutional or regulatory bodies following COPE flowcharts, with access otherwise restricted to editors, reviewers, and authorized staff.

IV. Responsibilities

Journal / Editorial Staff

Restrict manuscript and personal-data access to authorized personnel; respond to data-subject requests.

Reviewers

Maintain strict confidentiality of manuscripts under review.

Authors / Users

Provide accurate personal data and may exercise their rights under RA 10173 by contacting the editorial office.

V. Definitions

Personal Data

Information such as names, email addresses, institutional affiliations, and academic information collected through the journal’s systems.

VI. Review and Revision History

This policy will be reviewed periodically for continued compliance with RA 10173 and COPE confidentiality standards.

I. Introduction and Scope

This policy covers disclosure of funding sources, the journal’s advertising posture, and consent requirements for identifiable individuals appearing in published articles.

II. Policy Statement

• Funding: Authors must declare all sources of funding that supported their research and manuscript preparation; this is documented in the acknowledgment section (see Section 2).
• Advertising: NEPJ does not accept or display advertising of any kind — including banner ads, programmatic/third-party ad networks, sponsored content, native advertising, or promotional inserts. Because the journal carries no advertising, there is no commercial influence on editorial decisions, peer review, or acceptance/rejection of manuscripts; editorial and operational functions remain independent. No paid advertisements appear in email alerts or newsletters, and no third-party advertising scripts or pixels are served on article pages. If NEPJ ever introduces advertising, it will publish acceptance criteria and placement rules, maintain a strict firewall between editorial and commercial operations, clearly label all ads, prohibit advertorial formats that could be confused with editorial content, and disclose the policy with contact information for queries or complaints.
• Consent for Publication: Authors must obtain consent from individuals whose names, images, or identifying information appear in a published article. Consent forms must state that the details/images will be available on the internet and accessible to the general public, and must be made available to the Editor-in-Chief upon request; such forms are treated confidentially.

III. Procedures

1. Authors disclose funding sources as part of the acknowledgment section at submission.
2. Authors obtain and retain signed consent forms for any identifiable individual featured in the article, producing them to the Editor-in-Chief upon request.

IV. Responsibilities

Authors

Disclose funding; obtain and retain consent documentation.

Editor-in-Chief

May request consent documentation and enforces the no-advertising policy.

V. Definitions

Consent for Publication

Documented permission from an identifiable individual for the public, internet-accessible use of their name, image, or identifying information.

VI. Review and Revision History

This policy will be reviewed periodically as needed.

I. Introduction and Scope

This policy describes NEPJ’s fee structure to support its full open-access publishing model.

II. Policy Statement

• NEPJ does not charge for manuscript submission or initial editorial screening.
• A one-time manuscript processing fee is collected after peer review is complete and prior to release of the final review decision; once processing has commenced, this fee is non-refundable — including where an author withdraws a manuscript already undergoing copyediting or final preparation for publication.
• Upon acceptance, an Article Publication Charge (APC) of USD 115.00 or PHP 6,500.00 applies, supporting editorial and peer-review management, website hosting and maintenance, Crossref DOI registration, digital archiving and preservation, professional copyediting and formatting, and dissemination of published content.

III. Procedures

1. Upon acceptance, the corresponding author receives an official invoice with the applicable APC and payment instructions.
2. Confirm the exact APC amount payable and prepare payment details (author name, article title, etc.).
3. Pay at any Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) branch or via BPI online/mobile banking.
4. Deposit the APC to — Account Name: Nurse Educators and Practitioners Guild; Account Number: 0573-3771-17; Bank: Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI).
5. Obtain an official transaction receipt (branch) or a screenshot/download of the payment confirmation (online).
6. Email proof of payment to editor@nepj.org, including full name, article title, date of payment, amount paid, and transaction/reference number (if available).
7. Await confirmation from the journal that payment has been received and processed.

IV. Responsibilities

Corresponding Author

Pays the APC and submits proof of payment.

Editorial Office

Issues invoices, confirms receipt of payment, and processes the manuscript toward publication.

V. Definitions

Article Publication Charge (APC)

The one-time fee charged on acceptance to support open-access publication.

VI. Review and Revision History

This policy will be reviewed periodically as needed.

I. Introduction and Scope

This policy governs the workflow from manuscript acceptance through post-publication correspondence.

II. Policy Statement

• Authorship Form and Publishing Agreement: All authors must complete and submit an Authorship and Publishing Agreement upon acceptance, confirming authorship eligibility, individual contributions, responsibility for the content, and agreement with the journal’s publication policies, consistent with Section 2.
• Editing and Copyediting: Accepted manuscripts undergo editorial and copyediting in accordance with the journal’s approved style and formatting guidelines; edited manuscripts are returned to the corresponding author (or designated representative) for review and approval before publication. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy and integrity of all statements, including revisions introduced during editing and production that the corresponding author approves.
• Embargo and Confidentiality: Authors must not publicly disclose the acceptance status, content, or findings of their manuscript prior to official publication, except to coauthors and acknowledged contributors, unless prior permission is obtained from the Editor-in-Chief or disclosure is required for academic presentations or institutional reporting.
• Publication: Upon acceptance and completion of all editorial requirements, articles are published as part of a scheduled issue and made available online via the journal’s OJS/PKP platform; all articles are assigned a DOI and are immediately accessible under the open-access policy.
• Post-Publication Correspondence: The corresponding author may be invited to respond to letters, commentaries, or communications related to the published article; such correspondence is subject to editorial review and may be published at the editorial board’s discretion.
• Reprints and e-Prints: NEPJ publishes all articles in digital open-access format. Authors may download and share the final published PDF for scholarly and educational purposes, consistent with the journal’s copyright and licensing policy. Requests for professionally formatted reprints or e-prints, where applicable, may be coordinated through the editorial office.
• Continuing Professional Development (CPD): NEPJ does not directly offer CPD credits for published articles; authors may use their published work as supporting evidence for professional development, promotion, or accreditation in accordance with their regulatory or accrediting bodies’ policies.

III. Procedures

1. Authors submit the completed Authorship and Publishing Agreement upon acceptance.
2. Editorial staff copyedit the manuscript and return it to the corresponding author for review and approval.
3. Approved manuscripts are scheduled into an issue, assigned a DOI, and published online.
4. Post-publication correspondence, correction requests, and reprint requests are routed to editor@nepj.org.

IV. Responsibilities

Corresponding Author (or designated representative)

Reviews and approves copyedited proofs; coordinates post-publication correspondence and reprint requests.

Editorial Office

Manages copyediting, DOI assignment, scheduling, and publication on the OJS/PKP platform.

V. Definitions

Embargo

The period between acceptance and official publication during which disclosure of the manuscript’s status or content is restricted.

VI. Review and Revision History

This policy will be reviewed periodically as needed.