Submission Guidelines

Submission Requirements

The Nurse Educators and Practitioners Journal (NEPJ) accepts scholarly manuscripts that are within the journal’s aims and scope and meet its standards for scientific quality, academic rigor, ethical conduct, and publication integrity. NEPJ accepts Research Articles, Literature Reviews, Brief Reports, Applied Theoretical and Conceptual Frameworks, Methods articles, Commentaries, and Editorials, subject to the requirements and limitations specified below.

Manuscripts must be original work and must not be under simultaneous consideration by another journal or publisher. Authors must have the rights to the submitted work and must obtain and be able to provide all necessary permissions for the reproduction of copyrighted material not owned by the authors, including figures, illustrations, tables, lengthy quotations, and other previously published materials.

Submission of a manuscript signifies that all authors have reviewed and approved the submission and agree to be responsible for the work. Authors also agree that manuscripts may undergo reasonable editorial and production modifications to conform to the journal’s scientific, ethical, integrity, and formatting standards without altering the substantive content of the work.

Authors are responsible for the accuracy and integrity of the information presented in their manuscripts. Statements, interpretations, opinions, and conclusions expressed in published articles remain the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Editors or the Nurse Educators and Practitioners Guild, Inc.

Authors are expected to comply with the journal’s stated publication license and all applicable editorial and publication ethics policies.

Manuscript Submission

NEPJ recommends that authors comply with the Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals developed by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) and adhere to the principles and ethical guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

NEPJ is committed to maintaining the integrity, transparency, and reliability of the scholarly record. Authors are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the COPE International Standards for Authors and the responsibilities associated with responsible authorship and publication.

Authors should also review the NEPJ Editorial Policies and Publication Ethics Policies, which govern manuscript submission, editorial assessment, peer review, revision, decision-making, and publication.

Manuscripts are submitted through the journal’s Open Journal Systems (OJS) platform. Authors must register for an account before submitting a manuscript. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all required submission information and metadata are complete and accurate.

All communications concerning a submitted manuscript, including editorial decisions, requests for revision, reviewer-related communications, and submission updates, should be conducted through the OJS platform whenever applicable. Authors should regularly monitor their OJS accounts and the email address associated with their submission.

Each submission is assigned a unique manuscript record through the OJS platform. Authors should refer to this record when communicating with the Editorial Office regarding a particular manuscript.

Manuscript Guidelines

Manuscripts must fall within the scope of NEPJ and must demonstrate sufficient scientific, scholarly, or academic quality to warrant editorial and peer-review consideration. Authors are encouraged to review the journal’s Aims and Scope before submission to determine whether their manuscript is appropriate for the journal.

NEPJ accepts the following article types:

• Research Articles
• Literature Reviews
• Brief Reports
• Applied Theoretical and Conceptual Frameworks
• Methods articles
• Commentaries
• Editorials

NEPJ does not accept:

• Studies focusing solely on nurses, healthcare providers, or students without patient-focused primary outcomes
• Case reports
• Case studies
• Single-subject studies
• Study protocols
• Thesis reports submitted in thesis format

Thesis-derived manuscripts may be considered when substantially revised and prepared as a journal manuscript in accordance with NEPJ requirements. Table of contents, lists of figures and tables, review-of-literature chapters, and other thesis-specific components should not be included in a manuscript prepared for journal publication.

Authors must disclose any material that has been previously published, submitted elsewhere, or is substantially similar to the submitted manuscript.

Authors will be required, as applicable, to complete a supplementary table addressing the representativeness of study participants and a lay person impact statement. Further instructions will be provided as the manuscript approaches acceptance.

Article Types and Word Limits

Article Structure

Authors should organize manuscripts systematically using clear and concise section headings. Subsections may be used where appropriate to improve clarity and facilitate cross-referencing.

Abstract

Research Articles should include an informative structured abstract covering Introduction, Aim(s), Methods, Results, and Conclusions.

The abstract should contain 200–300 words and should accurately reflect the content of the manuscript. Citations should be avoided whenever possible.

Keywords

Keywords should be listed after the abstract and arranged alphabetically. Authors should select terms that accurately represent the subject matter of the manuscript and facilitate indexing and retrieval.

Introduction

The Introduction should provide a concise and focused background to the study. It should identify relevant gaps in existing knowledge or practice, establish the significance of the research, and describe its potential contribution or impact. The Introduction should conclude with the aim or objectives of the study.

Methods

The Methods section should provide sufficient detail to allow readers to understand and, where appropriate, reproduce the study.

• Design: Identify and describe the study design, such as experimental, observational, qualitative, mixed-methods, or other appropriate design.
• Participants: Describe the study population and sample, including relevant characteristics, eligibility criteria, and sample size.
• Setting: Describe the location and context in which the study was conducted.
• Data Collection: Describe the procedures, instruments, and processes used to collect data.
• Ethical Considerations: State relevant ethical approvals, informed consent procedures, and other safeguards for participants.
• Data Analysis: Describe the statistical, qualitative, or other analytical procedures used and their relationship to the study variables or research questions.

Results

Results should be presented clearly and concisely and should directly address the research questions or objectives. Tables and figures may be used to support the presentation of findings but should not unnecessarily duplicate information provided in the text.

Discussion

The Discussion should interpret the findings in relation to the research objectives and relevant existing literature. Authors should address the implications of the findings, relevant strengths and limitations, and their significance to nursing education, nursing practice, healthcare, research, or other relevant areas within the journal’s scope.

Conclusion

The Conclusion should synthesize the principal findings and clearly state the contribution of the study. It should not introduce new findings, arguments, or information that were not presented and discussed in the manuscript.

Acknowledgments

Individuals, organizations, institutions, or other contributors who assisted with the work but do not meet the criteria for authorship may be acknowledged. Authors should disclose relevant writing, editorial, technical, or other assistance, including assistance provided by third parties.

Funding

All sources of financial or material support should be disclosed. Where applicable, authors may use the following statement:

“This study received funding from [Funding Source Name]. The funding source did not influence study design, data collection and analysis, interpretation, or publication decision.”

Conflict of Interest

Authors must declare any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest that could influence the conduct, interpretation, or reporting of the study. This may include financial interests, professional affiliations, personal relationships, or other relevant circumstances.

References

References must be accurate, complete, and correspond exactly with citations in the manuscript. NEPJ follows APA 7th edition for in-text citations and reference formatting. References should be alphabetized by the surname of the first author.

Unpublished results and personal communications are discouraged in the reference list. Where necessary, they may be cited in the text with appropriate identification, such as “unpublished results” or “personal communication.” “In press” should be used only for articles that have been formally accepted for publication.

Authors should include DOI information when available. Web references should include sufficient bibliographic information and the complete URL, together with the date accessed when required by APA 7th edition.

Manuscript Formatting

Manuscripts must be submitted in Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) format. LaTeX submissions may be accepted when an appropriate journal template is available.

• Font: Times New Roman, 12-point
• Spacing: Double-spaced throughout, including the abstract, main text, footnotes, and references
• Margins: 2.54 cm (1 inch) on all sides
• Page numbering: Consecutive page numbers beginning with the title page, except where the submission system requires a separate cover page
• Language: Clear, straightforward English
• File: The manuscript must not be password protected or otherwise restricted from access

All manuscripts must follow APA 7th edition requirements for in-text citations, references, tables, figures, and headings. Authors must ensure that every citation in the text corresponds to an entry in the reference list and that every reference listed is cited in the manuscript.

Authors should avoid unnecessary formatting that may interfere with editorial processing and production.

The recommended absolute maximum length for any single manuscript submitted to NEPJ is 10,000 words, excluding references. The journal reserves the right to return or decline manuscripts exceeding this overall limit.

Title Page and Anonymity

NEPJ uses a double-blind peer-review process. To preserve reviewer and author anonymity, the manuscript file intended for peer review must not contain identifying information.

Authors should remove names, institutional affiliations, acknowledgments, funding identifiers, author contribution information, identifying statements, and other information that could reasonably reveal the identity of the authors from the blinded manuscript.

The separate Title Page should contain:

• Article title
• Full names of all authors
• Institutional affiliations, including the institution where the research was conducted
• Notes concerning authors who have changed affiliation since the research was conducted
• Corresponding author’s name, complete address, telephone number, and email address
• Acknowledgments
• Declaration of conflicting interest
• Funding statement
• Ethical approval and informed consent statements
• Data availability statement
• Author contributions, where applicable
• Any other information required by the journal

The Title Page is not provided to peer reviewers.

Authors should also ensure that identifying information is removed from file properties, document headers and footers, tracked changes, comments, and other embedded metadata where applicable.

Statements and Declarations

A Statements and Declarations section should be included after the Acknowledgments and Author Contributions sections, where applicable. Each relevant declaration should be presented under a clear subheading. If a declaration does not apply, authors should state “Not applicable.”

Ethical Considerations

Provide details of ethical approval, including the name of the reviewing committee or ethics review body, institution, and approval number where applicable. If ethical approval was not required, provide an appropriate explanation.

Consent to Participate

State whether written or verbal informed consent was obtained from participants or whether consent was waived. If not applicable, state so.

Consent for Publication

Where individual-level information, identifiable photographs, images, or other potentially identifiable material is included, authors must confirm that appropriate informed consent for publication was obtained. Actual consent forms should not be submitted with the manuscript unless specifically requested by the Editorial Office.

Declaration of Conflicting Interest

Declare any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest. Where none exist, authors may state:

“The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest.”

Funding Statement

Provide details of all financial or material support for the study. If there was no funding, state this explicitly.

Data Availability

Provide a statement describing whether and how the data supporting the findings can be accessed. Where applicable, provide a link to the relevant data repository. If data cannot be shared because of ethical, privacy, legal, or other restrictions, provide an appropriate explanation.

Author Contributions

Authors should provide a clear statement describing the contribution of each author to the work. Contributions should accurately reflect substantial participation in the conception, design, conduct, analysis, interpretation, writing, revision, or other relevant aspects of the study and manuscript.

Use of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies

Authors must disclose the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) or AI-assisted technologies in the preparation of the manuscript when such tools have been used for writing, content generation, analysis, or other substantive manuscript-related purposes.

Routine features such as standard spelling, grammar, or formatting assistance do not ordinarily require disclosure unless they involve substantive generation or modification of manuscript content.

Where generative AI has been used, authors should provide a statement identifying the tool or service and describing its purpose. For example:

“The author(s) used [Name of Tool/Service] for [Purpose]. The author(s) verified and revised all content and take full responsibility for the publication’s content.”

Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity, and accountability of the submitted and published work. Generative AI tools should not be listed as authors.

Language Editing

NEPJ recommends professional language editing when necessary to improve the clarity, grammar, readability, and presentation of a manuscript, particularly for authors who are not native English speakers.

Use of a language-editing service does not guarantee acceptance. All manuscripts remain subject to editorial assessment and peer review based on their scientific and scholarly merit.

Reporting Guidelines

Authors are strongly encouraged to use appropriate reporting guidelines according to the study design. NEPJ supports the use of the EQUATOR Network resources to promote complete, transparent, and reproducible reporting.

Examples of commonly applicable reporting guidelines include:

1. CONSORT – Clinical trials
2. CARE – Case reports, where applicable to permitted article types
3. COREQ – Qualitative research
4. PRISMA – Systematic reviews and meta-analyses
5. STROBE – Observational studies
6. STARD – Diagnostic accuracy studies
7. CHEERS – Health economic evaluations
8. SQUIRE – Quality improvement studies
9. ARRIVE – Animal research

Authors should select the reporting guideline appropriate to their study design rather than applying a guideline solely because it appears on the general list.

Tables

Tables should be used selectively and should supplement, rather than duplicate, information presented in the text.

1. Cite all tables consecutively in the text according to their first mention.
2. Number tables consecutively using Arabic numerals.
3. Provide a concise and informative title for each table.
4. Place explanatory notes, legends, and definitions of abbreviations below the table when needed.
5. Ensure that each table is sufficiently self-explanatory.
6. Avoid excessive use of tables or duplication of results between tables and text.

The maximum number of tables and figures combined depends on the article type and is specified under Article Types and Word Limits.

Figures and Other Images

Figures include photographs, images, graphs, diagrams, illustrations, and other visual materials.

1. Cite figures consecutively in the text according to their first mention.
2. Number figures consecutively using Arabic numerals.
3. Provide an appropriate figure caption with a brief descriptive title.
4. Ensure that figures are of sufficient quality for publication.
5. Avoid unnecessary duplication between figures and the main text.
6. Submit high-resolution image files when required for production.

All personally identifying information must be removed from figures and images. This includes names, hospital or case numbers, patient identification numbers, faces, identifying tattoos, and other information that could reasonably identify an individual.

Where publication of an identifiable individual’s information or image is necessary, appropriate consent for publication must be obtained.

Illustrations and Photographs

Digital photographs should preferably have a minimum resolution of 800 × 600 pixels and should be submitted in a format suitable for publication.

For photomicrographs, the stain used, such as hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), and the magnification or scale should be clearly indicated in the figure description.

Arrows, labels, or other markers identifying a specific area of an illustration or photograph should be incorporated into the submitted figure rather than provided as separate objects.

Completion of Submission Requirements

Before a manuscript is sent for external peer review, the Editorial Office may verify compliance with the journal’s submission, formatting, ethical, and documentary requirements.

Manuscripts that are incomplete, outside the journal’s scope, or substantially noncompliant with the submission requirements may be returned to the corresponding author or declined without external peer review.

Once the required submission requirements have been completed and the manuscript has passed editorial screening, it may proceed to external peer review.

Peer Review

After Submission

Authors will receive notifications concerning manuscript receipt and editorial decisions through the OJS/PKP platform and the email address associated with their account. Authors may monitor the status of their submission by logging into their OJS author account.

Authors are expected to maintain the confidentiality of their submission and should not disclose that a manuscript has been submitted or is under review to individuals or organizations other than coauthors and acknowledged contributors, unless prior permission is obtained from the Editor-in-Chief or Managing Editor.

All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial editorial screening by a member of the Editorial Team. The screening considers, among other relevant factors:

• Originality and relevance to the aims and scope of NEPJ
• Timeliness and significance of the topic
• Clarity, coherence, and scholarly quality of writing
• Appropriateness and rigor of the study design and methodology
• Validity and integrity of the data
• Soundness of analysis and conclusions
• Relevance to the journal’s readership

Manuscripts that fall outside the journal’s scope or do not meet the basic requirements for further consideration may be declined without external peer review.

Manuscripts considered suitable for further consideration are forwarded to external expert reviewers.

NEPJ employs a double-blind peer-review process. The identities of authors and reviewers are concealed from each other throughout the review process. The existence and content of manuscripts under review are treated as confidential and are accessible only to assigned reviewers and authorized editorial personnel.

Peer reviewers must treat manuscripts as strictly confidential. Reviewers must not share, discuss, reproduce, or disclose manuscript content or review materials to third parties without explicit authorization from the journal.

Reviewers must not upload or submit confidential manuscripts, abstracts, unpublished data, reviewer reports, or other confidential review materials to chatbots, generative AI systems, language models, or similar AI-assisted tools.

Final editorial decisions are made by an editor who has no relevant conflict of interest, taking into consideration the reviewers’ reports, the manuscript, and the journal’s editorial standards.

To support continuous improvement of editorial and peer-review practices, NEPJ may aggregate and analyze anonymized information from submitted manuscripts for internal quality-assurance purposes. Identifying information remains confidential in accordance with the journal’s privacy policy.

Desk Review

All manuscripts submitted to NEPJ undergo an initial editorial desk review. The Submission Editor evaluates whether the manuscript:

• Meets the journal’s submission and formatting requirements
• Aligns with the journal’s aims and scope
• Demonstrates adequate research or scholarly quality
• Addresses a topic relevant to nursing education, nursing practice, or other areas within the journal’s scope

Manuscripts that do not comply with basic formatting or submission requirements may be returned to the corresponding author for correction.

Manuscripts that meet the requirements proceed to full review. Manuscripts deemed unsuitable for further consideration by at least two members of the Editorial Team may be declined and recommended for submission to a more appropriate journal.

Full Review

Full review is conducted through a double-blind peer-review process involving three reviewers. Reviewers access manuscripts through the PKP Reviewer Dashboard.

Reviewers assess manuscripts against the journal’s review criteria and provide recommendations and constructive comments for the authors. Additional comments or edits may be provided through the review system or as an appropriately anonymized file.

Reviews are expected to be completed within three weeks from the time the review request is issued. Reviews that remain unsubmitted after this period may be followed up or reassigned to another reviewer.

Publication Recommendations and Editorial Decisions

Reviewers provide recommendations based on the quality, relevance, rigor, integrity, and overall suitability of the manuscript.

Where two reviewers recommend Accept, the Editor may accept the manuscript and discontinue any remaining review when appropriate.

Where two reviewers recommend Decline or Submit Elsewhere, the Editor may decline the manuscript and discontinue any remaining review when appropriate.

Editorial decisions remain the responsibility of the assigned Editor and are not determined solely by numerical or majority reviewer recommendations.

Manuscripts that are not accepted after completion of the applicable review process may not be resubmitted to NEPJ as the same manuscript unless the Editorial Team expressly permits or invites resubmission.

Manuscripts for which the authors have not provided a required response or revision for 12 months may be rejected at the discretion of the Editorial Team.

Review Process for Resubmissions

When a revision or resubmission is invited, the manuscript should be accompanied by an Author Response to Reviewers document addressing each substantive reviewer comment.

Whenever practicable, resubmitted manuscripts are assigned to the same reviewers involved in the initial review. Previous reviewer recommendations remain part of the manuscript’s editorial record.

Reviewers assess the revised manuscript together with the Author Response to Reviewers document. The standard three-week review period applies.

If an original reviewer is unavailable or has a conflict of interest, the Editorial Team may appoint another appropriately qualified reviewer.

Author Appeals

Authors may appeal an editorial decision when they believe that a significant error, misunderstanding, procedural issue, or other substantive circumstance materially affected the decision.

Appeals should provide a clear and reasoned explanation of the basis for the appeal and should address the relevant editorial or reviewer concerns.

Appeals are reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief on a case-by-case basis. If the Editor-in-Chief is directly involved in the original decision or is otherwise conflicted, the appeal will be assigned to a designated editor who has no relevant conflict of interest.

An appeal does not guarantee reversal of the original decision. The decision following an appeal is final within the journal’s editorial process.

Author Response to Reviewers

When revisions are requested, authors should provide a detailed response explaining how each reviewer and editorial comment was addressed.

Where an author disagrees with a reviewer’s recommendation or requested change, the author should provide a clear and reasoned explanation rather than simply omitting the requested revision.

Revised manuscripts should clearly indicate substantive changes where requested by the Editorial Team.

Copyright Notice

Copyright and related rights for articles published in NEPJ are retained by the authors, subject to the journal’s publication agreement and licensing terms.

Authors grant NEPJ the rights necessary to publish, disseminate, preserve, index, and make the article available in accordance with the journal’s applicable publishing and licensing policies.

Authors must ensure that they have the necessary rights and permissions for all third-party material included in the manuscript.

Privacy Statement

Personal information submitted through the NEPJ submission system is collected and processed for legitimate journal operations, including account management, manuscript submission and tracking, editorial processing, peer-review coordination, communication, publication, indexing, archiving, website administration, security, and related publishing activities.

Access to personal information is limited to authorized Editorial Team members, journal staff, and system administrators who require the information for legitimate journal functions. Personal information is not sold, traded, rented, or used for commercial or marketing purposes.

Personal information may be disclosed or transferred to external parties when necessary for legitimate journal operations, such as indexing, publishing, archiving, or plagiarism-detection services, or when required or permitted by applicable law.

NEPJ retains personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill its editorial, publishing, legal, and archival responsibilities.

NEPJ implements reasonable organizational, technical, and physical safeguards to protect personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, loss, or misuse.

In accordance with Republic Act No. 10173 (Data Privacy Act of 2012) and its Implementing Rules and Regulations, data subjects have applicable rights concerning their personal information, including the right to be informed, access, correction, objection, and other rights provided by law.

For further information, authors and users may refer to the NEPJ Privacy Notice.

Editorial and Ethical Standards

NEPJ’s editorial and publication practices are guided by recognized standards for responsible scholarly publishing, including the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) and the principles and guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Authors are expected to comply with applicable ethical standards relating to authorship, originality, research ethics, informed consent, conflicts of interest, funding, data integrity, reporting, plagiarism, duplicate publication, and the responsible use of artificial intelligence.

Submission of a manuscript constitutes acknowledgment that the authors have read and agree to comply with the applicable NEPJ editorial, publication ethics, peer-review, privacy, and licensing policies.