INANE Conference: Wednesday PM 8/6/25
Speakers: Bernie Keenan, Lisa Kidd, Helen Sisson
Abstract:
Background: Opportunities to support, mentor, encourage growth and leadership for future editors are limited. This session reports on the learning from and evaluation of an Editorial Development Programme (EDP), established by Evidence Based Nursing (EBN) and supported by BMJ Publishing, designed to develop skills and build confidence in future journal editors.
Approach: The EDP was first run in 2023-2024. The first cohort comprised five nurse academics recruited through the journal and social media. Each academic spent a 6–12-month period ‘buddying’ with a member of the editorial team who supported them on a 1:1 basis to engage in tailored learning opportunities related to individual development goals. At the end of EDP, the cohort were invited to a focus group with a member of the editorial team and all provided feedback via a short survey. EBN editors (‘buddies’) were also asked for feedback on the programme.
Results: EDP members found the buddy system supportive and helpful for building confidence and skills. Editorial buddies said being a buddy was rewarding for them. EDP members valued opportunities for learning through BMJ education sessions and the chance to build relationships and networks with editors and authors. Editorial buddies agreed the EDP had helped to build a network of new authors for EBN, as well as potential future editors. Suggested improvements include the EDP being 12 months for everyone, independent access to EBN editorial systems, targeted recruitment for diversity and areas of nursing expertise, inviting past EDP members to help advertise for and interview future cohorts.
Conclusion: EBN’s Editorial Development Programme was well received by nurse academics and the editorial team. This innovative approach has helped build confidence and skills for future editorial roles and facilitated succession planning. Three members of the first cohort have since joined EBN as Associate Editors.
Additional Points from the Session Presentation:
Dr. Keenan presented on behalf of herself and her colleague, Dr. Kidd.
- Being a nurse editor is a leadership role, but not all nurses aspire to this; they fall into it.
- The role should be more than something we fall into.
- Nurse editors have a responsibility to increase the visibility of this role and encourage others to pursue it
- Most nurse editors were recruited into their roles by their publishers, editorial boards, or societies.
- Understanding how to be a nurse editor is often learned on the job.
- Freda and Kearney (2005) found that becoming comfortable in the NE role takes 2-5 years, which is problematic if there is a 3-year term limit.
- Opportunities for mentorship, growth, and leadership are limited
- The literature shows that most nurse editors are older or later in their careers
- We need to attract and prepare nurses to take over these roles in a sustainable way
- In response to this, the past 5-6 years, publishing communities have taken an interest in attracting and mentoring new editors:
- INANE
- Editorial development programs
- These programs offer support and preparation for what happens behind the scenes of a journal, the editor’s role, mentored writing, editorial decision-making, etc.
- These programs prepare nurses to take on a full NE role in the future.
Dr. Keenan came late to academia. When she applied for the EDO program, she had experience as an editor for a small local journal. Still, she lacked confidence in applying for a national or international journal. The EDO program allowed her to experience new and more complex challenges in a “safe” and supportive environment. She had the support of a “buddy” from the editorial team whose whole focus was on developing her! This also helped her gain confidence in networking and regularly contributing her opinion to the editorial team.
Looking ahead, the EBN program has successfully built this editor “pipeline.” The program wants to extend it to 12 months and target specific communities, like those with an international focus, and support and build capacity within low- and middle-income countries. It also hopes to work with international nurse editors to develop principles for such programs. It wants to avoid reinventing the wheel!
Dr. Keenan then asked the audience for feedback: If you have such a “pipeline program,” how did you recruit to it?
Comments offered by the audience included:
- One editor (Midwifery & Women’s Health) chose three mentees because there were three editors. Then, each mentee took over an article from beginning to end and did the whole process with the mentor. They met in January, and by fall, all of the articles will have been completed. (~9-10 months) The editors also learn from the questions asked of them. She does plan on doing it again. Other candidates are interested. She tells people that this program is not a guarantee to get hired by their journal, but it can’t hurt. This program might benefit the mentees by allowing them to work at another journal, but that is okay.
- Another editor’s journal mentored, not editors, but peer reviewers. They put a call out to peer reviewers to recruit doctoral students or new assistant professors to work together to complete a peer review. After about 10, it was too much work and time-consuming. Difficult to execute in reality (because it was hard to find articles appropriate to both the mentor and mentee to tackle together.)
Your INANE 2025 reporter is Melissa Anne DuBois, BSN, RNC-OB, PhD Student.
Content for this post was obtained from the INANE 2025 website, the conference guidebook, internet searches, speaker submitted bios, and live reporting from each session. Any errors in content are purely accidental and not intended to offend. If you notice an error you would like corrected, please contact Melissa Anne at melissadubois2 at gmail dot com and she will be happy to make corrections.