Manuscript Structure

Title Page

The title page should include the manuscript title (concise and descriptive, maximum 20 words), full names and institutional affiliations of all authors, ORCID identifiers where available, corresponding author contact information including email address, word count for abstract and main text, number of tables and figures, and any funding sources or acknowledgments. Author affiliations should include department, institution, city, and country.

Abstract

Structured abstracts are required for original research articles, systematic reviews, and quality improvement studies. Include sections for Background, Objectives, Methods, Results, and Conclusions, with a total length of 250-300 words. Clinical case studies and commentaries may use unstructured abstracts of 150-200 words summarizing the key message and clinical implications.

Keywords

Provide 4-6 keywords or phrases that accurately describe your manuscript content. Use Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms where possible to enhance discoverability in literature searches. Keywords should reflect the clinical focus, methodology, patient population, and key findings of your research.

Main Text Structure

Original research articles should follow the IMRaD format with clearly labeled sections: Introduction describing the background, rationale, and study objectives; Methods detailing the study design, setting, participants, interventions, data collection, and analysis approaches; Results presenting findings with appropriate statistical detail; and Discussion interpreting findings in context of existing literature, addressing limitations, and suggesting clinical implications.

Manuscript Types and Length

Formatting Requirements

General Format

Prepare manuscripts in Microsoft Word format using 12-point Times New Roman or Arial font throughout. Double-space all text including references, tables, and figure legends. Use 2.5cm margins on all sides. Number all pages consecutively starting from the title page. Use continuous line numbering throughout the manuscript to facilitate reviewer comments.

Headings

Use a maximum of three heading levels. First-level headings should be bold and centered. Second-level headings should be bold and left-aligned. Third-level headings should be italic and left-aligned. Avoid numbered headings unless essential for the content structure.

Tables and Figures

Tables should be created using Word table function, not inserted as images, and numbered consecutively with descriptive titles placed above each table. Figures should be submitted as separate high-resolution files in TIFF, JPEG, or PNG format with minimum resolution of 300 dpi. Figure legends should be listed on a separate page after references. All tables and figures must be cited in the text in numerical order.

References

Use Vancouver reference style with numbered citations in the text using superscript Arabic numerals. References should be listed numerically in order of first appearance. Include all author names for references with six or fewer authors; for more than six authors, list the first six followed by et al. Ensure all references are complete with author names, article title, journal name, year, volume, and page numbers. Include DOI numbers where available.

Declarations and Statements

Supplementary Materials

Authors may submit supplementary materials including extended data tables, survey instruments, interview guides, additional figures, video recordings, audio files, or datasets that support but are not essential to the main manuscript. Supplementary files should be clearly labeled and referenced in the main text. Large datasets should be deposited in appropriate public repositories with accession numbers provided in the manuscript.

Supplementary materials undergo the same peer review process as the main manuscript and must meet the same standards for scientific rigor and clarity. File formats should be widely accessible without specialized software when possible.

Peer Review and Revision

JCPN employs a rigorous double-blind peer review process where author identities are concealed from reviewers and reviewer identities are concealed from authors. We typically assign two expert reviewers per manuscript, with additional reviewers consulted when specialized expertise is needed or when reviewers disagree substantially in their evaluations.

Reviewers evaluate manuscripts based on scientific rigor and methodological soundness, originality and contribution to nursing science, clarity of presentation and logical organization, relevance to clinical nursing practice, adherence to ethical standards, and appropriate use of statistical methods. Reviewers provide detailed comments to help authors strengthen their manuscripts even when revision is required.

Authors receiving revision requests should address all reviewer comments systematically in a point-by-point response letter. Clearly indicate what changes were made and where in the manuscript, or provide detailed justification when declining to make suggested changes. Revised manuscripts typically return to the original reviewers for evaluation, though this may vary based on the extent of revisions required.

Submission Process

Submit manuscripts through our online submission system ManuscriptZone or via our simple manuscript submission form. The submission portal guides you through required uploads including the main manuscript file, any supplementary materials, and cover letter. First-time users should register for an account before beginning submission.

Your cover letter should briefly describe the manuscript, confirm originality and exclusive submission to JCPN, list any prior submissions or related published works, suggest appropriate reviewers and any reviewers to exclude with justification, and declare any conflicts of interest. Indicate if your research addresses a time-sensitive topic requiring expedited consideration.

Upon submission, you will receive confirmation with a manuscript reference number. Use this number in all correspondence with the editorial office. Initial editorial assessment typically occurs within one week, followed by peer review taking four to six weeks. We communicate all decisions via email to the corresponding author.

Post-Acceptance Process

Following acceptance, manuscripts enter production where our editorial team handles copyediting, typesetting, and layout. Authors receive proofs for review and must respond promptly to queries and corrections. Significant changes to content or authorship are not permitted at the proof stage without editorial approval. Publication occurs within approximately two weeks of proof approval, with immediate online availability.

Each published article receives a unique Digital Object Identifier that provides permanent linking to your work. Authors are encouraged to share their published articles through institutional repositories, social media, and professional networks to maximize visibility and impact.