The goal of the Journal Club Department is to provide nephrology nurses with an overview of literature through summaries and commentaries on recent articles that represent current issues in selected areas of nephrology. The author guidelines are intended to assist authors in the selection of a topic, literature review, organization, and length of material.

• Topics that have relevance across all ESRD treatment modalities or professional issues for all nephrology nurses are especially helpful, however, more narrowly focused topics may also be appropriate.
• The author should review approximately 5-6 articles that are works of significance in clinical or professional practice or research that advance the knowledge base of nephrology nurses. The articles reviewed should be publications from within the last 12 months, unless there is a particularly outstanding older article to include.
• The articles reviewed should be from quality, refereed publications, including nursing, medical, surgical, and other health care-related journals. Do not review articles well known to the readership or published in the Nephrology Nursing Journal.
• The total length of the submission should be approximately 2 journal pages, 800 words, or approximately 8 double-spaced typed pages.
• Summaries should usually be written in the past tense and commentaries in the present tense. The summary should be approximately 75 words (1-2 paragraphs). It should accurately summarize the report findings from the reviewed article and should be in the author’s own words.
• The commentary should be approximately 100 words (2-3 paragraphs). Use caution that the commentary is consistent with data reviewed in the article. The commentary should subjectively review each article from the writer’s expert point of view and advise readers on the value of the work published. The commentary can be used as an opportunity to build on the summary concerning issues that need further highlighting for nephrology nurses.
• The author should compose a short introductory paragraph to say why the topic is of interest and important to the readers.
• The author may conclude with a short section of “Additional Readings” listing further references available on this topic. This list may include books, videos, internet addresses, etc.

Beth Ulrich, EdD, RN, FACHE, FAAN
Editor, Nephrology Nursing Journal
East Holly Avenue/Box 56, Pitman, NJ 08071-0056
(856) 256-2320 Phone; (856) 589-7463 Fax
Email: BethUlrich@aol.com or nephrologynursing@ajj.com (Please note the department name in the subject line.)