How to share your nursing knowledge by writing a paper

With nurses of black, Asian and minority ethnic heritage under-represented in professional journals, we want to share five ways to get started as a nurse author

It is rare to see practising nurses from black, Asian or minority ethnic backgrounds publishing articles in professional journals.

In our experience most nurses who publish scholarly papers are undertaking postgraduate studies or are in research roles, and are of white heritage.

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The article we authored, Outcomes of a leadership programme for black, Asian and minority ethnic mental health nurses, outlines what participants felt about the programme, and their professional development once they had completed it. Janet was the lead author, is black and it was her first published article. She had the support of two experienced published co-authors.

Lasting value of sharing best nursing practice through a professional journal

The article is an example of work that can be produced to share best practice and build professional credibility.

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Many nurses have the potential to disseminate the positive impact of their interventions through published articles. While social media, such as podcasts and YouTube videos, offer opportunities to share opinions and information, we believe that a well-researched and thought-out article in a professional journal offers more satisfaction to – and engenders greater respect for – the author.

Our advice on how to get started as a nurse author

Acquiring the skills to become a published author takes time and practice but everyone has to start somewhere – including us.

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Here are five tips – used to create our published paper - to get you thinking about the journey towards your own published article:

1. Create a support system with mentors who can guide you through the process.
2. Be prepared to devote time to research the subject and the journal in which you would like your article to be published.
3. Be prepared for rejection. It is unlikely an article will be accepted without rewrites. See this as a positive learning experience.
4. Use your mentors and colleagues to help you at every opportunity – especially those who have learned the hard way themselves.
5. Never give up or underestimate your abilities. Everyone has experience and knowledge that others will be interested in hearing about.

Janet Idowu is service manager at Cygnet Health Care, London

Ann Mitchell is a researcher at the RCN and Open University, London

Catherine Gamble is a RCN fellow and independent nurse consultant, London