Using the peer review process to educate and empower emerging nurse scholars

Abstract

Peer review, in various forms, is fundamental to research-based fields and scholarly publication. The integrity of the publication process is necessary to advance nursing science and support clinical nursing practice. The peer review process undergirds publication and grant funding. In theory, peer review should occur in a process that is unbiased with results providing a fair assessment of the scientific merit and credibility of the work being reviewed. The purpose of peer review is lost if reviewer comments are unprofessional. Budding nurse scholars may be demoralized and discouraged to revise and resubmit their work after receiving review feedback they perceive unprofessional and lacking constructive recommendations on how to improve their work. This "incivility" in the peer review process may discourage nursing authors from revising and resubmitting their work, thus robbing nursing of potentially meaningful contributions to nursing science. Often beginning doctorate nursing students have little or no experience in having their scholarly works evaluated and receiving feedback via the peer review process. Peer review provides an opportunity to educate emerging nurse scholars on ways to improve their writing skills and ways to receive and respond to constructive, meaningful feedback. This article aims to discuss: 1) peer review process, 2) challenges with peer review, 3) impact of unprofessional peer review comments and incivility in nursing peer review process can have on a budding scientists and nurse scholars, 4) ways the peer review process can be used to educate and empower emerging nurse scholars, 5) implications for nursing scholarship, 6) recommendations to address bias and how to provide supportive and constructive feedback and 7) finally provide readers with available resources where they can learn more about how to conduct a peer review.

Keywords: Nurse scientists; Peer review; PhD student.