Nursing Now USA Call for Proposals: Commissioned Papers

At no other time has the importance of nursing been more evident or vital to the safety, accessibility and affordability of quality health care in the U.S. To convey a contemporary understanding of nursing, Nursing Now USA seeks proposals for three commissioned papers that spotlight nurse innovations in support of 2020 The Year of the Nurse. Paper topics are in alignment with activities championed by Nursing Now USA (NNUSA), the global Nursing Now campaign, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the International Council of Nurses (ICN). One report will be commissioned in each of the following areas by addressing ways in which nurses contribute to improvements in health and health care:

• Innovations in Nursing Practice: A State of the Science in the US.
• Innovations in Nursing Education: A State of the Science in the US.
• Innovations in Nursing Leadership: A State of the Science in the US.

The following questions are offered to stimulate ideas, but should not delimit proposals:

• What evidence-based nursing practice innovations have had a major influence on the health and well-being of society or a specific population?
• What educational innovations have fostered nursing practice, leadership and research development?
• What nurse-driven models of care best reflect nurse leadership in activating system change?
• What leadership innovations have been implemented to ease the impact of COVID-19 on frontline nurses and other health care workers? What is the evidence of impact?
• How has telehealth or telenursing improved care for patients and changed nursing practice?
• What important evidence gaps exist for decision-makers in [chosen area of focus]?
• What best practices reflect equitable, just, and fair leadership in [chosen area]?

Proposal Submissions
• Three proposals (one in each of the 3 areas described above) will be selected to move forward for full paper submission.
• The three authors selected to prepare a full paper will receive a total of $15,000, paid at 3 points in time, with the last payment occurring at the satisfactory completion of the final paper. Authors will retain copyright of their work.
• Proposal submissions will be evaluated based on peer-review of content, writing, and recommendations in connection with the overall themes. Consideration should be given to diversity, equity, inclusion or social justice issues.
• Submissions are invited from individuals or groups to address innovations in one of the 3 areas outlined above; only one submission per individual or group, please.
• Submissions should be no more than 2 single-spaced pages in length.
• Submissions should include the following areas: Introduction identifying the topic area and focus of paper; Purpose describing the problem addressed, using sufficient literature; Description of solution offered to address the problem, and the unique perspective offered; Methods or activities that will be used to carry out the project; Evaluation or outcomes to be evaluated; and Budget overview of resources needed to carry out project.
• A variety of methodological approaches are welcome, including literature syntheses, policy analysis, or other approaches.

Final Paper Submissions
Selected individuals or teams will submit a final paper that is data-driven and peer-reviewed by the NNUSA team. Final papers should be no more than 5,000 words (20 double-spaced pages) in length, excluding references. Sections of the report will include a stand-alone executive summary (250 words), introduction and approach sections that are suitable for a general audience, and a results section written for both nurses and a broader audience to translate the results for the public. A Call to Action for policy, practice, education, and research will be integrated to highlight nurses’ roles as critical thinkers, data consumers, and problem-solvers to identify health care solutions in the future. APA format is required. Final papers may include a separate “supplemental” file highlighting quotes emphasized in the report, tables and diagrams, 300DPI photos, or videos relevant to the report topic that augments report content. Supplemental information should “spotlight” data in the report and bring it to life for the readers (e.g., short vignettes, case studies). All submissions should be in Microsoft Word. Selected papers will be presented at a NNUSA event in 2021 to recognize these nurse leaders/innovators, and will be included in a special journal issue. NNUSA will provide support for editing, dissemination, and promotion of the publications.

Proposal Review and Timeline:
• January 25, 2021: Proposal submissions should be submitted to nursingnow-usa@email.unc.edu.
• February – March 2021: Proposal reviews.
• March 31, 2021: Authors of proposals selected and notified about preparing full-length Commissioned Papers.
• June 1, 2021: Final Commissioned Paper submissions are due.
• June – August 2021: Authors and NNUSA leaders will collaborate on presentations and publications.
• Fall 2021 (specific dates TBD): Final papers are submitted, presentations are made.

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Nursing Now USA (NNUSA) includes members of key nursing organizations that influence national policy related to the education, practice, employment, and well-being of nurses – the American Nurses Association, the U.S. Public Health Service (Chief Nursing Officer), the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and an array of other member organizations as part of the NNUSA Steering Committee (the American Academy of Nursing, the American Associations of Colleges of Nursing, the American Organization of Nurse Leaders, CGFNS International, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, IntraHealth International, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, the National League for Nursing, the National Student Nurses Association, and the Universities of Miami, Virginia, and Washington Schools of Nursing).