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Critical Care Nurse

Critical Care Nurse is a clinical journal of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses that focuses on issues, evidence-based practices, and innovations relevant to nurses caring for critically and acutely ill patients.

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Subject Critical Care Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, Nursing
Impact Factor 2
Quartile Q3
Open Access Type Closed
ISSN 0279-5442
eISSN 1940-8250
Invitation Only No
Cost Range Author fees are not charged for manuscripts submitted to Critical Care Nurse or for articles published in the journal.

Submission Instructions

Critical Care Nurse accepts the following article types. Click on an article type to view submission instructions.

Feature Article

Cover Letter A cover letter is required and must identify the corresponding author’s name, mailing address, telephone number, email address, and explain how the feature article enhances the mission of Critical Care Nurse.
Abstract A structured, third-person abstract is required as a separate file, double-spaced, with headings appropriate to a feature article and a maximum of 250 words.
Manuscript Feature articles must not exceed 3000 words excluding abstract, references, tables, and figures, and the manuscript (double-spaced, 12-point font, 1-inch margins) must be de-identified for double-blind review with title page, abstract, tables, and figures submitted as separate files.
References References must be double-spaced, numbered consecutively in order of appearance using superscripts, formatted per AMA Manual of Style 11th edition (listing up to 3 of >6 authors then “et al.” and including DOIs for online-only articles), with no maximum reference count indicated.
Figures & Tables Tables must be submitted as separate editable Word files with titles, sequential numbering, and spelled-out abbreviations below, and figures as separate TIFF/EPS (or Word if created in Word) files at ≥300 dpi with individual legends on a separate page after the references; no specific maximum number of tables or figures is indicated.
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Column Article

Cover Letter A cover letter is required, identifying the corresponding author’s name, mailing address, telephone number, email address, and explaining how the manuscript enhances the mission of Critical Care Nurse.
Abstract A structured, third-person abstract (submitted as a separate file) is required, double-spaced, using headings appropriate to the article type, with a maximum of 250 words.
Manuscript The main manuscript file must exclude the title page, abstract, tables, and figures (submitted as separate files), and must be fully de-identified for double-blind review by removing author and institutional names and using placeholders such as “XXXXX” for institutions, with a maximum of 2000 words.
References Format references according to AMA Manual of Style, 11th edition, with DOIs for online-only articles, list only the first 3 authors followed by “et al.” when there are more than 6 authors, and remove electronic reference manager coding before submission; no maximum reference count is indicated.
Figures & Tables A separate page after the references must list all figure legends, and a distinct “List of Figure Captions” page is required; underlying data points for graphs must be provided in a separate text file.
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Review Article

Cover Letter A cover letter is required and must provide the corresponding author’s name, mailing address, telephone number, email address, and explain how the manuscript enhances the mission of Critical Care Nurse.
Abstract A structured abstract (max 250 words), written in the third person, double-spaced, submitted as a separate file, is required for Review Articles using the headings Background, Objective, Methods, Results, Discussion (including clinical practice recommendations and limitations or possible biases), and Conclusions.
Manuscript Review Articles must use a structured literature search and be organized with the headings Background, Objective, Methods, Results, Discussion (including clinical practice recommendations and limitations or possible biases), and Conclusions; a specific maximum word count is not stated, but total word count excluding title, abstract, and references must be provided at submission.
References References must be double-spaced, in English when possible, numbered consecutively in order of appearance using superscripts, formatted per AMA Manual of Style, 11th edition (listing up to 3 of more than 6 authors followed by "et al." and including DOIs for online-only articles); no maximum reference count is indicated.
Figures & Tables Tables must be submitted as separate editable Word files (not images), each with a title above, numbered in order of citation, and with all abbreviations spelled out directly below, while figures must be submitted as separate TIFF/EPS (or Word if created in Word) files at ≥300 dpi with separate figure legends listed after the references and underlying data provided for graphs; no maximum number of figures or tables is specified.
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Case Report

Cover Letter A cover letter is required and must list the corresponding author’s name, mailing address, telephone number, email address, and explain how the manuscript enhances the mission of Critical Care Nurse.
Abstract A structured, third-person abstract (max 250 words), double-spaced, using headings appropriate for a Case Report, must be submitted as a separate file.
Manuscript No specific overall word limit for Case Reports is stated, but total manuscript word count (excluding title, abstract, and references) must be provided at submission.
References Primary, current (preferably within 5 years) English-language references are preferred; no maximum reference count is indicated.
Figures & Tables Case Reports are encouraged to include at least one figure or table depicting the case timeline; no maximum number of figures or tables is specified.
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Letter to the Editor

Cover Letter No cover letter requirements are specified for Letters to the Editor.
Abstract An abstract is not specified or required for Letters to the Editor.
Manuscript No specific manuscript section structure or word limit is specified for Letters to the Editor.
References Reference style and maximum reference count are not specified for Letters to the Editor.
Figures & Tables No specific requirements are stated for the number, format, or placement of figures and tables in Letters to the Editor.
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Recent Publications

Nurses Coaching Nurses: RAISE Program for Charge Nurses to Mitigate Moral Distress in Critical Care

Kaitlyn Szablewski

10.4037/ccn2026552
View Publication

Developing a Tool to Improve Critical Care Nurses’ Access to High-Risk, Low-Volume Resources

Sean Robinson, Kirianne Green, Amber Depew, Michelle Dedeo, Cara Gallegos

10.4037/ccn2026668
View Publication

Reflection on the Use of a Rapid Response Team and the Clinical Effectiveness of Early Warning Systems

Kaylee Folden

10.4037/ccn2026730
View Publication

Bed Rest After Removing Central Arterial and Venous Access Devices

Julie Miller

10.4037/ccn2026789
View Publication

Evidence-Based Practice Implementation, Part 1: Selecting Interventions

Margo A. Halm

10.4037/ccn2026779
View Publication

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to publish?

Manuscripts undergo double-blind peer review and editorial evaluation, a process that takes roughly 3 months, after which authors are informed whether the manuscript is accepted, rejected, or requires revision before publication.

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Is a cover letter required?

A cover letter is required with each manuscript submission and should include the corresponding author’s contact information and a description of how the manuscript enhances the mission of Critical Care Nurse.

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What are the publication costs?

Author fees are not charged for submitting manuscripts to Critical Care Nurse or for articles published in the journal, meaning there is no article processing charge for authors.

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Research Topics

Family and Patient Care in Intensive Care Units Intensive Care Unit Cognitive Disorders Cardiac Arrest and Resuscitation Respiratory Support and Mechanisms Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues