IJ

International Journal of Nursing Studies

The International Journal of Nursing Studies (IJNS) publishes original research and scholarship on health care delivery, organisation, management, workforce, policy, and research methods relevant to nursing, midwifery, and other health-related professions. It aims to support evidence-informed policy and practice by publishing research, systematic and other scholarly reviews, critical discussion, and methodological papers, and has been publishing peer-reviewed articles since 1963.

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Subject Nursing
Impact Factor 7.1
Quartile Q1
Open Access Type Hybrid
ISSN 0020-7489
eISSN 1873-491X
Invitation Only No
Cost Range Open Access Article Publishing Charge (APC): USD 5,550 (excluding taxes). Subscription: No publication fee charged to authors.

Submission Instructions

International Journal of Nursing Studies accepts the following article types. Click on an article type to view submission instructions.

Research Papers

Cover Letter A cover letter is required and must be uploaded together with the completed submission checklist and reporting checklist under the Cover Letter file type. The cover letter itself has no mandatory content explicitly stated.
Abstract An abstract is required for Research Papers. Abstract must not exceed 400 words. Abstract must be structured. Study registration details must be included at the end of the abstract, including the registry name, registration number, registration date, and where relevant the date the first participant was recruited.
Manuscript Research Papers must be 2,000 to 7,000 words in length. Manuscript must use clearly defined section headings, and the title must be in the format Topic (or question): method. Manuscript must include 1 to 7 keywords, 2 or 3 single-sentence bullet points under both 'What is already known' and 'What this paper adds,' and an AI-use declaration before the references if generative AI was used in manuscript preparation.
References References must be complete and consistent, with every in-text citation included in the reference list and references cited in the abstract given in full.
Figures & Tables Research Papers may include up to 5 tables or figures in total, with any additional items submitted as supplementary material. Tables must appear in the anonymized manuscript, while figures and other graphical media must be uploaded as separate files. Tables must be editable text with captions and consecutive numbering, and instrument development or validation papers must include the full instrument as a supplementary file.
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Reviews

Cover Letter A cover letter is required and must be uploaded together with the completed submission checklist. The cover letter must be uploaded together with the completed submission checklist and any reporting checklist.
Abstract An abstract is required for Reviews. The abstract must not exceed 400 words. The abstract must be structured. Mandatory abstract headings are not specified.
Manuscript Reviews must be 2,000 to 7,000 words in length. The manuscript title must follow the format Topic (or question): method, and the manuscript must be divided into clearly defined sections using headings. The manuscript must include 1 to 7 keywords, 2 or 3 single-sentence bullet points under both “What is already known” and “What this paper adds,” and an AI-use declaration at the end before the references if generative AI was used in manuscript preparation.
References References must be cited consistently, with every in-text citation included in the reference list and vice versa.
Figures & Tables The paper may include up to 5 tables or figures in total, with any additional tables or figures submitted as supplementary material. Tables must appear in the anonymized manuscript, while figures and other graphical media must be supplied as separate files. Tables must be submitted as editable text rather than images, and every table and figure must be cited in the text, numbered consecutively, and accompanied by a caption.
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Discussion Papers

Cover Letter A cover letter is required and must be uploaded together with the completed submission checklist.
Abstract An abstract is required. Abstract must not exceed 400 words.
Manuscript Manuscript must be 2,000 to 7,000 words in length. Manuscript must be divided into clearly defined sections using headings. Manuscript must include 1 to 7 keywords in English, 2 or 3 single-sentence bullets under “What is already known,” 2 or 3 single-sentence bullets under “What this paper adds,” and an AI-use declaration before the references if generative AI was used in manuscript preparation.
References References must be complete and consistent, with all in-text citations included in the reference list and vice versa.
Figures & Tables Papers may include up to 5 tables or figures in total. Tables must appear in the anonymized manuscript, while figures must be supplied as separate files. Tables must be editable text with captions and consecutive numbering, and all figures and tables must be cited in the manuscript text.
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Editorials

Cover Letter A cover letter is required and must be uploaded together with the completed submission checklist.
Abstract Editorials do not require an abstract.
Manuscript Editorials must be no longer than 1000 words. Manuscripts must be divided into clearly defined sections using headings. Include 1 to 7 keywords in English, provide 2 or 3 single-sentence bullets under both “What is already known” and “What this paper adds,” and add an AI-use declaration before the references if generative AI was used in manuscript preparation.
References References cited in the article must appear in the reference list and vice versa, and references must be presented in a consistent style including standard bibliographic details.
Figures & Tables Papers may include up to 5 tables or figures in total, with any additional items submitted as supplementary material. Tables must appear in the anonymized manuscript, while figures and other graphical media must be uploaded as separate files. Tables must be editable text with captions and consecutive numbering, and all tables and figures must be cited in the manuscript text.
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Recent Publications

Editorial Board

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10.1016/s0020-7489(26)00266-x
View Publication

Corrigendum to “Is burnout a mediator between psychosocial work environment and perceived quality of care provided in healthcare professionals? A prospective 1-year follow-up study” [Int. J. Nurs. Stud. 180 (2026) 105554]

Britta Gynning, Emma Brulin, Elin Karlsson, Per Gustavsson, Filip Christiansen, Kevin Teoh

10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2026.105581
View Publication

Determinants of social participation among community-dwelling older adults: A mixed-methods systematic review

Yufan Yang, Siye Chen, Gaiyan Wang, Yaozong Wang, Angela Yee Man Leung, Lillian Hung, Zhiwen Wang

10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2026.105574
View Publication

Beyond staffing ratios - team demographic diversity, workforce stability, and their effects on patient safety and workforce sustainability: A multi-country analysis

Senne Vleminckx, Kim De Meulenaere, Peter Van Bogaert, Steven Abrams, Lander Willem, Filip Haegdorens

10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2026.105570
View Publication

Tailored profiles of physical activity in children with asthma: Insights from a mixed methods study

Nan Lin, Ye Sun, Jingyi Jin, Dengming Lai, Zhimin Chen, Hongzhen Xu

10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2026.105575
View Publication

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to publish?

9 days submission to first decision; 63 days submission to decision after review; 179 days submission to acceptance; 4 days from acceptance to first online publication; average time from submission to first decision of 4 weeks; final online publication as soon as 2 weeks post-acceptance.

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Is a cover letter required?

A cover letter is required. The completed submission checklist and reporting checklist should be uploaded together with the cover letter under the “Cover Letter” file type during submission.

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What are the publication costs?

Open Access Article Publishing Charge (APC): USD 5,550 (excluding taxes). Subscription publication has no publication fee charged to authors.

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Research Topics

Geriatric Care and Nursing Homes Human auditory perception and evaluation Nursing education and management Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues Educational Robotics and Engineering Diverse Scientific and Economic Studies Family and Patient Care in Intensive Care Units Healthcare professionals’ stress and burnout Workplace Health and Well-being Interprofessional Education and Collaboration Nursing Roles and Practices Global Health Workforce Issues Nursing Diagnosis and Documentation Pressure Ulcer Prevention and Management Emergency and Acute Care Studies Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research Nursing Education, Practice, and Leadership Health, psychology, and well-being Health Systems, Economic Evaluations, Quality of Life Intensive Care Unit Cognitive Disorders Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health Patient Safety and Medication Errors Patient Satisfaction in Healthcare Childhood Cancer Survivors' Quality of Life Health Sciences Research and Education

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