editorial

Silhouette of a New Journal

An artist uses paints and canvass to express idea and feeling; an architect places materials in an environment to express form and resource; a

musician combines notes and tempo to express mood; an author uses words and punctuation to convey idea and thought; an editor uses paper and

ink-and others’ ideas-to create a journal. All have creativity in common. Established professional journals generally have a delineable style and

purpose. This is a new journal, and I can only tell you what form it hopes to take-a silhouette . . . a profile . . . a model . . . a design.

The new Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing offers a fresh, new opportunity for nurses in OGN nursing to report thought,

trend, policy and research. It represents an expansion of limited existing opportunity to publish in these specialty areas. It is an opportunity

to take the lead in OGN nursing, and who should be better qualified to take this lead than those directly involved in these areas? It serves as a

source of encouragement for research in obstetric, gynecologic and neonatal nursing. The Association has grown rapidly and now is even more firmly

established as the spokesman for obstetric, gynecologic and neonatal nursing through this journal.

The silhouette is on the horizon. The form, the outline, is established. What emerges is ultimately up to you-the obstetric, gynecologic and

neonatal nurse. The substance, the essence, the quality will be defined by the authors who are the artists, the musicians and the architects

of obstetric, gynecologic and neonatal nursing. A silhouette stands on the horizon. Look at the form more closely and share with us the happy

task of developing the character that will be recognized as the leader in its field.

RUTH YOUNG, R N Editor, Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing

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