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Case studies

Before submitting your case study, please make sure it meets the following requirements.

(Click here to download a pdf version of this page.)

Word count

There is no word limit for case studies but writing should be succinct and not include unnecessary or repeated information.

Text of the case study

Structure your case study under the following headings.

  • Summary (in 150 words or less outline of the presentation and outcome of the case)
  • Background (explain why this case is important, why you decided to write about it)
  • Case presentation (describe the presenting features and case history including medical, social and/or family aspects)
  • Investigations (if relevant)
  • Differential diagnosis (if relevant)
  • Treatment (if relevant)
  • Outcome and follow-up
  • Discussion (including a brief review of similar cases that have been published. If the patient was involved in a clinical trial cite related articles.)
  • Implications for practice (include three to five learning points or take-home messages that are relevant to nursing practice)
  • References (use the Vancouver referencing style).

Use other subheadings as appropriate.

Other content

Your submission must also include:

  • a signed consent form
  • images and graphics (as appropriate)
  • a reference list
  • funding or financial interest disclosure (as appropriate)
  • acknowledgements (as appropriate).

Consent and permissions

You must obtain and forward a signed statement of informed consent to publish, in print and online, patient descriptions or case studies, photographs of and pedigrees from all individuals, or parents or legal guardians of minors, who can be identified in such written descriptions, photographs or pedigrees. Such individuals should be shown the manuscript before its submission.

To download the JPN consent form, click here. Submit this form, signed by the patient or their relative or guardian, with your manuscript.

Manuscripts without a suitable consent form will not be considered for publication.

You are responsible for obtaining written permission from the copyright owner for the use of using photographs and any material (e.g. text, tables, figures, forms) previously published or printed elsewhere. You must also bear the cost, if any, of using the material. Permission is required for both print and electronic use. Original letters granting permission must be submitted when the final manuscript is uploaded.

Images and graphics

Tables should be typed, not inserted as an image, and submitted on separate pages placed at the end of the text document.

Figures may be inserted as an image and submitted on separate pages placed at the end of the text document.

You must refer to every table and figure you submit in the text of your manuscript.

Photographs must be supplied as separate high-resolution files (300 dpi or 1MB in size). Indicate where in the text photographs are to be placed and provide a suitable caption.

Citations and references

You are responsible for the accuracy and correct formatting of all reference citations. References will be checked for accuracy when edited for publication. If there are errors, publication of your manuscript may be delayed.

Citations and reference lists should follow the Vancouver referencing style. For details download the ACORN referencing guide.

Funding or financial interest disclosure 

If your case study is the result of funded research you must cite the funding source on the title page. If your case study originated as a thesis or dissertation while you were on an educational scholarship, you must cite the name of the scholarship. In general, this disclosure will not preclude publication in Journal of Perioperative Nursing providing that the manuscript meets the appropriate standards for acceptance. When appropriate, this information is shared with reviewers and readers.

If you received government funding, you are required to comply with all of the terms of the National Institute for Health (NIH) Public Access Policy, including submitting your funded articles to NIH for posting on PubMed Central. You are permitted to post the original draft of the article on PubMed Central after six months from the article's publication in Journal of Perioperative Nursing.

You must disclose any financial interest in products or companies that manufacture products mentioned in your manuscript as well as any compensation received for producing the manuscript.

Acknowledgments

Any acknowledgments should be submitted with the manuscript.

Patient confidentiality

All patient information included in manuscripts, tables, figures or photographs must be de-identified to avoid compromising patient privacy and confidentiality. Only those details essential for understanding and interpreting a specific case should be provided. 

Plagiarism

All manuscripts will be reviewed for originality with a plagiarism software product. Manuscripts found to plagiarise the work of others will not be published in Journal of Perioperative Nursing.

Title page

Submit a title page, as a separate document, with your manuscript. Your title page should include details of all authors':

  • names
  • credentials
  • titles
  • affiliations (maximum four)
  • email addresses.

Online manuscript submission

Submit your manuscript at www.journal.acorn.org.au. Instructions are provided and assistance is available by contacting journaleditor@acorn.org.au.

All manuscript submissions – both original and revisions – should include the title page, abstract, text, references and all tables and figures. Do not blind the manuscript.

Please note: Even though the title, abstract and authors are entered into the system when you submit your manuscript, you must still include these with your manuscript files.