Ethical Requirements for Nursing and Midwifery Studies (NMS)

Nursing and Midwifery Studies (NMS) is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in research, publication, and professional practice. All submissions must comply with established ethical guidelines to ensure integrity, transparency, and the protection of human and animal subjects. Authors, reviewers, and editors must adhere to the following ethical principles:

 

1. Ethical Approval for Research Studies

All research involving human participants, human tissues, or animals must be conducted in accordance with internationally recognized ethical guidelines.

1.1. Human Research

• Studies must comply with the Declaration of Helsinki, the Belmont Report, and relevant national ethical standards.
• Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethics Committee approval is mandatory for all studies involving human participants.
• The ethics approval number and the approving institution’s name must be included in the manuscript.
• In cases where ethical approval is waived (e.g., retrospective studies using de-identified data), authors must provide a formal waiver statement from their institution.

1.2. Animal Research

• Research involving animals must follow the ARRIVE Guidelines, the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, and other relevant national and international regulations.
• Ethical approval from an institutional animal care and use committee is required.
• The study must demonstrate efforts to minimize animal suffering, reduce the number of animals used, and refine experimental procedures.

 

2. Informed Consent

Authors must ensure that written informed consent is obtained from all human participants before their inclusion in the study.

2.1. General Consent Requirements

• Participants must be fully informed about the study’s purpose, methods, potential risks, and their right to withdraw at any time.
• If the participant is a minor or unable to provide consent, a legally authorized representative must provide consent.

2.2. Privacy and Confidentiality

• Authors must protect the anonymity of participants by avoiding the publication of identifying details unless explicit consent is obtained.
• Any images, personal details, or case reports that could identify a patient require additional signed consent for publication.
• Data must be securely stored and used only for the stated research purposes.

 

3. Authorship and Contribution Transparency

All listed authors must have made substantial contributions to the research and must agree on the final manuscript before submission.

3.1. Authorship Criteria

To qualify as an author, an individual must:

1. Make significant contributions to the study design, data collection, analysis, or interpretation.
2. Draft or critically revise the manuscript.
3. Approve the final version and agree to its submission.

3.2. Acknowledgment of Contributors

Individuals who contributed to the study but do not meet authorship criteria (e.g., technical assistance, data collection support) should be acknowledged in the manuscript.

3.3. Corresponding Author Responsibilities

• The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring all listed authors have contributed to the work.
• Any changes in authorship (addition or removal) after submission must be justified and approved by all authors.

 

4. Plagiarism and Data Integrity

Nursing and Midwifery Studies has a zero-tolerance policy for plagiarism, fabrication, and falsification of data.

4.1. Plagiarism and Text Recycling

• Manuscripts must be original and must not contain plagiarized content.
• The journal uses plagiarism detection software, and any manuscript with a high similarity index may be rejected or retracted.
• Self-plagiarism (duplicate publication of one’s own work without proper citation) is not acceptable.

4.2. Data Fabrication and Falsification

• Authors must ensure that data are accurate and not manipulated to misrepresent findings.
• If errors are discovered post-publication, authors must notify the journal immediately for correction or retraction.

 

5. Conflict of Interest Disclosure

All authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could influence their work.

5.1. Author Disclosures

• Any financial, professional, or personal relationships that could be perceived as conflicts must be declared in the manuscript.
• Funding sources and the role of sponsors in the research must be disclosed.

5.2. Reviewer and Editor Responsibilities

• Reviewers and editors must recuse themselves if they have a conflict of interest with an assigned manuscript.
• Editors ensure that publication decisions are free from external influences.

 

6. Ethical Considerations for Peer Review

Nursing and Midwifery Studies follows a double-blind peer review process to maintain objectivity and fairness.

6.1. Reviewer Responsibilities

• Reviewers must evaluate manuscripts based on scientific merit, without bias.
• Confidentiality must be maintained, and reviewers should not share or use unpublished research for personal gain.
• Any suspected ethical concerns (e.g., plagiarism, data fabrication) must be reported to the editorial team.

6.2. Editorial Integrity

• Editors must ensure a transparent, unbiased peer-review process.
• Editorial decisions must be based solely on the quality and relevance of the manuscript.

 

7. Corrections, Retractions, and Misconduct Handling

The journal upholds research integrity by addressing ethical breaches transparently.

7.1. Corrections and Retractions

• If minor errors are found post-publication, an erratum will be issued.
• In cases of significant ethical violations (e.g., plagiarism, falsified data), the article may be retracted in accordance with COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines.

7.2. Allegations of Research Misconduct

• Allegations of misconduct (e.g., plagiarism, duplicate publication) will be investigated by the editorial board.
• Authors will be given an opportunity to respond to allegations before further action is taken.
• If misconduct is confirmed, institutional authorities may be notified.

 

By adhering to these ethical requirements, Nursing and Midwifery Studies ensures the publication of high-quality, ethical, and credible research that contributes to the advancement of healthcare.