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History of the development of the confederation of Austrlian critical care nurses
VOl. 4 NO 3 1991
The development of critical care un~s in the sixties and seventies resulted in a group of specialist medical and nursing clinicians who chose to work in these areas. The nurses then formed two associations to provide educational opportunities for their members. The Clinical Nurse Specialists Association of Australia and New Zealand (CNSA) was founded in New South Wales and the Australian Society of Critical Care Nurses (ASCCN) in all other states. Each organisation has been gaining support over the past 10 years and although each state is autonomous they are guided by a common set of objectives. However, the fragmentation of two organisations representing Critical Care Nurses is often confusing for not only our members but our trade and medical colleagues. This fragmentation diluted our ability to work cohesively and become a strong voice for cmical care nurses inAustralia. In 1985 at the 10th Scientific Meeting on Intensive Care initial talks regarding the
amalgamation between the two groups took place. Subsequent meetings w"h the executive of both groups sought the development of a constitution. This was ratified by both organisations and the Confederation of Australian Critical Care Nurses was bornl The inaugural meeting was held inHobart in 1986. The ASCCN's journal 'PULSE' and the 'CNSA Journal' were amalgamated to form the CACCN JOURNAL which has been published quarterly since 1988. The CACCN represents both organisations at a national level. The national executive of the CACCN consists of four representatives, two from the executive of the CNSA, currently L Ferguson and SA Wilson and two from the federal executive of the ASCCN currently J Gow and K Schn~zerling.
atthough guided by a set of rules, the CACCN is not legally incorporated and the relationship to each state if informal. The cooperation and collaboration between each organisation as a result of the development of the CACCN resulted in discussion papers proposing the dissolution ofthe ASCCN and CNSA toenable the legal incorporation of the CACCN. This means that each member state will be a branch of the CACCN and a national executive will comprise one member from the executive of each state. The new national executive will take the place of the existing four member executive. Inorder for a state to become a member ofthe CACCN they have to be legally incorporated and adopt the name CACCN. By the end of 1991 it is expected that all states will have undertaken these changes.
The executive meets bi-annually and organises activities of interest to both organisations, the annual ANZICSICACCN Scientific Meeting is a major undertaking. This has been a mutually satisfying arrangement. However, tothis point,
The State and National executives have worked tirelessly toward this goal and now see the fruits of their effort with the CACCN const"ution being ratified by each state and the formalisation of the organisation.
publication after considering the reviewers comments, the revised article is returned to the editor. (G) A copy of the penultimate article, in publication format, is forwarded to the authorls for their acknowledged acceptance following any editorial changes. (H) The length of time from submission of the article to publication varies and depends on the reviewers recommendations (6-9 months).
Aspects of the article which are taken into consideration by the reviewers include: accuracy, significance and currency of the topic; relevance and appjiealion of the material to clinical practice; appropriateness of the authors approach to the topic or research design; organisation and presentation of the article including length, writing style and syntax; appropriate and accurate referencing, figures, tables and t~les.
.
By definition a refereed journal involves a process of peer review, the aim of which is to promote effective and accurate communication. To this end, all articles submitted to the ed~or for publication undergo critical review by at least two, and often three, experts in the area ofthe topic submitted. The review process following submission of an article involves: (A) Letter ofacknowledgement of receipt; (B) The article is forwarded, excluding the name of the author/s, to reviewers as determined by the editor and editorial comm~ee;
(C) Reviewers comments and recommendations are returned to the editor; (0) Based on recommendations by the reviewers, the article is either accepted as is, accepted pending revision, or rejected. (E) Author/s informed of the outcome. If an article has been accepted for pUblication the letter to the authorls will include an assignment of copyright if this has not already been subm~ed; (F) If the authorls wish to proceed to
The article is reviewed for:Editorial style and syntax by the editor and/or a member of the editorial committee who may also have a background in the topic area; Content, by two members of the ed~orial board who are acknowledged experts in the topic area. The ed~orial committee has compiled a list of volunteer review consuttants to be drawn upon in the event of a topic being submitted that requires wider review or where no, or limned, expertise resides in the editorial committeeJboard members. Anonymity is maintained between reviewers and authors.
If a research project is submitted the following additional aspects are reviewed:original~y
problem identificationfhypothesis, literature review design, sample and methodology presentation of data and results interpretation and discussion of results conclusions and recommendations. Ethical considerations include - a) the privileged nature of unpublished material; b) Conflict of interest or bias. If this exists the reviewer or consuttant should return the article to the editor unreviewed.
17
The development of critical care un~s in the sixties and seventies resulted in a group of specialist medical and nursing clinicians who chose to work in these areas. The nurses then formed two associations to provide educational opportunities for their members. The Clinical Nurse Specialists Association of Australia and New Zealand (CNSA) was founded in New South Wales and the Australian Society of Critical Care Nurses (ASCCN) in all other states. Each organisation has been gaining support over the past 10 years and although each state is autonomous they are guided by a common set of objectives. However, the fragmentation of two organisations representing Critical Care Nurses is often confusing for not only our members but our trade and medical colleagues. This fragmentation diluted our ability to work cohesively and become a strong voice for cmical care nurses inAustralia. In 1985 at the 10th Scientific Meeting on Intensive Care initial talks regarding the
amalgamation between the two groups took place. Subsequent meetings w"h the executive of both groups sought the development of a constitution. This was ratified by both organisations and the Confederation of Australian Critical Care Nurses was bornl The inaugural meeting was held inHobart in 1986. The ASCCN's journal 'PULSE' and the 'CNSA Journal' were amalgamated to form the CACCN JOURNAL which has been published quarterly since 1988. The CACCN represents both organisations at a national level. The national executive of the CACCN consists of four representatives, two from the executive of the CNSA, currently L Ferguson and SA Wilson and two from the federal executive of the ASCCN currently J Gow and K Schn~zerling.
atthough guided by a set of rules, the CACCN is not legally incorporated and the relationship to each state if informal. The cooperation and collaboration between each organisation as a result of the development of the CACCN resulted in discussion papers proposing the dissolution ofthe ASCCN and CNSA toenable the legal incorporation of the CACCN. This means that each member state will be a branch of the CACCN and a national executive will comprise one member from the executive of each state. The new national executive will take the place of the existing four member executive. Inorder for a state to become a member ofthe CACCN they have to be legally incorporated and adopt the name CACCN. By the end of 1991 it is expected that all states will have undertaken these changes.
The executive meets bi-annually and organises activities of interest to both organisations, the annual ANZICSICACCN Scientific Meeting is a major undertaking. This has been a mutually satisfying arrangement. However, tothis point,
The State and National executives have worked tirelessly toward this goal and now see the fruits of their effort with the CACCN const"ution being ratified by each state and the formalisation of the organisation.
publication after considering the reviewers comments, the revised article is returned to the editor. (G) A copy of the penultimate article, in publication format, is forwarded to the authorls for their acknowledged acceptance following any editorial changes. (H) The length of time from submission of the article to publication varies and depends on the reviewers recommendations (6-9 months).
Aspects of the article which are taken into consideration by the reviewers include: accuracy, significance and currency of the topic; relevance and appjiealion of the material to clinical practice; appropriateness of the authors approach to the topic or research design; organisation and presentation of the article including length, writing style and syntax; appropriate and accurate referencing, figures, tables and t~les.
.
By definition a refereed journal involves a process of peer review, the aim of which is to promote effective and accurate communication. To this end, all articles submitted to the ed~or for publication undergo critical review by at least two, and often three, experts in the area ofthe topic submitted. The review process following submission of an article involves: (A) Letter ofacknowledgement of receipt; (B) The article is forwarded, excluding the name of the author/s, to reviewers as determined by the editor and editorial comm~ee;
(C) Reviewers comments and recommendations are returned to the editor; (0) Based on recommendations by the reviewers, the article is either accepted as is, accepted pending revision, or rejected. (E) Author/s informed of the outcome. If an article has been accepted for pUblication the letter to the authorls will include an assignment of copyright if this has not already been subm~ed; (F) If the authorls wish to proceed to
The article is reviewed for:Editorial style and syntax by the editor and/or a member of the editorial committee who may also have a background in the topic area; Content, by two members of the ed~orial board who are acknowledged experts in the topic area. The ed~orial committee has compiled a list of volunteer review consuttants to be drawn upon in the event of a topic being submitted that requires wider review or where no, or limned, expertise resides in the editorial committeeJboard members. Anonymity is maintained between reviewers and authors.
If a research project is submitted the following additional aspects are reviewed:original~y
problem identificationfhypothesis, literature review design, sample and methodology presentation of data and results interpretation and discussion of results conclusions and recommendations. Ethical considerations include - a) the privileged nature of unpublished material; b) Conflict of interest or bias. If this exists the reviewer or consuttant should return the article to the editor unreviewed.
17