Editor in Chief

Position Title: Editor-in-Chief, Teaching and Learning in Nursing

Organization: Organization for Associate Degree Nursing (OADN)

About Teaching and Learning in Nursing and OADN

Teaching and Learning in Nursing (TELN) is the official society journal of the Organization for Associate Degree Nursing. The journal is dedicated to advancing associate degree nursing education and practice and to promoting collaboration in charting the future of healthcare education and delivery.

OADN is the national voice and leading advocate for more than 1,100 associate degree nursing programs in the United States. The organization advances excellence in nursing education, strengthens associate degree pathways into registered nursing careers, and works to ensure communities everywhere have access to safe, high-quality nursing care.

The Editor-in-Chief (EiC) will lead TELN in alignment with OADN’s mission, ensuring that the journal remains a premier venue for scholarship that supports associate degree nursing education, pathways, and practice.

Position Summary

The Editor-in-Chief provides strategic, scholarly, and operational leadership for Teaching and Learning in Nursing. The EiC oversees all aspects of the editorial process, manages the editorial team and peer-review system, cultivates high-quality submissions, and stewards the journal’s vision, reputation, and metrics. The EiC serves as the primary liaison between OADN, the publisher, the editorial board, authors, and reviewers, ensuring that the journal reflects and advances the mission and aims of OADN and the associate degree nursing pathway.

Key Responsibilities

1. Editorial Leadership & Journal Vision

• Provide overall strategic direction for the journal, ensuring alignment with OADN’s mission and priorities for associate degree nursing education and practice.
• Manage and refine the journal’s aims and scope to ensure continued relevance, rigor, and impact.
• Design, select, and manage special issues (at least one per year) that advance key topics in teaching and learning in nursing, particularly within associate degree programs.
• Manage the journal’s metrics (e.g., submissions, acceptance rates, usage, citation indicators) and implement strategies to enhance visibility, quality, and growth.
• Run and monitor regular reports (e.g., submission trends, review times, citation and usage metrics) to guide data-informed editorial decisions and strategic planning.

2. Manuscript Assessment & Peer Review Management

• Assess all new submissions for fit with the journal’s aims and scope, relevance to nursing education (with emphasis on associate degree nursing), and minimal quality thresholds.
• Manage desk rejections, including providing clear and constructive communication to authors.
• Oversee the full peer-review process from initial assessment through final decision, ensuring timely, fair, and rigorous review of manuscripts.
• Make final decisions on manuscripts, integrating reviewer and handling editor recommendations while upholding high scholarly and ethical standards.
• Ensure adherence to best practices in publishing ethics (e.g., COPE guidance), including management of conflicts of interest, authorship concerns, and research integrity issues.

3. Editorial Team & Peer Reviewer Management

• Lead and manage the editorial team, including associate/handling editors and the editorial board, fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and productive culture.
• Conduct at least two editorial board meetings per year (or more as needed) to review journal performance, discuss strategy, and plan future initiatives.
• Recruit, support, and grow a diverse pool of peer reviewers with expertise in nursing education, associate degree nursing, and related areas.
• Provide mentorship and support for editorial board members, handling editors, and reviewers to promote consistency, quality, and professional development.

4. Author Relations & Content Development

• Recruit and support new and established authors, with particular attention to voices from associate degree nursing programs, community colleges, and diverse communities.
• Provide guidance to authors on manuscript preparation, responding to reviews, and aligning work with the journal’s aims and OADN’s mission.
• Ensure that each issue includes a high-quality editorial (written by the EiC or managed through invited contributions), highlighting key content and situating it within current trends and challenges in nursing education (four editorials per year).
• Manage, support, edit, and approve OADN Society Pages and related society content to ensure integration of OADN initiatives, priorities, and advocacy into the journal.

5. Production, Print Issues, and Publisher Collaboration

• Work closely with the publisher on all production processes, including approving proofs for all articles and front/back matter prior to publication.
• Manage the print issues for each of the four issues per year, including issue planning, content flow, and scheduling to ensure timely publication.
• Collaborate with the publisher on journal promotion, digital presence, and dissemination strategies that enhance readership and impact.

6. Reporting, Outreach, and Society Engagement

• Present journal metrics, trends, and strategic updates to the OADN Board of Directors at least annually (and more often as requested).
• Represent the journal at OADN’s annual convention and other relevant meetings, showcasing the journal’s role in advancing associate degree nursing education and scholarship.
• Design and present writing and publishing workshops at the OADN convention (and/or virtually), supporting faculty, clinicians, and emerging scholars—especially those in associate degree nursing programs.
• Serve as an advocate and ambassador for associate degree nursing pathways and for the role of scholarship in strengthening those pathways.

Qualifications

Required:

• Doctoral degree in nursing (e.g., PhD, DNP, EdD in Nursing) or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated record of scholarship in nursing education, practice, or related fields, with a strong understanding of associate degree nursing.
• Significant experience with scholarly publishing, including roles as an author and peer reviewer; prior editorial or editorial board experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated leadership skills, including experience leading teams, committees, or academic programs.
• Clear, compelling commitment to and advocacy for the associate degree nursing pathway and community college–based nursing education.
• Strong understanding of research methods and evidence-based practice in nursing education.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to provide constructive feedback to authors, reviewers, and editorial colleagues.
• Familiarity with online manuscript management and peer-review systems.

Preferred:

• Previous experience as an editor, associate editor, or section editor for a peer-reviewed journal.
• Experience working with a professional or specialty society, particularly in nursing or health professions education.
• Experience analyzing and using journal metrics and publishing data to guide decisions.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in nursing education, practice, and publishing.
• Experience designing and delivering writing or publishing workshops or faculty development programs.

Appointment & Reporting

• The Editor-in-Chief reports to the Organization for Associate Degree Nursing (OADN) leadership (e.g., Board of Directors or designated committee) and collaborates closely with the publisher’s journal manager and production team.
• Term of appointment, workload expectations, honorarium or stipend, and any institutional support requirements will be determined in consultation with OADN and specified in a separate agreement.