NEU is an international scientific journal that publishes original research relevant to nursing sciences in the neurosciences. All manuscripts submitted to the journal undergo a double-blind peer review process. Each submission is evaluated by the editorial team and, if deemed suitable for the journal’s scope, is independently reviewed by at least two external reviewers with expertise in the relevant field. Reviewers are selected based on their scientific competence and absence of conflicts of interest. Editorial decisions are based on the reviewers’ recommendations, the scientific quality of the manuscript, originality, methodological rigor, and relevance to clinical practice.

The journal particularly welcomes studies that aim to evaluate and understand complex healthcare interventions and health policies in neurological, neurosurgical, neurorehabilitation, and psychiatric settings, employing the most rigorous designs and methods appropriate for the research question at hand. The journal also seeks to advance the quality of research by publishing methodological papers that introduce or elaborate on analytic techniques, measures, and research methods. The journal publishes original peer-reviewed articles of interest to the international healthcare community.
For detailed information on copyright, licensing, and reuse conditions, please refer to the Open Access Policy page.

Editorial Policies

• Rapid Initial Screening for suitability and editorial interest;
• Highly Efficient Editorial Processes: average time from submission to first decision of 2 months;
• Just Accepted Manuscript: the article is published online soon after its acceptance;

Topics

NEU publishes articles of professional interest covering all topics of nursing sciences within the neurosciences. The aim of the journal is to promote excellence, improve clinical practice, and encourage debate about patient care and nursing management in neurology, neurosurgery, neurorehabilitation, and psychiatry. Its international outlook provides an appropriate space for the diffusion and exchange of research outcomes, experiences, and ideas. It is fundamental that articles in the English language are corrected and reviewed before submission.

Guidelines for Authors

Submission Structure

Authors are required to submit their manuscript through the online submission system in .docx format. The submission should include the following documents:

1. Cover letter: A letter to the editor explaining the significance of the work and confirming that the manuscript is original and not under consideration elsewhere.
2. Title page: A separate page with the manuscript title, author details, corresponding author contact information, and a list of author affiliations.
3. Blinded manuscript version (named "MANUSCRIPT"): This includes the title, abstract (structured according to the IMRAD format), the main text, clinical implications, references, and all multimedia materials such as images, tables, and figures, positioned within the manuscript at their respective locations.

Revised Manuscript Submission

For revised submissions, authors must upload the revised manuscript in Microsoft Word format, named “MANUSCRIPT_REVISED”. The document should include a detailed response to reviewers’ comments. Authors are required to highlight their responses in red text within the Word file to ensure that the revisions are clearly identifiable.

1. Types of Papers and Word Limits

NEU publishes original research and other types of articles as listed below. Articles must be submitted in English.

1.1. Editorials
Editorials are commissioned by the editors and generally provide discussion on an article in the corresponding issue of NEU. Editorials should be formatted to include a maximum of three authors, 1,000 words, and 15 references, and may include one table or figure. A structured abstract of up to 300 words is required.

1.2. Original Scientific Research
Quantitative or qualitative research articles should report new findings relevant to nursing sciences in the neurosciences, supported by research evidence. These should be original, previously unpublished works, and contain a discussion of their implications for an international audience. The completion of the relevant EQUATOR checklist is required. A structured abstract of up to 400 words, following the IMRAD format (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion), should accompany original research articles. Quantitative research studies should not exceed 6,000 words, while reports on qualitative research studies may contain a maximum of 8,000 words.

1.3. Quality Improvement Reports
These articles focus on patient safety and the improvement of nursing interventions in neuroscience settings. Authors should identify a problem or opportunity, summarize the state of scientific knowledge on the topic, analyze it, and finally implement an improvement solution. Papers should include a clear rationale for the quality initiative, based on a robust literature review. The completion of the SQUIRE checklist is required. A structured abstract of up to 300 words, following the IMRAD format (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion), should accompany quality improvement reports, and these submissions may contain a maximum of 4,000 words.

1.4. Systematic Reviews with or without Meta-Analysis
Systematic reviews seek to summarize or draw conclusions from the established literature. They can involve quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods studies. Transparency regarding the search strategy, search results, and the process of excluding articles is of key importance. All systematic reviews must include the PRISMA checklist, along with a flowchart illustrating the search results and selection process. A structured abstract of up to 400 words, following the IMRAD format (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion), should accompany systematic reviews, and these submissions may contain a maximum of 7,000 words.

1.5. Narrative, Integrative, Rapid, and Scoping Reviews
Narrative, integrative, rapid, and scoping reviews should take a focused and purposeful approach to reviewing the literature for a specific topic. Compared to systematic reviews, these aren’t based on a standardized methodology. All these reviews must include the ENTREQ checklist (for qualitative evidence synthesis) or PRISMA-ScR checklist (for scoping reviews), and a flowchart illustrating the search results and selection process, where applicable. They require a structured abstract of up to 400 words and may contain up to 5,000 words.

1.6. Case Reports
A case report documents the management of one patient in a neuroscience setting, with an emphasis on presentations that are unusual, rare, or where there was an unexpected response to treatment. Completion of the CARE checklist is required. Case studies can have a maximum of three authors, a maximum of 800 words, a maximum of 15 references, and may include one table or figure. A structured abstract of up to 300 words is required.

1.7. Letters to the Editor
Letters that point out deficiencies and that add to or further clarify points made in a recently published work are welcomed. The Scientific Board reserves the right to offer authors of papers a chance to respond. Responses will be published with the letter. Letters to the editor have a maximum of five authors, 500 words, and five references.

1.8. Cultural Articles & Procedures Update
Cultural and procedures update articles provide an overview of recent developments or changes in nursing care within the neurosciences, protocols, or techniques. These articles should discuss updates to clinical procedures, emerging treatments, or innovations in the field. A structured abstract of up to 300 words is required. Procedures Update articles should not exceed 4,000 words.

1.9. Study Protocols
The research protocol outlines the rationale for the study, its objectives, methodology, and methods for data management and analysis. Ethical committee approval is required for clinical trial protocols. The completion of the SPIRIT checklist is required. The inclusion of a flowchart depicting the stages of the protocol is recommended. The protocol must include an abstract of no more than 250 words, while the main body of the article should not exceed 5,000 words.

1.10. Comments
Comments are brief, targeted articles, typically commissioned by the journal. These articles are generally not subject to peer review. Comments are usually by invitation only. Unsolicited articles are rarely considered. Typically, comments do not contain figures or tables. A structured abstract of up to 150 words is required. Comments must be no more than 1,000 words and contain a maximum of ten references.

1.11. Brief Reports
Brief reports are concise summaries of preliminary or final data from small-scale studies, significant clinical cases, or methodological innovations. These reports should be clearly structured, with sections including an introduction, methods, results, and discussion. Each section must be targeted and informative. Figures and tables should be limited to those essential for supporting the text. Brief reports must not exceed 3,000 words, including references, with an abstract of no more than 150 words.

Authorship

During the registration process, authors must provide the following information for all authors listed:

• Full name(s), with titles (e.g., MD, PhD, RN, etc.).
• Affiliation(s): Department, institution/university, city, and country.
• Email Address: The email address of each author must be provided.
• ORCID ID: Providing an ORCID iD for all authors is optional but strongly encouraged.
• Research Topics: Authors are encouraged to indicate four relevant topics, separated by semicolons (e.g., wound healing; clinical management; tissue regeneration; diabetic wounds). While optional, specifying research topics helps improve indexing and discoverability.

Please ensure that the corresponding author indicates clearly the contributions of each author to the manuscript. This information will be used to ensure transparency and integrity in the publication process.

Other Details

Depending on the paper type, the manuscript should include keywords, “Clinical Implications”, text, and references. Submitted papers should be relevant to an international audience, therefore, authors are requested to write in plain English, use internationally accepted terminology, and have their draft submissions proofread/corrected by a native English-speaking expert.

Title

The title should be concise and informative. Avoid abbreviations and formulae where possible.

Keywords

Keywords are required because they increase the detectability of the article via search engines. Immediately after the abstract, provide between four and ten keywords in alphabetical order, avoiding general and plural terms, and multiple concepts (e.g., avoid using "and", "of"). These keywords will be used for indexing purposes. It is recommended to use MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) terms or CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature) keywords. For more details, please refer to the MeSH website: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/meshhome.html.

Artwork

Please use the following fonts in your illustrations: Arial, Courier, Times New Roman, Symbol. Number the illustrations according to their sequence in the text and use a logical naming convention for your artwork files. Provide captions for illustrations separately. Ensure that color images are accessible to all, including those with impaired color vision. If your electronic artwork is created in a Microsoft Office application, please supply it ‘as is’ in the native document format. If any other application is used, the files must be converted to one of the following formats:

• EPS (or PDF): Vector drawings, embed all used fonts.
• TIFF (or JPEG): Color or grayscale photographs (halftones), minimum of 300 dpi.
• TIFF (or JPEG): Bitmapped (pure black & white pixels) line drawings, minimum of 1000 dpi.
• TIFF (or JPEG): Combinations of bitmapped line/half-tone (color or grayscale), minimum of 500 dpi.

Please do not:

• Supply files optimized for screen use (e.g., GIF, BMP, PICT, WPG), as these typically have low resolution and limited colors.
• Supply files that are too low in resolution.
• Submit graphics that are disproportionately large for the content.

Color Artwork

Ensure that artwork files are in an acceptable format (as in the artwork section) and with the correct resolution. If, along with your accepted article, you submit usable color figures, NEU will ensure, at no additional charge, that these figures appear in color online. For color reproduction in print, the journal will improve the quality of the files free of charge. Please indicate your preference for color: in print or online only. Further information on the preparation of electronic artwork can be provided if necessary.

Figure Captions

Ensure that each illustration has a caption. Supply captions separately from the figure. A caption should consist of a brief title and a description of the illustration. Keep text in the illustrations themselves to a minimum but explain all symbols and abbreviations used. Illustrations and tables that have appeared elsewhere must be accompanied by written permission to reproduce them from the original publishers.

Tables

Please submit tables as editable text and not as images. Number tables consecutively in accordance with their appearance in the text and place any table notes below the table body. Be sparing in the use of tables and ensure that the data presented in them do not duplicate results described elsewhere in the article.

References

The bibliography must follow the APA Style (7th edition). For articles, please follow the format and punctuation shown in the following examples:

• Journal Articles
  Author(s). (Year). Title of the article. Title of the Journal, volume(issue), page range. https://doi.org/xxxx
  Example:
  Sun, J. C., Davidson, M. J., Lamy, A., & Eikelboom, J. W. (2009). Antithrombotic management of patients with prosthetic heart valves: Current evidence and future trends. The Lancet, 374(9689), 565–576. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(09)60780-7

• Books
  Author(s). (Year). Title of the book (Edition). Publisher.
  Example:
  Comisso, I., Lucchini, A., Stefano, B., Giusti, G. D., & Manici, M. (2018). Nursing in critical care setting: An overview from basic to sensitive outcomes (1st ed.). Springer Nature.

• Chapter in an Edited Book
  Author(s). (Year). Title of the chapter. In Editor(s) (Eds.), Title of the book (Edition, pp. xx–xx). Publisher.
  Example:
  Brewer, L., Bouleware, A. L., & Boss, B. J. (2007). Cardiac and cardiovascular rehabilitation. In S. P. Hoeman (Ed.), Rehabilitation nursing: Prevention, intervention & outcomes (4th ed., pp. 674–696). Mosby Elsevier.

• Website
  Author(s) or Organization. (Year, Month Day). Title of the page. Website name. URL
  Example:
  American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases. (2008, April 1). Prevention of influenza: Recommendations for influenza immunization of children. American Academy of Pediatrics. https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics

• Video
  NEU accepts video material and animation sequences to support and enhance your scientific research. Authors who have video or animation files that they wish to submit with their article are strongly encouraged to include links to these within the body of the article and note where it should be placed. Accepted files must not exceed 1 GB in size. Video and animation files supplied will be published online in the electronic version of your article. You can choose any frame from the video or animation or make a separate image. These will be used instead of standard icons and will personalize the link to your video data.

• Supplementary Material
  Supplementary material can support and enhance your scientific research. Supplementary files offer the author additional possibilities to publish supporting applications, high-resolution images, background datasets, or sound clips. Please note that such items are published online exactly as they are submitted; there is no typesetting involved. Please also make sure to switch off the ‘Track Changes’ option in any Microsoft Office files, as these will appear in the published supplementary file(s).

Editorial Office Contact Information

Editorial Office of NEU, e-mail: info@ieditore.com. For technical help or questions not covered by the “Guide for Authors” document, please email info@ieditore.com

Audience

The target audience of NEU includes a broad range of healthcare professionals such as neuroscience nurses, advanced practice nurses, physicians, educators, administrators, and researchers involved in the neurosciences. This includes professionals from fields such as neurology, neurosurgery, neurorehabilitation, psychiatry, and related clinical and research disciplines. The journal also aims to reach policymakers, public health officials, and educators who are involved in the development and implementation of healthcare policies, education programs, and clinical guidelines related to nursing care and management within the neurosciences.

Indexation in Databases

The journal is indexed in several scientific databases, ensuring its research is widely accessible to the international scientific community.

 

References

The bibliography must follow the APA Style (7th edition).

Journal Articles
Author(s). (Year). Title of the article. Title of the Journal, volume(issue), page range. https://doi.org/xxxx

Example:
Sun, J. C., Davidson, M. J., Lamy, A., & Eikelboom, J. W. (2009). Antithrombotic management of patients with prosthetic heart valves: Current evidence and future trends. The Lancet, 374(9689), 565–576. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(09)60780-7

Books
Author(s). (Year). Title of the book (Edition). Publisher.

Example:
Comisso, I., Lucchini, A., Stefano, B., Giusti, G. D., & Manici, M. (2018). Nursing in critical care setting: An overview from basic to sensitive outcomes (1st ed.). Springer Nature.

Chapter in an Edited Book
Author(s). (Year). Title of the chapter. In Editor(s) (Eds.), Title of the book (Edition, pp. xx–xx). Publisher.

Example:
Brewer, L., Bouleware, A. L., & Boss, B. J. (2007). Cardiac and cardiovascular rehabilitation. In S. P. Hoeman (Ed.), Rehabilitation nursing: Prevention, intervention & outcomes (4th ed., pp. 674–696). Mosby Elsevier.

Website
Author(s) or Organization. (Year, Month Day). Title of the page. Website name. URL

Example:
American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases. (2008, April 1). Prevention of influenza: Recommendations for influenza immunization of children. American Academy of Pediatrics. https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics