Charon A. Pierson, PhD, GNP, CS, FAANP
Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners

Editor-in-chief, Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. Start January 2000

Prior Editor's Position: Founding editor, Nurse Practitioner Forum

Years as Editor: Since 1990

Years in INANE: Started in 1990; hosted one at University of Hawaii

Other positions: Director of the Center for Aging, Faculty, School of Nursing at the University of Texas at El Paso, College of Health Sciences

Accomplishment: When I assumed this position, I was living in Hawaii and felt that I had to establish a new and more reliable system for tracking manuscripts. A computer-based manuscript management system was developed with the help of a programmer and my husband. Our lag time now averages less than 8 weeks for the initial review. Authors are informed during the process. I can generate statistics and communicate with the publisher.

Best: Seeing a manuscript that has potential develop into a good article, which is printed. I find this especially rewarding when it is a first-time author.

Worst: My major frustration is with student submissions that are "mandatory assignments," but are poorly written. This sets the students up for failure and leaves them with an aversion to write for publication.

Amusing: One student submission looked promising and after review, extensive comments and suggestions were made. When no revision appeared, I e-mailed her. Her reply was, "I completed the assignment and I feel no obligation to do anything further because I have already graduated." I recently heard that a version of that story generated a heated discussion at a faculty meeting, about the roles and responsibilities of faculty and editors.

3 words: Honest, supportive, efficient

Strangest request: I received a 120-page Master's thesis, asking if I would be interested in "making an article" out of it.

If not an editor?: Write fiction.

Relax?: Read, sew, or exercise.