About the Journal

Editorial Policies

Focus and Scope

The Revista de Enfermería del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (RE-IMSS) is a quarterly, open-access scientific publication dedicated to disseminating knowledge derived from research, clinical practice, and teaching in the field of nursing.

The journal adheres to the Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), in its updated April 2025 version (https://www.icmje.org/).

Submitted manuscripts must be:

  • Unpublished and original.

  • Not under simultaneous evaluation by another journal.

Once the review process has begun, withdrawal of a manuscript may only occur through a formal written request addressed to the editor. Accepted manuscripts will be scheduled for publication according to the current editorial calendar.

Upon publication, manuscripts become property of the journal through the transfer of copyright. They may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, in any other medium without prior authorization from the editor, although authors retain intellectual rights over the content.

Ethical Considerations

  • Studies involving human subjects must comply with the Declaration of Helsinki and the Regulations of the General Health Law on Health Research.

  • The ethics committee approval number must be indicated, and a copy of the approval must be attached.

  • Research conducted outside Mexico must comply with the corresponding local legislation.

Conflicts of Interest and Sponsorship

  • Authors must declare in writing any conflicts of interest.

  • In the case of sponsorship, its nature and scope must be specified.

  • Opinions and citations contained in manuscripts are the sole responsibility of the authors.

 

Peer Review Process

The RE-IMSS ensures a rigorous, ethical, and confidential review process under a double-blind system.

  • Each manuscript is evaluated by disciplinary, methodological, and bibliographic experts using an assessment form validated by the Editorial Board and Committee.

  • The possible editorial decisions are:

    • Accepted without modifications (A)

    • Accepted with minor modifications (AMM)

    • Accepted with major modifications and new review (AMMR)

    • Not accepted (NA)

In cases of conflicting reviews, the editor will designate a third reviewer. The final decision is not subject to appeal and will be communicated to the corresponding author via email.

Revised versions must be submitted through the OJS system within a maximum period of 30 calendar days following notification. Failure to meet this deadline will result in the conclusion of the editorial process.

 

Open Access Policy and Principles of Responsible Evaluation

The Revista de Enfermería del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (RE-IMSS) upholds a strong commitment to the free, equitable, and ethical dissemination of scientific knowledge in the field of health and nursing. Therefore, all its content is open access, freely and immediately available in digital format (PDF and other accessible formats), without charges to authors or readers.

The open access model promoted by RE-IMSS is based on the principle that scientific knowledge is a public good. Its unrestricted circulation contributes to strengthening professional practice, interdisciplinary research, and the improvement of collective health. Consequently, the content may be consulted, downloaded, distributed, and used for academic and non-commercial purposes, provided appropriate credit is given to the authors and the original source, in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License (CC BY-NC) or any other license in force at the time.

 

Commitment to the DORA Declaration

In alignment with the principles of the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), RE-IMSS adheres to a policy of responsible evaluation of scientific production, promoting the assessment of published work based on its intrinsic quality, methodological rigor, social impact, and contribution to knowledge, rather than on journal-based metrics such as impact factor or publication venue.

The journal encourages institutions, reviewers, and authors to adopt evaluation practices that recognize the diversity of research types, local relevance, collaborative work, and the open communication of data and results. It also promotes transparency in editorial and peer-review processes and the visibility of all intellectual contributions, in accordance with international best practices in open science.

 

Preservation, Interoperability, and Editorial Ethics

RE-IMSS ensures the digital preservation of its content through institutional safeguarding systems and open-access repositories, guaranteeing long-term availability (Zenodo). The journal supports interoperability with national and international indexing and preservation systems.

Regarding editorial ethics, the journal follows the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), ensuring scientific integrity, confidentiality in peer review, and respect for authorship and moral rights.

 

Journal History

The Revista de Enfermería del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social was founded in 1988 as a forum for disseminating knowledge derived from professional practice and nursing research. In its early years, it stood out as an interinstitutional space for academic and professional exchange.

After a publishing hiatus, the journal resumed in 1999 with a four-month publication frequency, a new Editorial Board, and the inclusion of peer review. Since 2011, the journal has been available in open-access electronic format (PDF), and since 2016, its entire editorial process has been conducted online through the Open Journal Systems (OJS) platform.

The journal has been led by various editors-in-chief and supported by renowned professionals from academic and healthcare institutions. It continues to be committed to serving as a vehicle for scientific dissemination in nursing, with both national and international reach.

Editorial Board of the Journal of Nursing of the Mexican Social Security Institute, Volume 1, Number 1, January–April 1988

Nurse Imelda Castañeda Núñez

Nurse Magdalena Olmos Abad

Nurse Lutecia Chacón Álvarez del Castillo

Nurse Guadalupe Ríos Pérez

Nurse Socorro García Narváez

Nurse Ana María Romero Sánchez

Nurse Alicia Gómez Cornejo

Nurse Florinda Rueda Meza

Nurse Ma. Eugenia Martínez Alemán

Nurse Silvia Torres Ortíz

Nurse Ma. de Lourdes Medina Méndez

Nurse Lina Vargas Cuenca

Nurse Concepción Mireles

Nurse Martha Zavala Cuadros

Nurse Rafaela Moctezuma Alfaro

 

 

Editorial Renewal and Continuity

A great idea that is not shared loses its value. For this reason, the Journal of Nursing of the Mexican Social Security Institute has become a medium for disseminating experiences and knowledge derived from professional practice, as well as for establishing networks of support, collaboration, and mutual enrichment among nursing professionals. It is a forum of opportunity where clinical and academic proposals converge to strengthen professional development. [Editorial Board. Rev Enferm IMSS, 1999;7(1):5]

In 1999, the journal resumed as a regular publication with Volume 7, adopting a four-month periodicity and a circulation of 10,000 copies. A new Administrative Board, Editorial Board, and Editorial Committee were established, involving distinguished members of national and international health and educational institutions. That same year, the peer-review system was formally implemented, and distribution mechanisms were improved to reach readers more efficiently.

Since then, the journal has been directed by editors who have significantly contributed to its consolidation:

  • Juana Jiménez Sánchez (1999–2003)
  • María Antonieta Castañeda Hernández (2004–2006)
  • Elisa Morales Olarte (2007–2009)
  • Elena Hernández Mendoza (2010)
  • Gloria María Galván Flores (2011–2013)
  • María Antonieta Castañeda Hernández (2014–2019)
  • Olga Lozano Rangel (2020–2021)
  • María Antonieta Castañeda Hernández (2023–present)

In 2011, the full-text electronic version of the journal became available in PDF format on its official website: http://revistaenfermeria.imss.gob.mx/

In June 2014, a collaborative project was initiated with the Media and Educational Technologies Department to implement the Open Journal Systems (OJS) editorial management platform and develop the website. Beginning in 2015, articles were also published in HTML format and in both Spanish and English versions. By 2016, the entire editorial process—from manuscript submission to publication—was fully transitioned to an online platform.

With steady steps toward digital transition, the Journal of Nursing of the IMSS has evolved into a publication that is:

  • Supported by strong institutional backing.
  • Nationally and internationally visible through its official website.
  • Managed with editorial transparency from submission to publication.
  • Available in open access and full-text PDF format.
  • Committed to mentoring early-career authors in scientific publishing.