Large numbers of nurses present papers at professional and scholarly conferences. However, there are few avenues for the information to be disseminated more broadly. Brenda Happell provides a practical guide for nurses wanting to move from a conference presentation to a journal article

Conference presentations are a way to encourage nurses to disseminate their knowledge to their peers (Ashworth 1996, Cleary and Walter 2004, O’Neill and Duffey 2000, Sheldon and Jackson 1999). It is a particularly attractive option as nursing has tended to rely largely on oral communication (Heartfield 1996, Hardey et al 2000, Martin and Street 2003). However, it means they are less likely to attempt to have their knowledge or achievements published in refereed journals (Happell 2005, Mee 2003, Mulhall 1996, Stepnaski 2002).