Creating a peer network to support publication by graduate students in nursing

Publication is a key product of the knowledge generation process in nursing; it is also a performance measure in both the university setting and with funding bodies. Earlier this year, Grech and Evans (2012) described the barriers faced by junior faculty and the importance of providing support to encourage publications in high-ranked peer reviewed journals. Similarly, graduate students experience pressures and barriers related to publication—lack of time and experience, difficulty responding to reviews, and rejection. Strategies to support students’ publication efforts have been described in the literature: supervisor support and writing courses and workshops offered by the university of school of nursing (Belcher 2009; Cuthbert & Spark 2008; Lei & Chang, 2009). In this paper we describe a novel strategy developed by graduate students in nursing to create a supportive environment for students wanting to pursue publication – a student-led peer-support network called Summer Pub Club. We describe our program and how it helped graduate students gain skills and experience writing for publication.Applied Science, Faculty ofNursing, School ofReviewedGraduat