Background: Reporting guidelines listed at the website of the EQUATOR network, such as CONSORT and PRISMA, are known to improve reliability of medical research literature by promoting transparent and accurate reporting of research studies. Similarly, trial registration improved research transparency and will ultimately strengthen the validity and value of the scientific evidence base. Most biomedical journals require authors to ensure that the manuscript includes all the information recommended in the relevant reporting guidelines, and support clinical trial registration policies by the World Health Organization. However, the attention paid to reporting guidelines and trial registration in nursing journals is unclear.
Objectives: The study is aimed to evaluate the editorial policy of nursing journals in the basic requirements for reporting guidelines and trial registration in the last three years.
Methods: The 'Instructions for Authors' of nursing journals included in ISI Web of Science was reviewed for evidence of an editorial policy on the reporting guidelines and trial registration in March 2012 and March 2015.
Results: Of 89 nursing journals examined in 2012, 25 (28.1%) required authors to comply with recommendations in the relevant reporting guidelines, and only seven (7.7%) required clinical trial registration. In 2015, 107 nursing journals were evaluated, 43 (40.2%) required authors to follow the reporting guidelines, and 13 (12.1%) do not consider the trials for publication unless they have been registered prospectively before recruitment of any participants.
Conclusions: Three years have passed, most nursing journals still do not require the authors to comply with the recommendation of relevant reporting guidelines, nor claim the need of trial registration prior to the start of patient enrollment in a clinical study. For the purpose of improved reliability in nursing research literature, there is a need for nursing journals to post a requirement on the reporting guidelines and trial registration.