P02 Pams Editorial 6_6_11FINAL


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Online Journal of Rural Nursing and Health Care, vol. 11, no. 1, Spring 2011 
 

Editorial 
THANK YOU 

Pamela Stewart Fahs, RN, DSN, Editor 

 

Thank you is a simple expression of gratitude that at times like these seems inadequate; yet is 
heartfelt and so deserved. I want to thank Dr. Jeri Dunkin for her extraordinary efforts as Editor 
–In – Chief over the last decade. The Online Journal of Rural Nursing and Health Care is an 
outstanding journal and it reflects the leadership in Rural Nursing by Jeri Dunkin as well as her 
commitment to excellence for the journal. Jeri and I have been working together over the last 
few months to make this transition as smooth as possible. I hope that the transition will be 
seamless for you, the reader. However, the reality is that there is a rather large learning curve to 
taking on this endeavor, so I beg your patience and understanding as I move into a new role and 
the journal moves into a new home at the Decker School of Nursing (DSON), Binghamton 
University. As one of the reviewers noted when she learned I would be taking on the Editorship 
of the journal “you have some big shoes to fill in following Jeri”. I completely agree.  

I have discovered that it takes many people to make this journal a reality. I want to thank those 
who review for the Online Journal of Rural Nursing and Health Care, their services are 
invaluable not only to the Journal but to the discipline of nursing and those that we serve. Even 
in my short time moving into this role I have found that the reviewers give of themselves every 
time they review a manuscript, their comments and support of the authors is amazing. I want to 
thank Dr. Steven MacCall from the University of Alabama for his assistance in helping us learn 
the “nuts and bolts” of publishing online. I also want to recognize the work of Erin Ruston, 
Associate Librarian, Binghamton University who will be the new Managing Editor for this 
journal. I would also like to thank the Administration and staff of the DSON for their support in 
moving the journal to Binghamton. Dr. Joyce Ferrario, Dean was instrumental in bringing the 
journal to Binghamton University. Dr. Mary Ann Swain, Professor and Director of the PhD in 
Nursing, currently the only PhD in Nursing focused on Rural Nursing, was able to garner funds 
to purchase a new server and upgrade the software needed to publish this journal. My thanks go 
also to Cynthia Altmansberger, Assistant Dean, Scott Pionteck, Sr. Program Analyst, 
Information Technology Services, and Brenda Holcomb. Secretary for their assistance in actually 
making this all happen. Finally I want to thank the Board of Directors of the Rural Nurses 
Organization for their support and guidance during this period of transition. 

I want to assure our readers that the Rural Nurse Organization (RNO) and the Editorial Board of 
the journal remain committed to keeping an open source journal, which is freely accessible by all 
and focused on the nursing and health care of rural populations. My goal is to uphold the quality 
of the journal that has been obtained during the tenure of Dr. Jeri Dunkin and hopefully 
contribute to this great journal as we move forward.  

I look forward to meeting many of you October 5, 6, and 7, 2011 at the Rural Health Conference 
co-sponsored by the RNO and the Decker School of Nursing entitled The Canopy of Health 
Care for Rural and Underserved Populations: Strengthening the Root System. It is an honor 
to be the new editor for the Online Journal of Rural Nursing and Health Care.