Conflict of interest

Caring & Sharing Nursing Journal (CSNJ) is committed to ensuring transparency and integrity in scholarly publishing. All participants in the publication process—authors, reviewers, editors, and editorial staff—must disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest that could influence (or be perceived to influence) the work, its review, or editorial decisions.

1) What is a Conflict of Interest?

A conflict of interest exists when professional judgment concerning a primary interest (e.g., the validity of research, fairness of review, editorial independence) may be influenced by a secondary interest, including:

1.1 Financial Conflicts (examples)

  • employment, consultancy, honoraria, speaker fees

  • stock ownership or options

  • patents (planned, pending, or issued), royalties

  • paid expert testimony

  • grants, equipment, or other support from commercial entities

1.2 Non-Financial Conflicts (examples)

  • personal relationships, family ties, close friendships

  • academic competition or personal rivalry

  • strong intellectual beliefs that may bias judgment

  • membership/leadership in organizations that may benefit

  • institutional affiliation that may create bias

2) Author Disclosure Requirements

All authors must include a Conflict of Interest Statement in the manuscript at submission and update it if circumstances change.

2.1 If a conflict exists

Authors must clearly describe the nature of the conflict and how it relates to the work.

2.2 If no conflict exists

Authors should state:

“The authors declare no conflict of interest.”

2.3 Funding disclosure (related requirement)

Authors must also disclose all funding sources and the role of the funders (if any), or state:

“This research received no external funding.”

3) Reviewer Conflict of Interest

Reviewers must decline review if they have conflicts such as:

  • recent collaboration with the author(s)

  • same institution/department in a way that may bias judgment

  • personal relationships or direct competition

  • financial interests related to the manuscript topic

If unsure, reviewers should inform the editor and request guidance.

4) Editor and Editorial Staff Conflict of Interest

Editors and editorial staff must avoid handling manuscripts where conflicts exist, including:

  • being an author/co-author of the manuscript

  • same institution with close professional ties

  • recent collaboration with the author(s)

  • personal relationships or financial interests

When conflicts occur, the manuscript will be reassigned to another qualified editor to ensure an independent decision.

5) How CSNJ Handles Conflicts of Interest

  • Disclosures are reviewed during editorial assessment and peer review assignment.

  • Declared conflicts do not automatically lead to rejection; they are managed to ensure transparency and independence.

  • Undisclosed conflicts discovered later may result in editorial actions, including corrections, re-evaluation, or retraction in serious cases.

6) Where to Put the Statement (Author Instruction)

CSNJ requires the Conflict of Interest statement in the manuscript, placed near the end (e.g., before References), and also entered in the submission metadata if requested by OJS.