International Journal for Research in Health Sciences and Nursing (IJRHNS)

Ethical Principles and Publication Standards

ARC Publication Services L.L.C. is committed to the ethical principles and best-practice guidance established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). The publisher seeks to maintain high standards of integrity, transparency, accountability, and ethical responsibility throughout the editorial, peer review, and publication processes of the International Journal for Research in Health Sciences and Nursing (IJRHNS).

In line with COPE's Core Practices, the journal reviews its editorial and publication policies as appropriate to support responsible scholarly communication and the integrity of the academic record. Feedback from authors, reviewers, editors, and editorial board members is welcomed as part of ongoing efforts to maintain and improve publication standards.

Peer Review and Editorial Assessment

All manuscripts submitted to IJRHNS are subject to an initial editorial assessment to determine their relevance to the journal's aims and scope, originality, academic quality, methodological soundness, clarity, and compliance with applicable ethical and submission requirements. Manuscripts considered suitable for further consideration are evaluated through the journal's double-blind peer review process.

Reviewers are selected based on their relevant subject expertise and academic or research experience. Authors and reviewers are not informed of each other's identities during the double-blind review process, subject to the practical limitations of maintaining anonymity. Editorial decisions take account of reviewer recommendations, the quality of the evidence, the appropriateness of the methods, and the manuscript's contribution to the field.

Minor language, grammatical, or technical corrections may be made where appropriate to improve readability and presentation, provided that such changes do not alter the scientific meaning or scholarly conclusions of the work. Substantive changes may require author approval or further editorial assessment.

Research Misconduct Policy

ARC Publication Services L.L.C. follows applicable COPE guidance when addressing allegations or concerns relating to research misconduct in manuscripts submitted to or published in IJRHNS. Such concerns may include, but are not limited to:

• Duplicate submission or redundant publication.
• Plagiarism or inappropriate reuse of text, data, figures, or ideas without proper attribution.
• Fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate manipulation of research data or images.
• Citation manipulation or inappropriate authorship practices.
• Undisclosed or improperly managed conflicts of interest.
• Ethical approval or informed consent concerns, where applicable to the research.
• Other practices that may compromise research integrity or the reliability of the scholarly record.

When a concern is raised by an editor, reviewer, author, reader, institution, or another relevant party, the editorial office assesses the available information and determines the appropriate course of action. Authors may be contacted and given an opportunity to respond, provide clarification, and submit supporting documentation where appropriate.

If concerns are substantiated, the journal may take appropriate action depending on the nature and seriousness of the matter. Actions may include rejection of a manuscript, requests for correction, publication of an expression of concern, or retraction of a published article, in accordance with the relevant editorial procedures.

Where a concern requires institutional investigation or cannot be resolved through the journal's editorial process, the matter may be referred to the authors' affiliated institutions or other appropriate authorities. The journal aims to handle such matters fairly and confidentially, while taking necessary steps to protect the integrity of the scholarly record.

Authorship Changes Policy

IJRHNS follows established publication ethics principles and relevant COPE guidance when considering requests to change authorship. Requests may involve:

• Adding an author.
• Removing an author.
• Changing the corresponding author.
• Changing the order of authors.

All authorship change requests must be submitted in writing to the editorial office with a clear explanation and justification. Requests to add or remove an author, or to change the author order, must include written confirmation from all affected authors and all existing authors, including any author proposed for removal or addition, as applicable. The journal may request supporting information before making a decision.

Authorship changes will be considered only where the request is adequately justified and the required agreement has been obtained. The journal reserves the right to decline a request that does not meet these requirements or raises unresolved ethical concerns.

If the authors disagree or an authorship dispute cannot be resolved, the journal may suspend processing of the manuscript or defer changes to a published article until the matter has been appropriately resolved. Where necessary, the issue may be referred to the relevant affiliated institution for investigation.

Commitment to Research Integrity

ARC Publication Services L.L.C. and the International Journal for Research in Health Sciences and Nursing are committed to promoting ethical research, fair editorial assessment, responsible authorship, and transparent publication practices. The journal seeks to address ethical concerns consistently and to preserve the accuracy and reliability of the scholarly record.