Enhancing research integrity in academic nursing: The introduction of registered reports

At the Journal of Clinical Nursing, we strive to publish the highest quality original nursing research, including experimental studies. However, even with the most straightforward designed experimental study it can often be very difficult to predict how a research project will evolve over time, a challenge often exacerbated by the complex nature of nursing interventions (Richards, 2015). Gray et al. (2017) commented on the sub-optimal quality of published outcome analysis and regular omission of trial registration in the reporting of nursing research. Promotion of responsible and rigorous research practices to ensure the integrity of scientific knowledge is of utmost importance. In recent years, across biomedical scientific journals, statisticians have warned that the inappropriate use of statistical tests may lead to misinterpretation of scientific data, potentially leading to issues in patient management.