Peer review of manuscripts submitted for publication is an essential process that the nursing community, like other scientific communities, adopts to ensure the quality of publications. Such a process is intended to provide an impartial mechanism through which scholarly work is evaluated by colleagues who may be selected in recognition of their expertise in the content and/or research methods to be reviewed. Authors and end users endorse the peer-review process as a testimonial to the quality of published work. It is extremely important that we preserve the integrity of the peer-review process and practise due diligence every step of the way. To that end, editors, reviewers and authors share a common responsibility toward ensuring that peer reviews are as rigorous and meaningful as possible.