2010-2011 posts, papers, studies and Drupal

Happy New Year everyone!

2010 saw 211 posts, 183 in 2009. As ever a mix of original material concerning h2cm, conferences and call for papers. Fingers x'd 2011 should run to approx 150 posts as I focus on work, studies and Drupal. The good thing for me is that all three of these can run along together and I intend to forge a union if at all possible.

At work my full-time role is clinical - nursing; Nursing Home Liaison. Increasingly we are finding what nurses on the ground have recognized for a long time. With this job comes an educational role, despite efforts to upscale the skills and knowledge of the residential care / nursing home sectors. H2cm is a gift in these quarters, in prompting and facilitating reflection, holistic and person-centred care.

Studies: On this front I'm trying to identify a research question from a bewildering mix of possibilities. Previously I've referred to the relevance and my interest in conceptual spaces:

Hodges' model: Background - Foreground and the Space Between

The socio-tech and conceptual space papers

Next paper? Conceptual Spaces and Hodges' model

Nursing theory - conceptual spaces: Where's my T-shirt?

Gardenfors' book - a quote and can that be, surely not ...h2cm?

That other 2nd-hand book - 'Conceptual Spaces'

This is definitely a worthwhile focus. I'm making enquiries to try to find a mentor. Strange, or maybe not actually, that I am a nurse mentor and sign-off mentor too and here I am coughing and spluttering in need of a mentor myself to help sort the wheat from the chaff. The 10K words on conceptual spaces is now 13K.

The co-authored h2cm and forensic nursing paper is completed with two revisions, but still needs a home.

I missed an opportunity with the h2cm and substance misuse paper. Trying to complete it in the summer of 2009 before my eye surgery I did not stick to the brief. I'm hoping a co-author can take the 5K words and help re-frame the content from a practice and service perspective. It really is refreshing to work with other people. I look forward to providing an update here later in the Winter - Spring.

As to Drupal - I've hit the wall that has "styling" written all over it. It seems if you start with a basic theme like Zen you are rewarded with an easy to negotiate palette, that is - you do it yourself. With more complete themes you need to read and orientate yourself with somebody else's handiwork. This is the next job and then move to Drupal 7 - released on the 5th.

In October I received an invitation to present at an international nursing conference in Colombia. I've submitted a presentation and have offered to do a workshop too. This was accepted. It all depends on travel and confirmation of arrangements so we will have to see.

More to follow on all the above and wherever you are

may I wish you a very happy, healthy, 

peaceful and prosperous 2011!

To follow: Line of sight, lines of insight ...