This blog "Welcome to the QUAD" is 20 years old

Yesterday, this blog celebrated its 20th birthday. That first post seems an age away now -

Welcome to the Hodges Health Career - Care Domains Blog

https://hodges-model.blogspot.com/2006/04/

Back then, I was full-time and on a secondment with the NHS's National Programme for Information Technology:

Independent report: Making IT work: harnessing the power of health information technology to improve care in England. Published 7 September 2016

House of Commons Committee of Public Accounts - The National Programme for IT in the NHS: an update on the delivery of detailed care records systems - Forty-fifth Report of Session 2010–12

In that first post, several links take you to the former website which is now archived, as per the note in the sidebar. Similar links have been updated to the web.archive.org site, but some may have been missed. Other links may be plain broke.

The blog began as an acknowledgement of the former site's limitations, hence all the posts on Drupal the content management system.* The intention was to create a stop-gap. So much for that! I still have the 'new' site in my head.

Personally, there's been much change: as ever in life, a mix of sadness and great joy. Regards the former, a manager from 1985 into the 90s, colleague and friend David McKendrick died in 2009. And coinciding with personal bereavements, Brian Hodges in 2022. I do miss chats with both of them.

With periodic backups of the blog's content (and old website 1998-2015), there been one effort at a spring clean. Posts that are poor (what was I thinking?), or items that are clearly time-limited - event announcements have been deleted. Many more no doubt remain with images - banners - that will be removed at some point. With 3381 (inc.) posts published, it is quite an onerous, yet rewarding task.

During the two decades I would like to thank researchers who have discovered Hodges' model, recognised (either) its value, utility, relevance and cited the model in their studies/projects.

Thanks too to several co-authors whose patience and understanding in working with me, their recognition of the model and value in their work, and assistance to assure open access is invaluable to bring Hodges' model and this project to the attention of a global audience and community.

If I can help you with Hodges' model - acknowledgement not a requirement(!): please let me know.

The online presence has been about the model, not business, or commerce, so there's a lack of analytics. There's a project for someone, as I notice 'Blog Analysis' as an online research method. 

People occasionally email and provide encouragement regards the content.  In a way the blog is my thesis*. 

Amid the time-dependent content, there may be much here that can demonstrate:

• the holistic bandwidth of Hodges' model
• the scope of application of Hodges' model
• the transdisciplinary potential of Hodges' model 
• how to apply the model, or at least this practitioner's use
• the visual appreciative dimension through the model's presentation to reveal the relational nature of the situation / context at hand
• many remaining questions are also to be found.

Thank you for your visiting! Here's to another 20 years ;-) !?

*I still live in hope: it's called dreaming.

Out of hand ...

This blog is a pain, as is twitter.

I've known for ages -

H2CM new website - A short-form project brief

Twitter on hold: Blog a trickle ... 

Dries! I promise ...  (Sorry!)

I've known since the start of W2tQ back in April 2006. The web - software is change.

 

Blogging and twitter are a distraction.

 

The blog has helped to frame ideas. I can see now though (hindsight eh!), how unprepared I was in 2014 for a PhD, not just financially (self-funded), but having a question. I've had a project since 1988, but what's the Question?

 

People get in touch (SPAM reaches the inbox) with web design, SEO service offers. They point to how 'ill' my website / blog is. No website/blog are specified, no business address, details, there's a personal/business name that doesn't reflect the email signature.

I know that 'analysis' of the blog reveals a pile of errors, missed opportunities. And, yes; there is a much better online solution to drive income ...?

So, after the past year and especially last month, 2023 will be much much quieter on W2tQ. What will be posted?

• Book 'reviews'
• Quotes, insights from books I'm clearing as relates to Hodges' model
• Occasional timely insights from press / media*
• Conferences, Calls for papers, Journal news
• Q&A with other people about h2cm; critique of the model (well you never know!)
• Update on draft papers, and new citations

So, yes similar threads but the volume must be much, much less.

Twitter will likewise be less, but that doesn't mean - like many - I'm running elsewhere.

I'll be reading, writing, drawing 👍, following webinars and specific YouTube sessions ... studying and will pick up Drupal, github and Pharo. There's a hosting account to put to work, or at least experiment with. Over the past year my thinking about Hodges' model has (imho) progressed. I'm quite excited about what might follow. I'm also daunted, by the dual challenges of the 'development stack' (Drupal is at version 10 and counting...) on the one hand, and logic - relational analysis on the other.

Many thanks for your interest thus far.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL.

 

*Oh gee! I replied to a thread on #HIFA yesterday and tweeted this a.m.. It would be remiss of me not to pick this up, so post to follow soon.

Dries! I promise ...

... if you get your blogging mojo back I will pick up Drupal and put this blog (and twitter) in much more than semi-stasis.

Clearly, my Drupal use may not be as profound, but after a decade I have quite a requirement (some might describe it as 'stonking'), but this merely demonstrates the seductive nature of 'ideas'. How easy it is to appear clever, to have thoughts - compared to action.

As I've been told and blogged before: I need to do something instead of blogging and twitter.

So yes, there's an irony here for me, but good luck and thanks for the (much-needed) prompt!

c/o Dries Buytaert:

Wanted: a new blogging routine

Why the posts about books?

Since I started this blog in April 2006 book tagged posts are numerous; almost 300 in fact.

https://hodges-model.blogspot.com/search?q=book

As with the previous post "Spare Parts" many are not even a review of the book in question. Use of about here is a misnomer. Currently, there are 51 posts tagged 'review', probably not all text book.

So, why bother? These posts are intended to suggest and possibly show the scope of Hodges' model. The placement of the book within a particular care (knowledge) domain is no accident.

Even though there is often overlap between the domains there is often a primary placement. 

This is were you the reader (learner, teacher, policy maker ...) come in, as the model invites you to interrogate the book's title and often, its very informative (for commercial reasons) subtitle.

Info Smörgåsbord

Going through papers (again) I saved 'Infovore' from New Scientist back in 2006. Individually and collectively we are hungry for information (even when asleep - in the form of dreams?), hence we are infovores. The brief article explains work by Bierderman and Vessel, Perceptual Pleasure and the Brain. Information gives us a high via a "type of chemical receptor known as mu-opioid".

If time ever permits I would like to write again about 'information':

The pull quote reads: 

"Information that triggers the most memories causes the greatest pleasure"

Clearly from 2006 there may be further studies to consider, but revisiting this since 1996 a new paper would incorporate the informational dimensions of Hodges' model. The pull quote with its emphasis on memory and pleasure begs discussion of persons living with dementia.

Another saved newspaper concerned a book review from 2015 Why Information Grows: The Evolution of Order, from Atoms to Economies by César Hidalgo. Searching here on W2tQ there's no post about this text - hence why it's still gathering dust.

https://www.ft.com/content/36cad2c0-1038-11e5-ad5a-00144feabdc0in

Finally and related to 'information', data and knowledge are the way Hodges' model suggests and can make explicit disciplinary bridge as posted previously 

[ https://hodges-model.blogspot.com/2009/08/combining-h2cm-informing-science-and.html ].

For me, the FT is expensive, (as mentioned before) so I want to squeeze out all the value I can. Another page, by Gillian Tett (2014) discusses "How should we analyse our lives?" The book here is Alex "Sandy" Pentland's Social Physics.

This scratches the surface of papers [a few printed, the majority now on Zotero], other items from the quality press and science media I've kept.

I mention this as after this month all I will be posting [ and tweeting @h2cm ] are the remaining book reviews and other occasional items. A new citation is worthy of a post and celebration for Hodges' model - added already to the bibliography listing in the sidebar. Again if you can add to the bibliography, are interested in using Hodges' model and writing too please let me know. I'm conscious here and on twitter I feel I'm repeating myself and rather wasting my time. That said in mitigation and a blatant excuse the past 18 months has enforced a holding pattern on us all. When the pattern breaks I'd like to be 'elsewhere' in terms of any teaching opportunities, completing some writing and addressing the outstanding lack of a digital presence.

Thanks for your visit and time.

The Word, Infovore, New Scientist, 22 July 2006, p.56. (Sorry no more details).
https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19125612-200-the-word-infovore/

Bierderman, I., Vessel, E. Perceptual Pleasure and the Brain, American Scientist. May-June 2006, Volume 94, Number 3, p.247. DOI: 10.1511/2006.59.247
https://www.americanscientist.org/article/perceptual-pleasure-and-the-brain

Gillian Tett (2014) "How should we analyse our lives?", FT Weekend, Magazine, January 14-15, p.46.

Jones, P. (1996) Humans, Information, and Science, Journal of Advanced Nursing, 24(3),591-598.

Threshold Concepts: TCS discussion list and CATCH

TCS discussion list JISC

This list is a forum for continuing discussion on threshold concepts and builds on the many fruitful and engaging conversations started by colleagues across the globe at the bi-annual threshold concepts conferences and other events.

CATCH

(Collaborating around Threshold Concepts in Health) Special Interest Group

- set up by Hilary Neve (Plymouth) and Linda Martindale (Dundee). CATCH have a website/e-mail list, blog, and focused meetings. https://healththresholds.wordpress.com/

Thanks to Julie Rattray & Sarah Meek.

See also:

Inaugural Scottish Threshold Concepts Conference: TCs in Action [i]
Inaugural Scottish Threshold Concepts Conference: TCs in Action [ii]
Inaugural Scottish Threshold Concepts Conference: TCs in Action [iii]
Threshold Concepts: Reflection on chaos, complexity and AI

Was that last post 'really' sponsored?*

It occurred to me that the last post would be ideal as a 'sponsored' effort. Many posts are incidentally, or voluntarily 'sponsored'. I wish a few were in fact. This commercial thought was prompted by an email three weeks ago that referred to mention of 'due diligence' in a post from 2009. The suggestion was that if I could add a link to an article by this real estate company, and let them know, then they could 'syndicate' this W2tQ. Reply sent, but nothing heard as yet.

In that last post I was careful to avoid referring to 'c*sme*ic', lest the floodgates open ;-) and this blog's potential 'long tail' be revealed.

In between the 'Barber's model' post: another email.

This, points to a post in March 2016 and (again) the possibility of collaboration. Their focus is Python and data libraries. Well this is really encouraging! I've replied, but I'm not sure if there will be a sponsored post, or something in the side bar. I've no time to fully understand 'SEO' and advertising. That is not the blog's objective. I am aware though that this blog is ancient and Google's algorithms have and continue to change.

Some income would help with conference registrations, accommodation and travel; and to revisit hosting which I cancelled recently (as unused). My main laptop (2017) is poorly too. They do get hammered a bit. Being conscious of 'false economy' in the politics of health, social care and the environment, perhaps I should return to the MacBook fold?

*It wasn't.

Fallacies of Work as Imagined: c/o Steven Shorrock - HSJ Patient Safety

I came across the following image on twitter. The tweet is also copied below.

This post is prompted by one from 'The Varieties of Human Work' on the Humanistic Systems blog 05/12/16 by Steven Shorrock. The focus is understanding and improving work, and in his opening there is a sense of very large net having to be deployed to capture all the disciplines and dimensions that are invariably involved in work.

"One of these is the simple observation that how people think that work is done and how work is actually done are two different things. This observation is very old, decades old in human factors and ergonomics, where it dates back to the 1950s in French ergonomics (le travail prescrit et le travail réalisé; Ombredanne & Faverge, 1955) and arguably the 1940s in analysis of aircraft accidents in terms of cockpit design (imagination vs operation). Early ergonomists realised that the analysis of work could not be limited to work as prescribed in procedures etc (le travail prescrit), nor to the observation of work actually done (le travail réalisé). Both have to be considered. But these are not the only varieties of work. Four basic varieties can be considered: work-as-imagined; work-as-prescribed; work-as-disclosed; and work-as-done. These are illustrated in the figure below, which shows that the varieties of human work do usually overlap, but not completely, leaving areas of commonality, and areas of difference."

The varieties of human work.

It immediately struck me how well the diagram can be translated and transposed on to Hodges' model on several levels and as per Steven Shorrock's excellent post. I acknowledge I am playing with language, but initial thoughts included:

1. As per Shorrock: the difference between how people think about work and how work is actually done.
2. Shorrock explains how for example 'work-as-imagined' draws on the other forms of work.The level of overlap in between the forms of 'work-as-' is as diverse as the contexts that arise and constantly change.
3. There are many 'gaps' identified in Steven's post [not in the sense of a fault with his post]. A subset of these may relate to the theory-practice gap which was one original purpose of Hodges' model, to help close this gap.
4. Orders of scale: from a single action to a whole job and its specification.
5. The way the 4Ps process, policy, purpose and practice can be used (I identified the 4Ps within Hodges' model, one per care domain, many years ago).

As has been pointed out to me (on twitter) the context here is 'work' and not healthcare, but as Steven notes there are many disciplines, with commonalities and differences. I am really grateful to Steven for his post, in which he also stresses the overlap. 'Work-as' is a flux. Hodges' model can be viewed through time as series of frames. Below are some rather unstructured notes [musings] relating and extending the context of Shorrock's image and post to Hodges' model:

individual - self

|

INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

humanistic ----------------------------------------------- mechanistic

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

|

group- population

'Work-as-Imagined': Of the four P's I have placed 'PURPOSE' here, since the individual's purpose must (ideally) achieve synergy with colleagues and the organisational objectives and goals. 'Work-as-Imagined' involves thought (and so is infinite in variety) whether use of imagination is day-dreaming, or radically innovative. Until AI does take over, this is the 'meta' - cognitive domain. Amid many, Shorrock makes an important point in how we imagine the work other disciplines do. Often so many stereotypes follow that are often revealed in referrals and expectations. Shorrock highlights this at the macro level of policy makers [lower right in #h2cm] having to imagine the operational aspects of work; and the simplified accounts of surgery for a patient by anaesthetist and surgeon (while meeting the requirements of informed consent). This domain may be 'work-preserving' in humanistic terms as it is the realm of tacit knowledge, creativity and innovation. Although the artifacts of simulation are ultimately produced in the SCIENCES domain, they are 'imagined' in case studies and scenarios. Shorrock helps make it clear how much of work is theorised and practised virtually, but with recourse to imagination not technology. Mental illness and the systemic - organisational response is mediated diametrically in Hodges' model. Ongoing critique of psychiatry and mental health services in some quarters appears to suggest that being unable to work-as-imagined here, means loss of self and identity that is then outsourced and effected by proxies and advocates. [Discuss?]	'Work-as-Prescribed': Reading 'prescribed' literally then drugs and other physical treatments arise here in the SCIENCES domain. The 4'P is PROCESS suggestive of procedures, specifications, instructions and formal rules. Process is important allied with PURPOSE in that if (your) can be described formally, by a set of rules then you may be vulnerable to your job being taken by a robot through 'robotic process automation'. When I started in the NHS in the 1970s there was a shift taking place from being task-oriented (mechanistic) to individual/patient-centred (humanistic). Shorrock notes how there are relatively fewer examples of work-as-prescribed. Developed nations are waiting to see how many existing jobs are lost to AI and robots, but how many new ones emerge. (Can the developing nations 'skip' several prescriptions?) Here, we also apply time to work. The past, current work and the future. Will we still work the same hours? Is there a lesson in '0' hour contracts? An obvious aspect of work is day vs. night shifts. 'Work-as-Prescribed' also reinforces the presence and context of the SOCIOLOGICAL domain. Now, conferences are devoted to 'social prescribing'. By its nature this is more often than not 'public' and therefore 'disclosed'. Citizen science and patient involvement provide a further angle on work-as-prescribed. As does what is prescribed (especially in what is used) must to some degree influence what is proscribed in what is not used.
'Work-as-Disclosed' Sharrock writes concerns how work is explained and communicated. This will also involve teaching formally and health professional to patient, carer and public.  The challenge is that thinking about work and actually doing work is a SOCIO-POLITICAL act - transaction (as the literature demonstrates). Socially, whether or not someone is working is also disclosed in their domestic  comings and going to work. The socio-political dimension is evident in the assumptions that follow homeless peopleand their apparent 'staying' (many do work?)? There are those who opt not to disclose at all and live off-the-net. SOCIO-ECONOMICALLY there are constant references to 'pay-gaps' especially by those groups and their representatives most affected by low pay and austerity. While the social care workforce toil in the community, social care funding, provision and integration is pushed into the long grass that is green papers. Despite the social value and importance of this work, the status of this sector is signalled - disclosed as poor. Nurses globally are campaigning to establish in law the requirement for safe-staffing levels. Sharrock alludes to the challenge of nursing as PRACTISED on the 'shop-floor' and ongoing studies on staffing - establishments and skill-mix. In the 1980-90s expert systems specialists interviewed workers  in an attempt to understand the knowledge acquisition and elicitation associated were their profession - community of practice. These humanistic care (knowledge) domains reflect the qualitative approach to research. Work-as-disclosed also communicates to would-be future recruits. How are the aspirations of teenagers and mature entrants first experienced, discussed and carried forward socially?	'Work-as-Done' simultaneously speaks of power, employment, accountability and regulation.  As four conceptual spaces #h2cm indicates the 'distance' between concepts that shifts according to context. The space that work takes place within and how people are managed, organised, controlled for efficiency with reminders, queues, appointments, and waiting areas are signs of the institution. The person was a long way from the creators of the Victorian asylum, even as they sought to establish (stamp?) a 'standard' level of care. What difference does it make when work-as-done is bound to an individual and collective sense of duty? The counterpoint is precisely [mechanistic] work-as-done. Work-as in shift completed and recorded - clocked as such. Work-as-done: the 12 hour shift or as already mentioned work-as-NOT-done due to the flexibility afforded by zero hour contracts. Work-as-done also denotes [scientifically] the concepts of power, energy and effort. So, work-as-done must result in personnel actually feeling 'done': burnt-out when safe-staffing is not assured. The old saying: "If it is not documented it was not done.", springs to mind. Shorrock refers to surgery and loss of life. What was 'done' and what does an inquiry reveal? What is actually done and the way it is done if varies - contravenes 'norms' rules then there is a issue of whistle blowing. The question then becomes was the work done as it should - must - be? The 4P in this domain is POLICY.  Perhaps a box-tick here also accounts for 'work-as-' elsewhere?

#HSJpatientsafety Fallacies of work as imagined. More info on Steve’s great blog https://t.co/i5TCs6CLvJ @StevenShorrock

— Iain Moppett (@IainMoppett) July 3, 2019

#70nursebloggers #NHS70 #70midwifebloggers

#70NURSEBLOGGERS

Regards "Offer a space on your blog for guest bloggers"...

There's a vacant lot here available for your post - and it does not have to involve the model...

I will post in the summer about - why nurses / midwives should blog.

Focus on Theory - wither the website (gulp)

"A subtler effect of ego is one that doesn't threaten reputation so much as how you prioritize what is important. The threat is based on a sense that your opinion, approach, and perspective are the only ones with merit. While arrogance is one outcome of these elements, a much subtler risk that can bubble to the surface is becoming too focused on theory.

...
Unfortunately, some folks have something of a love affair with theory. Many of these people write extensive blog entries, give very generic (though well-meaning) presentations, and often seem to think that their primary role is to impart knowledge to others and sound as wildly academic as possible. But there is no secret ingredient in growing community. What makes a great community leader is experience: trying new ideas and concepts and learning from the successes and mistakes." p.17.

Bacon, J. 2012. The Art of Community, Building the New Age of Participation (2nd ed.)  CA, O'Reilly. (1st edition)

@jonobacon

Community & Future: 2nd Workshop Conceptual Spaces at Work

There is a blog for the Conceptual Spaces community:

CS360

This includes an introduction describing synergies, videocasts when available, upcoming events, a bibliography, background to CS and links to sources. You can also subscribe to a mail list.

Yesterday, the close included the almost obligatory reflection on the future.

There are tentative plans for related meetings (Paris, Berlin, Palermo) and while 4 years is a long time, I can see what is meant by giving time for people to develop work. That point is not lost on me.

 What also stands out is the theoretical emphasis to date within CS, so there is a need to open the work to a wider audience and practical applications.

In the media there's a lot about 'public interest technology' and 'public interest law'. For example, as well as commercial enterprises, Drupal is playing a key part in leveraging the public interest through its work with not-for-profit organisations.

There is an ongoing call for papers for the next 8 months, obviously for the speakers and for those attending. Do contact people through the email leads at CS360 if interested.

CS is one possible tool I might use at some point, perhaps it also has relevance for you?

For me, presently it's departure gate F62!

"Luke, you switched off your targetting computer on International Nurses Day. What's wrong?"

I suggested the number blog posts would slow years ago and yet they've kept coming and there's a bank of drafts sitting in the backend. Whether the quality reflects that location I'm not sure, but hopefully there's more to me than putting content together.

By definition person centred care (student centred...) demands targetting AND measurement of some sort: attitudinal, evidenced, cognitive, engagement, choice, policy, outcomes...

Since April 2006 this blog has served as a personal targetting computer of sorts.

I've a few posts to follow on the Networked Learning Conference (another great community and Croatia 2018 next!), but things will slow here as Drupal beckons plus writing for papers and conferences.

ICN 2016 - NURSES: A FORCE FOR CHANGE: IMPROVING HEALTH SYSTEMS' RESILIENCE

Image source:
https://imgflip.com/

"Dual Legacies of a Health Career and a Baton to Match" BMJ Evidence Based Nursing Blog

Approached through twitter I was invited to write a blog post on a mental health nursing related topic of my choice. The final text manages to reflect the time of year, the time of my career, student's careers and the health career.

There is of course a great deal of other very informative content.


BMJ Evidence Based Nursing blog post

Twitter: EBNursingBMJ

Thanks to Gary Mitchell, Associate Editor.

Welcome to the QUAD to be archived by The British Library

The old website is archived on the Internet Archive Wayback Machine going back to 1999 and so is W2tQ.

The British Library also has a web archive, UK based of course. The website's there and now I've news that Welcome to the QUAD will be too.

Blog birthdays, a missing model and history

Eight years ago today this blog was born. Last month I came across a backup of some old emails and discovered one of my first related to Hodges' model. This was while attending Bolton College for the Post Graduate Certificate in Education in 1997. I had a project to complete and in researching nursing theory came across a resource by Judy Norris then at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. There was one a model of nursing missing. I'd also visited Alberta (ALTA) twice in 1979 and 1989: wonderful holidays.

19 ‎March ‎1997, ‏‎09:28:38

Hello there.

I'm fairly new to the net and E-mail, but fairly conversant with other aspects of I.T.. I would be very interested in being involved. My E-mail is read once a week, when attending college.

Both nursing informatics and nursing theory have been keen interests for some time. Over Easter I'll have more time to explore and learn.
There is one 'model', which I don't think you have listed, although it is debatable whether it qualifies as a model - the health career model.

Perhaps I could write something up with references, and key questions?
(And also consider the list of work for volunteers.)

Bye for now

Peter
P.S. I hope ALTA is still as beautiful as I remember it.

So, h2cm became the preoccupation and now there is a small research project to complete these next six weeks, Hodges' model within the residential care sector.

Nursing theory links: H2cm Links II (any updates?)

Acknowledgement: Judy Norris
Thanks Judy for your encouragement all those years ago and with this post.

Hodges' model - Website, Blog and the UK Web Archive

Early this morning the blog threw a wobbly, at least on Firefox. The sidebar was being displayed below the main content. I take this as a sign that it's time to move on digitally. This evening the problem seems to have corrected itself.

Returning from holiday there was another sign, a tap on the shoulder. This was positive in that as I left for Italy (minus laptop) I had submitted the old website, first published online in 1998 to the UK web archive.

Well, they have accepted the proposal and would like to archive the website. I really appreciate this. I've to fill in a form and will also use this as an opportunity to do some Northerly autumnal cleaning. There may be some broken links and other edits to make.

This is quite apt then given the long winter of the website and this blog, especially as I prepare for Drupalcon Prague on the 22 September. As I've written here before one of the first 'menu options' of any new site will be to provide a new archive for Brian Hodges' original lecture notes.

If you are new to nursing, health and social care and reflection and are interested in using Hodges' model please let me know. There are contact options in that sidebar - if it's behaving itself...

W2tQ: Wacky races - global health care and stereotypes

Since adding the clustermaps and flag counter I've been following the 'trends' of number of visitors. I'd hoped in summer 2009 I might in 6 months reach 500 daily readers of the feed for W2tQ. That total still eludes me. The flag counter is ongoing and 'scientific methods' aside it is interesting to reflect on progress there.

When I first thought of this post it was to be read to the tune and commentary of 'It's the Wacky Races!' This is not to cock a snoop at the participants, but the tongue-in-cheek nature of this post.

There are no surprises in the clear leader with the US way out in front. In terms of the target audience - everyone is very welcome as the message of this blog: is global. Within the flag counter there are some surprises. This may suggest the universality of English on the web and also the increasing effectiveness of translation tools. Or, people can see - and read - that there is a health, education and informatics currency in h2cm.

Here are the flag counter images from December 2009 (left) and January 2011 (right). In both the US, GB, Canada are out in front. India is right there as Germany puts on the gas. Despite being stuck in the sub 450 range with feedburner, it's great to see the global progress that W2tQ is making. I'm not sure what happened to the 'EU', it was there initially with '15'. It looks like they've punctured or something?

I wonder if to some extent there is the same stereotyping at work within the global health community as between the health and social care disciplines? Not just within some nations - but within local 'multidisciplinary teams'? How aware are we of what other disciplines do? How do they complement our role? How can we increase our combined impact?

Many of the developing countries are now represented as visitors to W2tQ. How well, from Lancashire, UK can I understand their daily ride? What problems are faced by health care workers in this range of nations? What resources do they have to call on - within and without their communities.

I hope this blog* can act as a springboard - not to a race, but to community building and collaboration. We all have much to learn from each other on our respective journeys. As you lean out of your car(e) window, I wonder what you see?

*Or more accurately the Drupal powered site that must follow!

Happy Birthday: W2tQ is Four! #h2cm #w2tq

Welcome to the QUAD [W2tQ] appeared four years ago today.

It started very slowly with just three posts between April 2006 and August. The annual post totals are:

2010 - 69 (so far)

2009 - 183

2008 - 180

2007 - 138
2006 - 28

Unfortunately, the plan to feature comments (this is supposed to be blog) came unstuck as back in 2006-2008 spam was an acute problem on blogger. The spam situation's much better now, but in re-installing comments the template I've adopted is proving problematic in some cussed ways. I could change the template and try again, but all that takes time ....

Although 'devoted to' Hodges' model (h2cm, the health career model), three broad themes have emerged:

1. nursing, health, global health, public health, policy, politics
2. informatics, technology, sociotechnical, visualization
3. education, nursing education, academia, conferences, curricula

Let's have a look at a selection of tag-label counts:

Hodges model 150, care domains 45, definitions 41, reflection 21

• nursing 80, health 45, global health 54, older people 39, public health 36, policy 93, politics 59
• informatics 213, technology 62, sociotechnical 44, visualization 27
• education 131, nursing education 9, academia 24, conference 61, curricula 18

Surprises (if any) include:

• Drupal 52
• economics 38
• aptitude 4 and attitude 15 (good to see them there, I stress these constantly with students)
• public mental health 38 (Still so much to do!)

I realise informatics is a great personal interest, but not to the extent of 213 posts. Of course, if I am helping to publicise conferences and these are faintly, just a tad bit technical then they are usually tagged informatics too.

• dementia 26 and mental health 45

As I work in mental health and the care of people coping with dementia and their families is an ongoing part of my daily work these tags could figure more. This blog is not solely focussed upon work.

I would like to think that the blog and its posts point to the future also, by way of:

• research 89
• concepts 23 conceptual spaces 21
• references 12
• h2cm community 28, h2cm website 38

It was only last August that I added the bibliography to the blog, and as mentioned there if you can add to the list of publications please get in touch.

So as I close this post, to go light the four ;-) candles on the cake,
may I say a big -

Thank you!

- to all W2tQ's readers and supporters.

Images source:
http://www.beatrixpotteremporium.com/

The post totals and tags above are subject to change as some posts may be deleted, tags merged...

Global reach 4 a model in search of creative, innovative (caring) minds

"An idea is not an innovation until it r e a c h e s people." p.45
the myths of innovation, scott berkun
O'Reilly

At Drupalcon Paris in September in his keynote Dries (Buytaert) highlighted the importance of reach in that mix of:

RICHNESS + R E A C H = SUCCESS

As per the 'badge stack' lower right in a search for traffic a while back I registered with a real-time feed search service. I realised I had not replied to them following a request for extra details. Here's what I have sent through for "Words from the Author(s)":

Welcome to the QUAD is an experiment of sorts. What I hope will prove a valuable stepping stone from a static website c.1998-2005 to a new dynamic, database driven resource devoted to Hodges' model and related learning. The blog reflects this - and I hope the creative potential of Hodges' model which is an *open* conceptual framework. This explains the scope and range of the blog across nursing, health, education and informatics. I am planning to use Drupal for the new site and although comments are disabled my e-mail is available so please get in touch. Always open to hear from people using the model, and keen to learn of the features and content types users of a new site might wish to see.

One of the appeals of this service and the growing archive of content on W2tQ is their goal to allow users -

to serendipitously discover high quality,
but less popular feeds located in the long tail of feeds.

I've been using Clustermaps for quite a while and have the visitor's map updated every month, here is the (clickable) map for W2tQ through October 2009.

1,844 hits for last month,
that's terrific:
thanks to everyone for your support!

To blog or not to blog - that is the question?

Much has been written - blogged about even - as to whether clinicians should blog or not. In a recent HSJ article and the Health Service Journal's new blogs this question has been raised.

As the cogs turn, I'm a very small one; but even as a nurse and blogger I am acutely aware that being on the web is the equivalent of the old town square. That square is increasingly global (at the month's end).

The stocks sit there plainly visible, prompting pause for thought ...

Blogging on the HSJ Nadeem Moghal made the point about the risks of being a clinician, a blogger AND being tired and frustrated to boot. Mr Moghal also references a source which advises that clinicians should not blog.

There are reasons not to blog as a health service employee. Like everyone I get tired and frustrated too. You have to remember your contractual and professional obligations, plus your relationship (actual and potential) with the people in your care.

That said, the government, NHS, Connecting for Health and others need to consider what they want in terms of the skills and experience of the professionals it employs. Using nurses as an example - is it enough that nurses are 'IT users' and 'web-savvy'? Or should nurses, academics and other professionals be capable of critiquing the hardware on their desks, ward trolleys, the software they use (and help develop) and the associated issues that arise? In the sense that we are professionally accountable, then a given level of insight and understanding of new media and technology forms is vital. There are a lot of issues: take for example Rod Ward's recent post on access to records.

Perhaps some established journalists are worried about the changes in the(ir) business? I am part of that media demographic that Sir Michael Grade must worry about over at ITV. Being on the web means you watch less TV, amongst other things...

To agree that clinician's should not blog and close-up shop is to consider and respond to the situation in purely political terms.

Despite the dangers of being online - in person - I believe there is a case to demonstrate that this new media can provide a marvellous and effective outlet for new (and old) perspectives on what it is to care. Whether wearing a white coat, driving around the community or writing your latest post if you have a message then surely it can be delivered in a professional manner?

For me here on W2tQ
I've some help in not just having a message
but also having a mission.

To focus on the politics alone, is to ignore the role we also have in teaching and mentoring others. This should include not only students, but members of the public too: see Healthspace and personal health records. ... IT literacy, political literacy, health literacy, media literacy - there's no end to the 21st century skill set ....

So if you blog,
tread carefully,
listen and pay attention to the constantly breaking glass.
Politics (and your job) does count!

And yet blogging can be about more than just politics:
it can be about creativity and exploration.

h2cmuk at yahoo.co.uk

"Let us put our minds together
and see what kind of life we can make for our children."
--Chief Sitting Bull (1823-1890)

Image source: Tony Woof.com