Podcast: update - Powerpoint-OPML & Barry White

The draft for the first cast is now complete and finished @ 2,800 words. The stock market should take note of this, because the drug companies are in for a hiding. Hypnotics they don't know the first thing!

Well I hope it isn't gong to be that bad. There's no way I can do this without a script - and some tools. Realising I'll have more content than just the audio file made me wonder about being able to produce a package of sorts:

1. Outline of cast - Powerpoint slides
2. The audio file
3. The full podcast notes

I came across a 5 minute video by Laura Bergelis that may be worth a look for you too? You provide the Powerpoint presentation and it shows how to convert this to OPML (Outline Processor Markup Language) an outline format. The OPML code has the audio file included, although when I tried this is missing.

In the 'studio' practising I turned the treble down to get rid of the background hiss, at first I thought it was an advance audience with pre-cognition. Problem then though I sound like Barry White. Hey, I know that's no bad thing and yes I luuuvvvv nursing, but this is serious and fun... On a slightly critical note (which figures) I still don't know where on Earth to host this - I'm sure I haven't got the bandwidth - any ideas anyone?

Paper on Serres & Hodges' model - great news progress!

Earlier this month I mentioned a project that has proved something of a saga starting in 2003 - the paper on Michel Serres and Hodges' model. Well yesterday I received an e-mail bearing great news: provisional acceptance for a publication due in 2007. And not just a paper, but a chapter no less of between 5000-7000 words. This has really made my month. I've still work to do of course, but it just goes to show: don't give up!

Michel Serres

Modelling Belief, Leadership & Group Cognitive Therapy Older People

For the past two years come this Nov I have been occupied purely with health informatics. The clinical knowledge and experience of my colleagues and I have proved very beneficial in supporting the enormous changes taking place in our organisation and throughout the NHS. As 'Clinical Specialists' though, we are acutely aware of how quickly you can lose touch, how quickly your credibility with peers can start to wane. Of course, there's a whole debate around this which includes academic staff...

That debate aside - added factors for me are belief, leadership closely allied with Hodges' model. So some great news to report, a new job description means 25% of my time will be a return to clinical work (can you hear running feet?). The plan is to devote this time to establishing and running group therapy.

It's a really exciting prospect: finding a co-worker, planning, preparation, therapy manual / protocols, tools, materials, measures, records, supervision, engaging referrers AND clients!

Connecting with people - that's what IT's about. Having the time to focus on a therapy would be great. I've wanted to do this for so long. How many of us undertake specific therapy training, but are not able to practice? Now without a caseload of 25-30 and Team Leader responsibilities...

I don't know my co-worker as yet. Have they heard of Hodges' model? They will have their own cognitive and practical tools and views on others... They need not worry (I don't like pate), but if there's an opportunity to incorporate Hodges' model then my belief, leadership need be at the fore. It's early days - but fingers are x'd...

Mental Health Nursing - Lessons Learnt

On the Psychiatric Nursing list a new student posted saying 'hello' and seeking pointers. Given my 21+ years experience I pondered and sent what I hope will be a few pearls of wisdom:

* Learn to listen
* Learn from your clients - they are the experts
* Be yourself
* Look after yourself (1st lesson of 1st aid!)
* Do not prejudge
* Visiting people in their home - you are a guest - and not always welcome.
* Always remember you were a learner once
* You are also a learner today and tomorrow...
* With therapies always check the 'use by date'
* What aptitude~ is to engineering, so attitude is to health and social care
* Make 100% use of your placements - golden opportunities
* Always be ready to think on your feet
* So - keep an effective yet accessible toolkit in your head
* Take nothing personal - except constructive criticism
* Seek supervision - never be afraid to ask
* That's quite a gift: the talking mirror use wisely

Do some students squander their placements, like teenagers always thinking about the next year? It's the great opportunity to learn about in-patient, community - outreach services and the various therapuetic approaches. That's the problem though - if I knew then ....

~Aptitude does help when wielding injections...

Podcast - ok let's get the show on the road....

Wherever you look, or should that be - look and listen? - podcasts abound.

I've just downloaded the latest copy of Audacity and managed, using my son's audio kit to create an mp3 test file. Playing back though Audacity it's a bit low in amplitude, but sounds quiet good. Thirty years ago aping around with electric guitars my old Akai mic is still sound. No great shakes in creating an mp3 file I know, but it's a start. All I need to figure out is what to say.... Mmmm... Maybe something like this ....

Part 1 Welcome to the Quad Part 1 Introduction
Part 2 Part 2
Part 3 Application[s] or App. 1,2,3,4
Part X The Art of Hodges Model
Part X Why Hodges Model Matters ...

At the same time, I must finish the Hodges-Serres paper. This started in 2003. Most of an older version is on the site - with some images not suited to the standard journals. I've had some excellent support and feedback thus far, so the delay/struggle rests with me. Can't connect with the right journal and that speaks volumes (no pun intended) for the quality. In a way that isn't surprising [que rationalisation]. Serres is apparently very difficult for academics to summarise (let alone me) and in addition the paper echoes something of Serres' random flight with I hope the more recent addition of a little order. Podcast now I wonder ....?

Photos & Google Analytics

Now three months since last post! Like they say things get worse, before they get better...

Good excuse of course with summer holidays, lounge and dining room decorated, still more jobs to do especially with the nights getting longer.

I posted on Flickr quite a while ago, finally uploaded some photos inc. some holiday snaps:

This shot was taken at the theme park Puy Du Fou, just SE of Nantes. The night spectacular was indeed superb and a nice contrast to the usual theme park fare, running through the history of the people of the Vendee. Over a thousand actors contributed to the show, the stage huge, the night 28 July star-lit clear from the start 10.30pm to 00.30am.

On the site - AddfreeStats has been really useful for many years, but I've taken the plunge with Google Analytics. Short on details about the pages that people are visiting, look forward to reading the reports.

In 2003 I started reading some of the translated books by Michel Serres, a French philosopher. It's a concentrated read, constantly going back and re-reading, but the way Serres' approach marries with Hodges model is amazing. I had to write and now what a saga. You see, the paper sort of wrote itself, so there was no audience in mind and it shows. After several rejections more to follow on this.

Bye for now...

Thanks Google ... Wiki ... oh for more time ....

Over a month since that first post ...

One thing I did not mention last time, was the existence of a blog set up using the h2cm title. This blog was not concerned with the model, merely hitching a ride.

They say all sorts about imitation and flattery, which is nice, but that needs to set alongside the impressions the Net creates. Being a part-time webslinger with h2cm online since 1998, as you seek to publicise your project this inevitably attracts link spam. Over eight years it appears that enthusiasm can be transformed into over-zealousness. Of course this gets noticed, hence the virtual monkeys on the back. So in addition to the reasons posted in April, that's why I started this blog.

I sent an e-mail to the company concerned and an Exec at Google. Searching for that blog last night the link was listed, but was not found. So if it has gone - many thanks to whoever and Blogger crew.

Does it matter? It does when that 'enthusiasm' has you post an article on Wikipedia that is deemed as ripe for deletion. In fact - hold on - yes its gone! At the time it seemed a good idea; well, we all need a lift sometime and when a bus comes along that's headed downtown - who am I to walk? The Wiki-police-team wondered about evidence as to the model's importance. The link spam was also duly noted. They concluded the site is limited to hits on Google and links that merely circle back to the home page. To be fair the links to h2cm are more credible than the Wikipedia editors stated, with some very reputable organisations and repositories providing introductory and link details.

Their comment that the site has no dedicated url was helpful. A point that was being addressed as I read their comments. I agreed the submission should be deleted - another time. They have enough (brilliant work) to do at WikiPedia without me muddying the waters. They have also merged pages connected with nursing theory/models and deleted the h2cm external link at the same time, flagged as 'did not survive'.

Well enough of me - I have to check the bus timetable, waiting for a number 4 ...

Welcome to the Hodges Health Career - Care Domains Blog

Hello everyone.

Welcome. As with most things your arrival here has a history. So I'll begin with what is now our shared history.

The website devoted to Hodges' model has been online since 1998 (- until 2015). From the beginning the site has comprised three parts:

1. Brian' original course notes;
2. my contributions on Brian's model and informatics;
3. and four unique link pages - one per care domain.

In the time it takes a bubble to burst the web has not stood still. Unfortunately, considering that the website is supposedly devoted to Hodges' model, the result is far from a rich internet application. The latest additions to the site include an invitation (appeal!) for you good people to get involved, to submit your work. So if you have an idea about how you might apply Hodges' model please get in touch.

The other addition is a project to try to find a philosophical home for Hodges' model. A foundation that might underpin further development theoretically and practically. Advancing work to date is not a big ask, as there is little to show when compared with other health and social care models. I can hide behind the excuse that the site is a spare-time pursuit, and the site's links are pretty up-to-date. Speaking of which - if you explore the links pages:

Interpersonal : Sciences

Sociology : Political

- you will I hope appreciate how they have become a runaway monster. You see once upon a time there was one monster on a train, then he found a mate and now (thank goodness for that tunnel!) there are four of the blighters each with a train of their own....

Now to 2006 and all that.

Seeing the amazing blogs that adorn the cyberfirmament and the future prospect of Web 2.0, it really is time to get back on track. So this blog is one step into tomorrow....