Inevitably I have posted news of this conference and presentation to several mail lists. I received a reply pointing out that this news was short notice and getting to Colombia in the time remaining would be quite a feat. I replied saying that I had only just sorted medications and my yellow fever jab was only just 'active'.
I realise you can read all sorts into such short notice, but apart from being truly flattered and cock-a-hoop about this invitation my post was intended to raise a question...
In October 2009 I posted a fictional quote apparently cited from a conference in 2015 by:
Ms. Florence Seacole Mashaba*. 3rd Year Student Nurse
Keynote address 2nd February 1000hrs
Global Conceptual Frameworks for Health & Education:
1st International Conference on Visualization in Care Models, Assessment and Evaluation.
St Francis Bay, South Africa. Monday 2nd - Thursday 5th, February, 2015.
Future Conceptual Frameworks for Global Health: a quote
Nursing models and theories are still a feature on nurse curricula. As a mentor I check when student nurses are on placement with us - the community mental health team. What models have they come across? What are their thoughts about them? Many models of nursing still have an active following and conferences. The oomph factor is definitely lacking though. As a feature models and theories are but a frame or two in a busy learning schedule. Where does informatics figure? Does geography begin and end in school or maybe the hospital site map? ...Then here, suddenly in Colombia is the 1st International Congress. I do hope this is the first of several and an awakening. An awakening not of a fashion item (perish the thought), but an emergent attentiveness to theory that is mature and ongoing. A thread that is worthy of the communities and populations we serve, the students we must inspire to one day be leaders themselves, the disciplines with whom we form 'the team', the people - patients and carers - we must also educate and empower.
We need models (yes plural) of care that extend beyond nursing across the four care domains and several divides. That is where the pearls of enlightenment lie.
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I opted for St Francis Bay as the 2015 venue recalling the film The Endless Summer. This will be the closest I have ever been to the equator.
* Personal communication from a future fictitious individual. ;-)
