Woohoo last ethics signature in

I am so excited. I just got back from a meeting at one of my health services and got my final signature. Last week I submitted the final ethics paperwork for two sites.

I've also finished drafting chapter one and sent it to my supervisors. They also sent me draft article back with comments for me to take on board. They are dividing Chapter 1 and the article between them.

I've also finished the LLS draft of chapter two, ready for my supervisors.

This week I have to pay an ethics bill at one of my sites so I can start on data collection. I don't know if I have to pay it or not, but better to do so and sort it out after data collection I think. I will need to think about how to draft my letters to supervisors and managers, how to approach IT and IS people, and how to put together recruitment packs. I'll also need to work out how to speak to people and transport details. It will be a nice kind of busy.

At the same time, I will go on editing the journal article. I will get Chapter 1 back again for another edit too I think. There is lots to go on with and instead of feeling pressured, today I feel nicely busy. I think mood makes such an amazing difference to how one see things and my approach to life. At least I have one attribute, when my mood isn't great, I keep on going... I think thats probably a good thing in the long term.  ¶ 11:30 am

  More ethics

My rural site is finally complete and mailed off. It was a really nice experience, involving some lovely people and really heartened me.

I also got a signature from my final metropolitan site. It took me 2 and a bit months to get. The Director's signature is on its way to me I believe. I have been looking for another Director's signature from there too. It was so annoying because when I finally got the meeting, I discovered that the ethics committee had told me the name of the wrong person. I had been chasing them for a meeting for no reason. Very irritating. Last Friday I began chasing the right person. I will call her at 9 and then agan at 10, and maybe ring her mobile for an appointment because I will need to re-apply to ethics early in June if I can't see her before then.

I have finished the changes to Chapter 1 and only have to shorten it today. Then I will do the CD. If my supervisors call for no further changes to Chapter 1, then I'll finish off Chapter 2 and start Chapter 3.

Breakfast and a cup of tea now.


  ¶ 8:03 am

  Grumpy

I am so grumpy today. I think it may partly be due to the fact that none of my ethics issues have sorted themselves out yet.

In addition, today I got a revised Chapter 1 to edit and it is making me feel a bit sulky because I still haven't finished Chapter 2. I only started on Chapter 3 this morning while I waited for LSS to finish up Chapter 2, which was this arvo. There is just so much to do right now.

Also, correspondence about the CD I have been working on also came through today and there is more work to do there.

Finally, I found out last week that I may need to wait for a month or two to collect data for my dissertation due to an op.

I know the journal article will also come back for editing over the next week or so.

On the one hand I know all of this written work will keep me busy during my recovery time from the operation. On the other hand, I just feel so swamped by work I don't know how to react.

I am slogging through Chapter 1 and have written for advice about the CD. I figure I will need to follow ethics up when I go to my networks meeting this week. I'll also have to phone a contact about ethics stuff this week, maybe tomorrow when I am feeling a little bit more chirpy.  ¶ 3:30 pm

  Ethics and other things

Well I am beginning to feel a little overwhelmed again, which I think might be normal. I got a letter from my rural site to say that it was OK to conduct the research subject to some changes. I'll really have to put my mind to some of those changes though, they are full on. I will also need to go to the rural site at least twice before data collection. Once to check out prospective sites for the project and another time to advertise for participants.

I still haven't finished with ethics at one of the metropolitan sites. All I need is two signatures and I can start work. I wrote to one person's Secretary today in the hopes they will be able to help me.

Also, one of my supervisors has asked for Chapters 1 to 3 of my thesis. I sent Chapter 1 after I hastily drafted the end of it showing the layout of my dissertation.

I also got feedback on my manuscript asking whether I wanted it to be a research thing or experiential. They will discuss it with each other. I think if they don't want to help me with it I will submit it on my own... I have plenty of time- though they did say theu would help me with it.

The guy who was going to validate part of my project tomorrow has cancelled lunch and changed his mind. As is usual for the HL7 experts I have spoken to in Australia, they dont seem to want to get involved in projects that are planned for the future of health, even when I will buy lunch. I'll try the international mailing lists next I guess.

I have to put dinner on now...  ¶ 4:43 pm

  Data collection

I'm finally beginning to work almost exclusively on data collection. I need to wait for feedback from 1 more ethics committe and then from the close of next month I should be able to write my dissertation.

My main supervisor came back from leave yesterday and it was great to catch up with her. Both supervisors think that I have done more than enough background work on the project.

Before I start, I need to sort a few meetings out and I will also need to go over the tool again too.

I read some research done a couple of years ago this morning. It was done at Monash by the GPCG group. The work is a bit old, but its relevant to what I want to do. It will be very handy later on. I have spent most of today going through it and pencilling in comments for later.

I've also been working on my references and found some new journals. It should be an interesting project to work on I think :)
  ¶ 1:02 pm

  Keeping on, keeping on

Not much is going on. I emailed my supervisors with an update today, which they seem fine with thus far.

I followed up my ethics committee stuff for one committee and devised a plan to get approval to start work. After seeing my supervisor today, who said I was fine to do business with, I emailed a contact and made an appointment to see them. I also decided how to to follow up on another contact next week and copied stuff for him this afternoon.

I finally finished my journal article today and researched the journals I'll submit it to. I emailed it to my Supervisors, who will be my collaberators on it :) Its taken weeks and weeks to write the flaming thing, but at last the first draft is done.

I also saw LLS today and finalised Chapter 2 of my thesis. I can't wait to start work on it in between the thesis and other research stuff.

This week I'll start having lunch with Mavis this Friday. I'll catch up with Dey this week and Rod too!  ¶ 8:01 pm