Welcome to the VICNISS Hospital Acquired Infection Surveillance System
The primary aim of VICNISS is to lower the number of
infections acquired in Victorian hospitals. Established in 2002, the program is coordinated by the VICNISS Coordinating Centre, which
collects and analyses data on hospital acquired (nosocomial) infections in acute care public hospitals in Victoria, and reports individual hospital
and aggregate data back to participants and the Department of Human Services. Surveillance activities are targeted to those
patients at highest risk of hospital acquired infections.
News
TYPE 1 & 2 SURVEILLANCE REPORTS (for participating hospitals only)
June 2010: Quarter 3, 2009/2010
Type 1 and
Type 2 quarterly reports, including Outpatient Haemodialysis reports, and the Type 1 Hospital Level
De-identified Data Report is now available.
These reports can be accessed using your hospital username and password.
An explanatory document regarding these reports is available on your Reports page.
If you have any further questions after reading this document, or any problems accessing
your hospital reports please contact the
Coordinating Centre.
The deadline for data to be forwarded to the VICNISS Coordinating Centre for Quarter
4, 2009/2010 is Friday, 6th August
2010 for Type 1 hospitals
and Thursday, 30th July 2010 for Type 2 hospitals. The
corresponding report is then due to be posted on 17th September 2010.
December 2009: Influenza Vaccination Reports for 2009 for all participating hospitals (Type 1 and Type 2) are now available.
Influenza Vaccination Program 2010
The data collection form for 2010 has not changed and is available for both
Type 1 and Type 2 participants.
Staphylococcus aureus Bacteraemia (SAB) & Hand Hygiene
As of 1st September 2009 VICNISS collects all hand hygiene and SAB data:
- All hand hygiene data should be submitted online via the Hand Hygiene Compliance Application on Hand Hygiene Australia’s (HHA) website.
- SAB data should be submitted via the VICNISS online webform.
- The dates for HH data submission are as follows:
- Period 3 2010 - 26th November
- Period 1 2011 - 18th March
- Period 2 2011 - 1st July
- The provision of education will be through VICNISS on a needs basis at dates and times advertised via the
VICNISS eBulletin and the HHA website www.hha.org.au.
- For your information, the SAB definition is also available on the HHA website: www.hha.org.au/SabDefinition.aspx
- As per the letter dated 15/06/10 from DoH to all health services the HH compliance benchmark is now 65%.
- Planning by the Australian Commission On Quality & Safety in Healthcare has commenced for the National HH
program beyond 2010.
- VICNISS participates in regular teleconferences with HHA to ensure Victoria is implementing all aspects of the program.
- All queries regarding the VICNISS HH program should be directed to Jennifer.Bradford @ mh.org.au.
PLEASE ENSURE THAT THE HAND HYGIENE COORDINATOR AT YOUR FACILITY IS UP TO DATE WITH ALL ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAM.
Validation of Central Line-associated Bloodstream Infection Intensive Care Unit Surveillance
Data from VICNISS
In 2006, a number of Type 1 VICNISS centres participated in a validation study of the module for monitoring CLABSI in ICU patients. Using
external review and application of NNIS criteria as the gold standard, the positive predictive value, negative predictive value,
sensitivity and specificity were found to be 59%, 74%, 35% and 87%, respectively. Of note, VICNISS has subsequently updated the
case-definition for CLABSI (July 2008) to maintain consistency with the NHSN. Findings of the current study suggest that this is one
important step towards improved validity (sensitivity) of the CLABSI module.
A more detailed article is also available on the VICNISS website: Validation of Central Line-associated Bloodstream
Infection Intensive Care Unit Surveillance Data from VICNISS.
Infection Control Literature Review, August 2010
Our most recent literature review, for August, compiled by Dr Leon Worth, ID Physician,
discusses current research on the following selected topics:
- 'Aiming for Zero'- Feasibility of Reducing CLABSI Rates using Revised NHSN Definition with Bundle Approach to Prevention
- Examining the Effectiveness of Alcohol-based Hand Rubs for Removal of Clostridium difficile Spores from
Hands