eBulletin February 2003 Edition 3

In this Edition:

Data Transfer | User Group Meetings | Phase 2 April Study Day | Congratulations | VICNISS Procedure Groups & Surveillance Plans

Data Transfer Commences

The last 2 weeks have marked the first receipt of ICU and SSI data from Phase 1 hospitals. This process has been complicated by the different methods of data collection used at each Phase 1 hospital site. These methods have included the use of a previous version of eICAT, paper forms supplied by VICNISS or, hospitals using their own surveillance databases. Simon Burrell (IT support officer) has now visited all Phase 1 hospital sites to extract data and built an aggregated database to allow for data storage and analysis. Preliminary results should be available within the next 4 weeks. The Coordinating Centre staff will also report back to each Phase 1 hospital on any incomplete data.

Hospitals collecting ICU data on paper forms may continue to fax in results monthly using the results fax sheet.

Inaugural VICNISS User Group Meeting

The first VICNISS User Group meeting was held this month with 22 participants and the VICNISS Coordinating Centre staff in attendance. Following a brief update of the VICNISS project, participants were invited to raise any issues they had encountered in data collection so far which included:

• differing ICU data collection surveillance methodologies
• completeness of data eg ASA scores
• use of software for surveillance

Notes from the first User group meeting are available at: www.vicniss.org.au/HCW/Type1/VUG.aspx

Next Meeting:

DATE:	21.05.2003
TIME:	1400 – 1500 ICU/HRN group 1500 – 1600 SSI group
VENUE:	St Vincent’s Hospital 11th floor conference room, Inpatient Services building Map and location details (PDF File 91kb, opens in new window)
RSVP:	Could you please RSVP to vicniss @ mh.org.au

April Study Day for Phase 2 Hospitals

To support the commencement of Phase 2 a study day will be held on April 16th 2003. Further details will be posted on the website at www.vicniss.org.au/HCW/Type1/Workshops.aspx. Details will also be forwarded to all Phase 2 hospitals within the next week via mail. Data collection for Phase 2 is due to commence on 28th April 2003. Hospitals participating in Phase 2 and 3 and the primary consultant allocated to each facility are as follows:

Noleen Bennett	Claire Boardman
Phase 2 Box Hill Hospital Dandenong Hospital Wodonga Regional Health Service Ballarat Health Service	Phase 2 Frankston Hospital Western Hospital Footscray Mercy Hospital Werribee Sunshine Hospital Warrnambool & District Base Hospital
Phase 3 Royal Children's Hospital Royal Women's Hospital Mercy Hospital for Women Angliss Health Service	Phase 3 Goulburn Valley Health - Shepparton Northern Hospital Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute

Congratulations

Congratulations to Noleen Bennett (VICNISS ICC) who recently became a credentialed member of the Australian Infection Control Association (AICA). Credentialling is the establishment of a self-regulatory process instituted by AICA to determine and acknowledge that an individual has demonstrated the prescribed competence of the relevant specialist nursing role.

VICNISS Procedure Groups & Surveillance Plans

In Phase 1 we asked hospitals to perform surveillance in specified procedures. From Phase 2 hospitals will choose which areas and procedure groups and/or ICU surveillance they which to undertake. To help us plan, from Phase 2, commencing April 28th 2003, hospitals are required to submit a surveillance plan to the Coordinating Centre that details proposed surveillance activities for the next 12 months. We understand that changing priorities at hospitals may prompt changes to the initial plan and ask that you let us know of any changes as soon as practical.

To download the surveillance plan or to obtain further information regarding the extended list of procedure groups please visit the following link: www.vicniss.org.au/HCW/Type1/Manual.aspx

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