Nurse, midwife and patient perspectives and experiences of diabetes management in an acute inpatient setting: a mixed-methods study.

Background: In an acute hospital setting, diabetes can require intensive management with medication modification, monitoring and education. Yet little is known about the experiences and perspectives of nursing/midwifery staff and patients. The aim of this study was to investigate diabetes management and care for patients with diabetes in an acute care setting from the perspectives of nursing/midwifery staff and patients.

A comparison of data sources for the surveillance of seasonal and pandemic influenza in Victoria.

Understanding the characteristics of available influenza or influenza-like illness (ILI) surveillance systems is important for seasonal influenza surveillance and pandemic preparedness. We compared five influenza or ILI data sources in Victoria: notifications of laboratory-confirmed influenza to the Victorian Department of Human Services; hospital emergency presentations and hospital admissions; sentinel general practitioner surveillance; and medical locum service surveillance. Seasonal trends for influenza and ILI activity were similar for all data sources.

Geographic representativeness for sentinel influenza surveillance: implications for routine surveillance and pandemic preparedness.

Objective: To review the guidelines for geographic representativeness applied to sentinel influenza surveillance as proposed in the Framework for an Australian Influenza Pandemic Plan (1999).

Methods: The number of sentinel practices, participating general practitioners and their consultation rates per 100,000 population, by region, were described for the Victorian sentinel surveillance system for 2003 and 2004. Influenza-like illness rates per 1,000 consultations were calculated for all participating practices and for a subset of regular participators.

Influenza surveillance in Victoria, 2005.

Influenza activity remained within normal seasonal activity with a well-defined peak at week 29 (beginning 18 July) during the Victorian influenza season from May to September 2005. Surveillance was based on sentinel general practice influenza-like illness (ILI) notifications with laboratory confirmation, medical locum service ILI notifications and laboratory notification of influenza detections. One thousand and eighty-seven consultations for ILI were reported from 38 general practices, while medical practitioners from the locum service reported 317 consultations for ILI.

Influenza and pneumococcal vaccine coverage among a random sample of hospitalised persons aged 65 years or more, Victoria.

This study was undertaken to assess the uptake of influenza and pneumococcal vaccination based on provider records of the hospitalised elderly, a group at high risk of influenza and pneumococcal disease. The study used a random sample of 3,204 admissions at two Victorian teaching hospitals for patients, aged 65 years or more who were discharged between 1 April 2000 and 31 March 2002. Information on whether the patient had received an influenza vaccination within the year prior to admission or pneumococcal vaccination within the previous five years was ascertained from the patient's nominated medical practitioner/vaccine provider.

Influenza surveillance in Victoria, 2004.

Influenza activity during the traditional Victorian influenza season from May to October 2004 was low with no well-defined peak. Surveillance was based on sentinel general practice influenza-like illness (ILI) notification with laboratory confirmation, locum service ILI notification and laboratory reporting of influenza detections. Eight hundred and fifteen consultations for ILI were reported from 38 general practices and 216 consultations for ILI were reported from the locum service.

Higher than normal seasonal influenza activity in Victoria, 2003.

Influenza surveillance in Victoria comprises surveillance of patients with influenza-like illness (ILI) from sentinel general practices and laboratory based reporting of influenza detections, predominantly from hospital inpatients. Surveillance of patients with ILI seen by the Melbourne Medical Locum Service (MMLS) was conducted for the first time in 2003, when the influenza season was characterised by a late onset with higher than normal seasonal activity. Influenza A (H3N2) was the predominant circulating influenza virus type, with 99 per cent of sub-typed viruses identified as a drifted strain, A/Fujian/411/2002-like.