Australia’s active hospital-based surveillance for severe childhood disease
Nurses and midwives are at the forefront of immunisation education and delivery in Australia and globally.
Each year, the month of May has two international days to acknowledge and celebrate the work of midwives and nurses: International Day of the Midwife, celebrated on 5 May, and International Day of the Nurse, celebrated on 12 May, the birthday of Florence Nightingale.
In 2021, the theme of International Nurses Day is Nurses: A Voice to Lead - A vision for future healthcare.
The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the invaluable contribution of nurses: from working on the frontline to care for COVID-19 positive patients, contributing to the public health response through testing and surveillance to now playing a pivotal role in the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines across Australia. In addition, our nurses continue to provide essential health services to the community.
The PAEDS network would like to acknowledge the work of all our nurses involved in undertaking active hospital-based surveillance of serious childhood diseases. Our PAEDS nurses are the "engine room" of the network, engaging with clinicians and laboratory staff to identify children who meet criteria for conditions under surveillance. They demonstrate leadership through collaboration with researchers across our national network, engage with children and families with kindness and empathy and play a valuable role in educating clinicians and families on important public health messages.
Learn more about the International Nurses Day and how you can support your nursing colleagues here.
