WORLD’S LARGEST STUDY IN INTRAVENOUS CATHETER SECUREMENT FOR CHILDREN AND CATHETER FAILURE REDUCTION
Brooke Charters, Paediatric Emergency Nurse
Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service
PEOPLE IN HEALTH CARE
Filmed in Southport, Queensland | December 2024
Brooke Charters is a dynamic Paediatric Emergency Nurse who works at the Gold Coast University Hospital in Queensland.
After leaving school unsure of her career path, she ventured into disability support, which sparked her interest in nursing. She pursued a Bachelor of Nursing at Southern Cross University, and during her placement in Africa, she discovered her passion for paediatrics instead of mental health nursing.
Since completing her post grad certificate in paediatric acute care and a passion ignited from working frontline in the Paediatric Emergency, Brooke has developed a wide variety of clinical research interests, especially in cannulation, children’s mental health trauma and pain management.
An opportunity arose when she was approached for research ideas related to securing cannulas, a frequent issue in paediatric care.
Brooke was the first nurse to become a Principal Investigator on an Emergency Medicine Foundation (EMF) Queensland Research Program grant when it was opened to nurses. Having seen first-hand how one in four cannulas used in treating children were failing
and needed to be reinserted Brooke looked for an opportunity to find a solution.
The study enrolled children aged six months to eight years, aiming to save cannulas and reduce reinsertion trauma. Her study’s findings showed significant improvements in securing cannulas, highlighting a potential solution to a common problem.
Brooke initiated a study with a randomised control trial (RCT) comparing standard care to an integrated dressing with tissue adhesive.
Brooke’s research became the world’s largest study of its kind and in May 2024 the results of the study were published in JAMA Pediatrics. Her mission is to drive change and enhance the hospital experience for children globally.
-
HIGHLIGHTS Consumers and communities as agents of health care change and improvement
Policymakers, health administrators and clinicians must learn and embrace new ways to harness the transformative role consumers, community members and carers can play. Conversely, consumers and communities need support, capability and capacity to engage as equals in policy, research, program and service design. This is necessary if are to be less technocratic and realise the vision where all members of society can live the best life possible.
-
Jack Lancaster, Evolution Surgical
Continuing the Australian Health Journal, People In Health Care series is Jack Lancaster, the CEO of Evolution Surgical, an Australian owned company established in 2014, specialising in spinal fusion implants and custom instrumentation.
Jack talks about how the company works closely with surgeons to design custom solutions manufactured to surgical requirements, and ultimately, to the benefit of the Australia patient.
-
Maximising benefits, minimising harms in population health screening
Population screening is an important contributor to advancing health outcomes through the early detection of and successful intervention for chronic disease. The evolution of science, technology and evidence relating to diseases which are or may be amenable to a population screening approach deserve broad discussion and the sharing of expertise and evidence. They also warrant close scrutiny in context of health policy and health resource allocation considerations.
In March, Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) convened Screening Conference Conference 2025 with the theme of ‘Population Screening for Chronic Disease – Maximising Benefits, Minimising Harms’.
