
Overview
Background
Dr Jessica Schults is a Queensland Government Clinical Research Fellow and incoming NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow (2026) based at the Herston Infectious Diseases Institute and The University of Queensland. A previous paediatric critical care nurse, Jessica has extensive clinical experience in critical care, with a particular passion for ventilator associated infections. Jessica’s research program aims to reduce the burden of healthcare-associated infections through better hospital surveillance, safer invasive device care, and rapid translation of evidence. She is a Chief Investigator on the IVCare adaptive platform trial, which evaluates strategies to prevent catheter-related bloodstream infections, and leads the NHMRC-funded REBUILD project, which aims to strengthen national infection control systems using a learning health system approach. Jessica has a strong interest in the application of digital technologies, including AI-enabled risk prediction and clinical decision support tools. Jessica has strong, established partnerships with national and international healthcare consumers, organisations, and health services. She holds leadership roles with the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society, is a board member for the ANZ Intensive Care Foundation and is a technical advisor to the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. Jessica is committed to growing the next generation of clinician-researchers, in-particular, in the underrepresented field of nursing.
Availability
- Dr Jessica Schults is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing Science, James Cook University
- Masters (Research) of Applied Science, Queensland University of Technology
- Doctor of Philosophy, Griffith University
Research interests
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Heallthcare-associated infection surveillance
State wide Delphi study to determine minimum dataset for HAI surveillance.
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Measuring the burden of hospital acquired complications in the PICU
We are conducting a retrospective cohort study of 5 years worth of PICU admissions to determine the frequency and cost of HACs in the PICU. Our preliminary work (scoping review and stakeholder consultation) has shown that there is a lack of paediatric specific measures to support quality measurement and practice improvement.
Works
Search Professor Jessica Schults’s works on UQ eSpace
Featured
2021
Journal Article
Normal saline and lung recruitment with paediatric endotracheal suction (NARES): a pilot, factorial, randomised controlled trial
Schults, Jessica A., Cooke, Marie, Long, Debbie, Schibler, Andreas, Ware, Robert S., Charles, Karina, Irwin, Adam and Mitchell, Marion L. (2021). Normal saline and lung recruitment with paediatric endotracheal suction (NARES): a pilot, factorial, randomised controlled trial. Australian Critical Care, 34 (6), 530-538. doi: 10.1016/j.aucc.2021.01.006
Featured
2020
Journal Article
International recommendations for a vascular access minimum dataset: a Delphi consensus-building study
Schults, Jessica, Kleidon, Tricia, Chopra, Vineet, Cooke, Marie, Paterson, Rebecca, Ullman, Amanda J., Marsh, Nicole, Ray-Barruel, Gillian, Hill, Jocelyn, Devrim, Ilker, Hammarskjold, Fredrik, Pedreira, Mavilde L., Bertoglio, Sergio, Egan, Gail, Mimoz, Olivier, Van Boxtel, Ton, Devries, Michelle, Magalhaes, Maria, Hallum, Carole, Oakley, Suzanne and Rickard, Claire M. (2020). International recommendations for a vascular access minimum dataset: a Delphi consensus-building study. BMJ Quality and Safety, 30 (9), 1-9. doi: 10.1136/bmjqs-2020-011274
2025
Journal Article
Chlorhexidine and povidone-iodine: Unmasking the unknown in catheter-related infection prevention, a narrative review
Drugeon, Bertrand, Rickard, Claire M., Schults, Jessica A., Guenezan, Jérémy and Mimoz, Olivier (2025). Chlorhexidine and povidone-iodine: Unmasking the unknown in catheter-related infection prevention, a narrative review. Journal of Infection and Public Health, 18 (9) 102851, 102851-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jiph.2025.102851
2025
Journal Article
Expert consensus and recommendations for Healthcare-Associated Infection surveillance in Queensland, Australia: A modified Delphi study
Schults, Jessica A., Havers, Sally, Henderson, Belinda, Healy, Sally, Runnegar, Naomi, Hurst, Trish, Charles, Karina, Smith, Alison, Clark, Julia E., Birch, Robyn, Campbell, Joanne, Carrucan, Janine, Gamlin, John, Geary, Janice, Heather, Christopher, MacBeth, Deborough A, Maxwell, Kylie, Simpson, Paul, Smith, Sarah, Lovegrove, Josephine, Ball, Daner, Hall, Lisa and Rickard, Claire M. (2025). Expert consensus and recommendations for Healthcare-Associated Infection surveillance in Queensland, Australia: A modified Delphi study. American Journal of Infection Control, 53 (8), 849-854. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2025.02.012
2025
Journal Article
Corrigendum to “The Paediatric AirWay Suction (PAWS) appropriateness guide for endotracheal suction interventions” [Aust Crit Care 35 (2022) 651–660]
Schults, Jessica, Charles, Karina, Long, Debbie, Brown, Georgia, Copnell, Beverley, Dargaville, Peter, Davies, Kylie, Erikson, Simon, Forrest, Kate, Harnischfeger, Jane, Irwin, Adam, Kendrick, Tina, Lake, Anna, Ntoumenopoulos, George, Waak, Michaela, Woodard, Mark, Tume, Lyvonne, Cooke, Marie, Mitchell, Marion, Hall, Lisa and Ullman, Amanda (2025). Corrigendum to “The Paediatric AirWay Suction (PAWS) appropriateness guide for endotracheal suction interventions” [Aust Crit Care 35 (2022) 651–660]. Australian Critical Care, 38 (4) 101224, 1-1. doi: 10.1016/j.aucc.2025.101224
2025
Journal Article
Endotracheal Tube‐Associated Complications in Paediatric Critical Care: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Curlis, Joanne, Charles, Karina R., Royle, Ruth, Rickard, Claire M., Ball, Daner, Rahiman, Sarfaraz and Schults, Jessica A. (2025). Endotracheal Tube‐Associated Complications in Paediatric Critical Care: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis. Nursing in Critical Care, 30 (4) e70066. doi: 10.1111/nicc.70066
2025
Journal Article
Government funding for healthcare infection prevention research: A scoping review of the past decade
Schults, Jessica A., Smith, Alison, Havers, Sally M., Mitchell, Brett G., Kwong, Jason C., Russo, Philip L., Stewardson, Andrew J. and Rickard, Claire M. (2025). Government funding for healthcare infection prevention research: A scoping review of the past decade. Infection, Disease & Health, 1-5. doi: 10.1016/j.idh.2025.05.003
2025
Journal Article
Interventions to prevent bloodstream infections associated with central venous access devices: priorities for an adaptive platform trial
Rickard, Claire M., Stewardson, Andrew J., Havers, Sally M., Buetti, Niccolo, Polkinghorne, Kevan R., MacPhail, Aleece, McQuilten, Zoe, Lazarus, Benjamin, Charles, Karina R. and Schults, Jessica A. (2025). Interventions to prevent bloodstream infections associated with central venous access devices: priorities for an adaptive platform trial. American Journal of Infection Control. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2025.06.003
2025
Journal Article
Infrared Devices Versus Traditional Palpation Approach for Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Insertion in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Drugeon, Bertrand, Schults, Jessica A., Ray‐Barruel, Gillian, Xu, Grace (Hui), Ball, Daner, Yasuda, Hideto, Drugeon, Rebecca, Mercier, Julie, Mihala, Gabor, Barker, Natalie, Mimoz, Olivier and Rickard, Claire M. (2025). Infrared Devices Versus Traditional Palpation Approach for Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Insertion in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis. Journal of Advanced Nursing. doi: 10.1111/jan.17007
2025
Journal Article
A Prospective Cohort Study of Technique and Technology Used to Improve First Time <scp>PIVC</scp> Insertion Success in Hospitalised Paediatric Patients
Kleidon, Tricia M., Takashima, Mari, Rickard, Claire M., Schults, Jessica A., Bulmer, Andrew C. and Ullman, Amanda J. (2025). A Prospective Cohort Study of Technique and Technology Used to Improve First Time PIVC Insertion Success in Hospitalised Paediatric Patients. Journal of Advanced Nursing. doi: 10.1111/jan.16795
2025
Journal Article
First-Attempt Success in Ultrasound-Guided vs Standard Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Insertion : The EPIC Superiority Randomized Clinical Trial
Kleidon, Tricia M., Schults, Jessica A., Royle, Ruth H., Gibson, Victoria, Ware, Robert S., Andresen, Elizabeth, Cattanach, Paula, Dean, Anna, Pitt, Colleen, Ramstedt, Malanda, Byrnes, Joshua, Nelmes, Patrick, Rickard, Claire M. and Ullman, Amanda J. (2025). First-Attempt Success in Ultrasound-Guided vs Standard Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Insertion : The EPIC Superiority Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Pediatrics, 179 (3), 255-263. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2024.5581
2025
Journal Article
Impact of Noradrenaline Administration Dosage on the Occurrence of Peripheral Intravenous Catheter-Related Venous Phlebitis in Critically Ill Patients Using a Time-Dependent Multilevel Cox Regression Model
Yasuda, Hideto, Rickard, Claire M., Schults, Jessica A., Marsh, Nicole, Kashiura, Masahiro, Kishihara, Yuki, Shinzato, Yutaro, Amagasa, Shunsuke, Moriya, Takashi, Kotani, Yuki, Kondo, Natsuki, Sekine, Kosuke, Shime, Nobuaki, Morikane, Keita and Abe, Takayuki (2025). Impact of Noradrenaline Administration Dosage on the Occurrence of Peripheral Intravenous Catheter-Related Venous Phlebitis in Critically Ill Patients Using a Time-Dependent Multilevel Cox Regression Model. Emergency Medicine International, 2025 (1) 4457109, 4457109. doi: 10.1155/emmi/4457109
2024
Journal Article
Hospital-acquired complications in critically ill children and PICU length of stay, duration of respiratory support, and economics: propensity score matching in a single-center cohort, 2015-2020
Schults, Jessica A., Hall, Lisa, Charles, Karina R., Rickard, Claire M., Le Marsney, Renate, Ergetu, Endrias, Gregg, Alex, Byrnes, Joshua, Rahiman, Sarfaraz, Long, Debbie, Lake, Anna and Gibbons, Kristen (2024). Hospital-acquired complications in critically ill children and PICU length of stay, duration of respiratory support, and economics: propensity score matching in a single-center cohort, 2015-2020. Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, 26 (3), e304-e314. doi: 10.1097/PCC.0000000000003668
2024
Conference Publication
An antimicrobial dressing for prevention of infection complication related peripheral intravenous catheter: an international randomised controlled trial
Drugeon, Bertrand, Rickard, Claire, Ullman, Amanda, Marsh, Nicole, Corley, Amanda, Ball, Daner, O'Brien, Cathetrine, Kleidon, Tricia M., Guenezan, Jérémy, Couvreur, Raphaël, McCarthy, Kate, Seguin, Sabrina, Batiot, Guillaume, Byrnes, Josh, Schults, Jessica, Zahir, Syeda Farah and Mimoz, Olivier (2024). An antimicrobial dressing for prevention of infection complication related peripheral intravenous catheter: an international randomised controlled trial. 2024 ACIPC International Conference, Melbourne, VIC Australia, 17-20 November 2024. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.idh.2024.09.013
2024
Conference Publication
87. Establishing a core healthcare associated infection surveillance measurement set for Queensland using a modified Delphi process
Schults, Jessica, Healy, Sally, Havers, Sally, Henderson, Belinda, Charles, Karina, Smith, Alison, Hall, Lisa, Carrucan, Janine, Smith, Sarah, Hurst, Trish, Birch, Robyn and Rickard, Claire (2024). 87. Establishing a core healthcare associated infection surveillance measurement set for Queensland using a modified Delphi process. 2024 ACIPC International Conference, Hobart, TAS Australia, 16-19 November 2025. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.idh.2024.09.018
2024
Journal Article
Recommendations for the College of Intensive Care Medicine (CICM) trainee research project: A modified Delphi study
Ho, Ariel, Denny, Kerina J., Laupland, Kevin B., Ramanan, Mahesh, Tabah, Alexis, McCullough, James, Schults, Jessica A., Raman, Sainath, Apte, Yogesh, Attokaran, Antony, Baker, Stuart, Bartholdy, Roland, Bhadange, Neeraj, Brailsford, Jane, Cook, Katrina, David, Alexandre, Dhanani, Jayesh, Edwards, Felicity, Elkady, Hatem, Evans, Tess, Hutchinson, Jane, Lannon, Sean, Marshall, Andrea, McIlroy, Philippa, Milford, Elissa, Morrison, Lynette, Murray, Lauren, Serratore, Alyssa, Shah, Vikram ... Queensland Critical Care Research Network (2024). Recommendations for the College of Intensive Care Medicine (CICM) trainee research project: A modified Delphi study. Critical Care and Resuscitation, 26 (3), 169-175. doi: 10.1016/j.ccrj.2024.05.002
2024
Journal Article
Hospital staff perspectives on the cost and efficiency of peripheral intravenous catheter use: a case study from three Australian hospitals
McFadden, Kathleen, Rickard, Claire M., Brown, Christine, Corley, Amanda, Schults, Jessica A., Craswell, Alison and Byrnes, Joshua (2024). Hospital staff perspectives on the cost and efficiency of peripheral intravenous catheter use: a case study from three Australian hospitals. Australian Health Review, 48 (5), 519-523. doi: 10.1071/ah24176
2024
Journal Article
Securement to prevent noncuffed central venous catheter dislodgement in pediatrics : The SECURED superiority randomized clinical trial
Kleidon, Tricia M., Schults, Jessica, Gibson, Victoria, Roebuck, Derek J., Peirce, Deborah, Royle, Ruth, Ware, Robert S., Byrnes, Joshua, Andresen, Elizabeth, Cattanach, Paula, Dean, Anna, Pitt, Colleen, Ramstedt, Malanda, McBride, Craig A., Hall, Stephanie, Rickard, Claire M. and Ullman, Amanda J. (2024). Securement to prevent noncuffed central venous catheter dislodgement in pediatrics : The SECURED superiority randomized clinical trial. JAMA Pediatrics, 178 (9) e33402, 861-869. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2024.2202
2024
Journal Article
Protect peripheral intravenous catheters: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial of a novel antimicrobial dressing for peripheral intravenous catheters (ProP trial)
Rickard, Claire M., Drugeon, Bertrand, Ullman, Amanda, Marsh, Nicole M., Corley, Amanda, Ball, Daner, O'Brien, Catherine, Kleidon, Tricia M., Guenezan, Jérémy, Couvreur, Raphael, McCarthy, Kate L., Seguin, Sabrina, Batiot, Guillaume, Byrnes, Joshua, Schults, Jessica, Zahir, Syeda Farah and Mimoz, Olivier (2024). Protect peripheral intravenous catheters: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial of a novel antimicrobial dressing for peripheral intravenous catheters (ProP trial). BMJ Open, 14 (7) e084313, 1-9. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-084313
2024
Journal Article
Development of a machine learning-based model for predicting the incidence of peripheral intravenous catheter-associated phlebitis
Yasuda, Hideto, Rickard, Claire M., Mimoz, Olivier, Marsh, Nicole, Schults, Jessica A., Drugeon, Bertrand, Kashiura, Masahiro, Kishihara, Yuki, Shinzato, Yutaro, Koike, Midori, Moriya, Takashi, Kotani, Yuki, Kondo, Natsuki, Sekine, Kosuke, Shime, Nobuaki, Morikane, Keita and Abe, Takayuki (2024). Development of a machine learning-based model for predicting the incidence of peripheral intravenous catheter-associated phlebitis. The Journal of Critical Care Medicine, 10 (3), 232-244. doi: 10.2478/jccm-2024-0028
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Jessica Schults is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Designing an Intensive Care Unit Specific Alcohol Withdrawal Assessment and Management Protocol
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Stephen Parker, Professor Claire Rickard
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Doctor Philosophy
Designing and Implementing a Clinician-Led Protocol for Heparinisation Using Optimal Targets- anti Xa vs APTT
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jason Roberts, Associate Professor Jayesh Dhanani
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Doctor Philosophy
The IVCare adaptive platform trial: Towards zero bloodstream infections in IV catheters
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Eoin O'Sullivan, Professor Claire Rickard
Completed supervision
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2025
Doctor Philosophy
Techniques and Technologies to Improve First-Time PIVC Insertion Success in Paediatrics
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Claire Rickard, Professor Amanda Ullman
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Jessica Schults directly for media enquiries about:
- harm measurement
- infectious disease
- paediatrics
- patient safety
- ventilation
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