Overview
Background
Jessica is a paediatric critical care nurse and researcher with more than 15 years of clinical experience and expertise. Her research themes to date have focused on ventilation strategies to reduce ventilator associated pneumonia and interventions to improve the safety and quality of care related to invasive medical devices. Jessica's developing research themes focus on enhancing health service surveillance using electronic health information in two major spheres: hospital-level surveillance for hospital-acquired complications and unit level surveillance for vascular access device complications and ventilator associated events. She is particularly interested in advances in infectious disease surveillance and tracking, using a combination of mature platforms and new electronic platforms. Jessica has experience leading international consensus studies using Delphi methods and is interested in clinical trials which embed hybrid strategies to enable the rapid and sustainable translation of research findings upon study completion. Jessica is passionate about growing clinician researchers and nurses’ capacity to lead and undertake research which contributes to practice change and better outcomes in our vulnerable patient groups including paediatrics and minority groups.
Availability
- Dr Jessica Schults is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing Science, James Cook University
- Masters (Coursework), Queensland University of Technology
- Doctor of Philosophy, Griffith University
Research interests
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Development of core indicators for paediatric intensive care quality and safety measurement
Australia and New Zealand Delphi study to define and select a core set of PICU quality indicators to measure and benchmark care quality in PICU
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Implementing appropriate use criteria for endotracheal suction interventions in the PICU
Following an extensive process to develop appropriate use criteria for endotracheal suction interventions, we will implement these guidelines in the PICU to determine whether implementation of the guidelines for 'children with a highly infectious respiratory disease' will lead to improved clinical and unit outcomes.
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Development of a tool to support identification and escalation of children with Difficult Intravenous Access
Together with consumers and clinicians at the Queensland Children's Hospital we have developed a DIVA tool. We are now testing this tool in practice to determine whether this supports first attempt insertion success and increased patient satisfaction. Trial lead Ms Tricia Kleidon.
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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
2023
Conference Publication
DART 3: A pragmatic stepped wedge cluster randomised trial of ultrasound guidance to reducing multiple PIVC insertions in hospitalised patients
Schults, Jessica, Marsh, Nicole, Ullman, Amanda, Kleidon, Tricia, Ware, Robert, Byrnes, Joshua, Young, Emily, Hall, Lisa, Keijzers, Gerben, Cullen, Louise, Calleja, Pauline, McTaggart, Steven, Peters, Nathan, Watkins, Stuart, Corley, Amanda, Brown, Christine, Lin, Zhen, Williamson, Frances, Burgess, Luke, Macfarlane, Fiona, Cooke, Marie, Battley, Callan and Rickard, Claire (2023). DART 3: A pragmatic stepped wedge cluster randomised trial of ultrasound guidance to reducing multiple PIVC insertions in hospitalised patients. 2023 ACIPC International Conference, Adelaide, SA Australia, 12 – 15 November 2023. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier BV. doi: 10.1016/j.idh.2023.09.021
2023
Conference Publication
Securing Central venous catheters Using a subcutaneously anchored secuRement system to prevent cathEter Dislodgment in children: the SECURED randomised controlled trial
Kleidon, Tricia, Schults, Jessica, Roebuck, Derek, Gibson, Victoria, Pierce, Deborah, Royle, Ruth, Ware, Robert, Byrnes, Joshua, Rickard, Claire and Ullman, Amanda (2023). Securing Central venous catheters Using a subcutaneously anchored secuRement system to prevent cathEter Dislodgment in children: the SECURED randomised controlled trial. 2023 ACIPC International Conference, Adelaide, SA Australia, 12-15 November 2023. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.idh.2023.09.019
2023
Journal Article
Insights into the barriers and enablers faced by nurse/midwife clinician researchers in Australia
Walsh, Caitlin M., Rickard, Claire M., Charles, Karina R., Ball, Daner and Schults, Jessica A. (2023). Insights into the barriers and enablers faced by nurse/midwife clinician researchers in Australia. Collegian, 30 (6), 843-850. doi: 10.1016/j.colegn.2023.09.005
2023
Journal Article
Midline compared with peripheral intravenous catheters for therapy of 4 days or longer in pediatric patients: a randomized clinical trial
Kleidon, Tricia M., Gibson, Victoria, Cattanach, Paula, Schults, Jessica, Royle, Ruth H., Ware, Robert S., Marsh, Nicole, Pitt, Colleen, Dean, Anna, Byrnes, Joshua, Rickard, Claire M. and Ullman, Amanda J. (2023). Midline compared with peripheral intravenous catheters for therapy of 4 days or longer in pediatric patients: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Pediatrics, 177 (11). doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2023.3526
2023
Journal Article
Ultrasound-guided PIVC insertion: a randomised controlled trial protocol
Kleidon, Tricia M., Schults, Jessica, Rickard, Claire and Ullman, Amanda J. (2023). Ultrasound-guided PIVC insertion: a randomised controlled trial protocol. British Journal of Nursing, 32 (14), S22-S28. doi: 10.12968/bjon.2023.32.14.s22
2023
Journal Article
Improving difficult peripheral intravenous access requires thought, training and technology (DART3): a stepped-wedge, cluster randomised controlled trial protocol
Schults, Jessica A., Marsh, Nicole, Ullman, Amanda J., Kleidon, Tricia M., Ware, Robert S., Byrnes, Joshua, Young, Emily, Hall, Lisa, Keijzers, Gerben, Cullen, Louise, Calleja, Pauline, McTaggart, Steven, Peters, Nathan, Watkins, Stuart, Corley, Amanda, Brown, Christine, Lin, Zhen, Williamson, Frances, Burgess, Luke, Macfarlane, Fiona, Cooke, Marie, Battley, Callan and Rickard, Claire M. (2023). Improving difficult peripheral intravenous access requires thought, training and technology (DART3): a stepped-wedge, cluster randomised controlled trial protocol. BMC Health Services Research, 23 (1) 587, 1-12. doi: 10.1186/s12913-023-09499-0
2023
Conference Publication
Peripheral Intravascular Cannulation (PIVC) Project
Hawley, Glenda, Rickard, Claire, Hewer, Barbara, Marsh, Nicole, Ball, Daner, Schults, Jessica, Kearney, Lauren, Ciranni, Maggie and Winters-Chang, Peta (2023). Peripheral Intravascular Cannulation (PIVC) Project. 33rd ICM Triennial Congress, Bali, Indonesia, 11-14 May 2023.
2023
Journal Article
Perioperative dexmedetomidine compared to midazolam in children undergoing open-heart surgery: a pilot randomised controlled trial
Long, Debbie A., Gibbons, Kristen S., Stocker, Christian, Ranger, Michael, Alphonso, Nelson, Le Marsney, Renate, Dow, Belinda, Schults, Jessica A., Graydon, Cameron, Shehabi, Yahya and Schibler, Andreas (2023). Perioperative dexmedetomidine compared to midazolam in children undergoing open-heart surgery: a pilot randomised controlled trial. Critical Care and Resuscitation, 25 (1), 33-42. doi: 10.1016/j.ccrj.2023.04.007
2023
Journal Article
Evolving insights into the epidemiology of Moraxella species bloodstream infection from two decades of surveillance in Queensland, Australia
Schults, Jessica, Edwards, Felicity, Charles, Karina, Irwin, Adam D., Rickard, Claire M., Harris, Patrick N. A., Paterson, David L. and Laupland, Kevin (2023). Evolving insights into the epidemiology of Moraxella species bloodstream infection from two decades of surveillance in Queensland, Australia. European Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, 42 (2), 209-216. doi: 10.1007/s10096-022-04540-2
2022
Journal Article
Review article: Peripheral intravenous catheter insertion in adult patients with difficult intravenous access: A systematic review of assessment instruments, clinical practice guidelines and escalation pathways
Paterson, Rebecca S., Schults, Jessica A., Slaughter, Eugene, Cooke, Marie, Ullman, Amanda, Kleidon, Tricia M., Keijzers, Gerben, Marsh, Nicole and Rickard, Claire M. (2022). Review article: Peripheral intravenous catheter insertion in adult patients with difficult intravenous access: A systematic review of assessment instruments, clinical practice guidelines and escalation pathways. Emergency Medicine Australasia, 34 (6), 862-870. doi: 10.1111/1742-6723.14069
2022
Conference Publication
76. “Gadgets and gizmos aplenty!” Dressing and securing peripherally inserted central catheters to prevent infection and failure
Rickard, Claire, Larsen, Emily, Marsh, Nicole, McGrail, Matthew, Ullman, Amanda, Kleidon, Tricia, Chan, Ray, Byrnes, Joshua, Mollee, Peter, Paterson, David, Chopra, Vineet, Stone, Leanne, Tapsall, Doreen, Keogh, Samantha, Gavin, Nicole, McCarthy, Sandie, Alexandrou, Evan, Choudhury, M.A., Corley, Amanda, Schults, Jessica, Ray-Barruel, Gillian and Geoffrey Playford, E. (2022). 76. “Gadgets and gizmos aplenty!” Dressing and securing peripherally inserted central catheters to prevent infection and failure. 2022 ACIPC International Conference, Sydney, NSW Australia, 13 - 16 November 2022. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier BV. doi: 10.1016/j.idh.2022.09.034
2022
Journal Article
Quality measurement and surveillance platforms in critically ill children: A scoping review
Schults, Jessica A., Rickard, Claire M., Charles, Karina, Rahiman, Sarfaraz, Millar, Johnny, Baveas, Thimitra, Long, Debbie, Kleidon, Tricia M., Macfarlane, Fiona, Mehta, Nilesh M., Runnegar, Naomi and Hall, Lisa (2022). Quality measurement and surveillance platforms in critically ill children: A scoping review. Australian Critical Care, 36 (4), 499-508. doi: 10.1016/j.aucc.2022.07.006
2022
Journal Article
Mapping progress in intravascular catheter quality surveillance: an Australian case study of electronic medical record data linkage
Schults, Jessica A., Ball, Daner L., Sullivan, Clair, Rossow, Nick, Ray-Barruel, Gillian, Walker, Rachel M., Stantic, Bela and Rickard, Claire M. (2022). Mapping progress in intravascular catheter quality surveillance: an Australian case study of electronic medical record data linkage. Frontiers in Medicine, 9 962130, 1-10. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2022.962130
2022
Journal Article
Ventilator weaning and extubation practices in critically ill children: An Australian and New Zealand survey of practice
Schults, Jessica A., Charles, Karina, Harnischfeger, Jane, Erikson, Simon, Burren, Juerg, Waak, Michaela, Blackwood, Bronagh, Tume, Lyvonne N. and Long, Debbie (2022). Ventilator weaning and extubation practices in critically ill children: An Australian and New Zealand survey of practice. Australian Critical Care, 36 (4), 509-514. doi: 10.1016/j.aucc.2022.06.004
2022
Journal Article
Peripheral intravenous catheter insertion and use of ultrasound in patients with difficult intravenous access: Australian patient and practitioner perspectives to inform future implementation strategies
Schults, Jessica A., Calleja, Pauline, Slaughter, Eugene, Paterson, Rebecca, Rickard, Claire M., Booker, Catriona, Marsh, Nicole, Fenn, Mary, Kelly, Jenny, Snelling, Peter J., Byrnes, Joshua, Keijzers, Gerben and Cooke, Marie (2022). Peripheral intravenous catheter insertion and use of ultrasound in patients with difficult intravenous access: Australian patient and practitioner perspectives to inform future implementation strategies. PLoS One, 17 (6) e0269788, 1-15. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269788
2022
Journal Article
Comparison of ultrasound‐guided peripheral intravenous catheter insertion with landmark technique in paediatric patients: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Kleidon, Tricia M., Schults, Jessica, Paterson, Rebecca, Rickard, Claire M. and Ullman, Amanda J. (2022). Comparison of ultrasound‐guided peripheral intravenous catheter insertion with landmark technique in paediatric patients: a systematic review and meta‐analysis. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 58 (6), 953-961. doi: 10.1111/jpc.15985
2022
Journal Article
Experiences of children with central venous access devices: a mixed-methods study
Ullman, Amanda J., Kleidon, Tricia M., Gibson, Victoria, Takashima, Mari, Schults, Jessica, Cattanach, Paula, Paterson, Rebecca, Cooke, Marie, Byrnes, Joshua, Saiyed, Masnoon, Chopra, Vineet and Rickard, Claire (2022). Experiences of children with central venous access devices: a mixed-methods study. Pediatric Research, 93 (1), 160-167. doi: 10.1038/s41390-022-02054-3
2022
Journal Article
Methodology minute: Utilising the RAND/UCLA appropriateness method to develop guidelines for infection prevention
Charles, Karina, Hall, Lisa, Ullman, Amanda and Schults, Jessica A (2022). Methodology minute: Utilising the RAND/UCLA appropriateness method to develop guidelines for infection prevention. American Journal of Infection Control, 50 (3), 345-348. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2021.12.012
2022
Journal Article
Improving peripheral venous cannula insertion in children: a mixed methods study to develop the DIVA key
Schults, Jessica A., Kleidon, Tricia M., Gibson, Victoria, Ware, Robert S., Monteagle, Emily, Paterson, Rebecca, Charles, Karina, Keys, Adam, McBride, Craig A., McTaggart, Steven, Lawton, Benjamin, Macfarlane, Fiona, Sells, Chloe, Rickard, Claire M. and Ullman, Amanda J. (2022). Improving peripheral venous cannula insertion in children: a mixed methods study to develop the DIVA key. BMC Health Services Research, 22 (1) 220, 220. doi: 10.1186/s12913-022-07605-2
2022
Journal Article
Pediatric central venous access devices: practice, performance, and costs
Ullman, Amanda J., Gibson, Victoria, Takashima, Mari D., Kleidon, Tricia M., Schults, Jessica, Saiyed, Masnoon, Cattanach, Paula, Paterson, Rebecca, Cooke, Marie, Rickard, Claire M., Byrnes, Joshua and Chopra, Vineet (2022). Pediatric central venous access devices: practice, performance, and costs. Pediatric Research, 92 (5), 1381-1390. doi: 10.1038/s41390-022-01977-1
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Jessica Schults is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Co-designing a healthcare policy review process amongst nursing and midwifery
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Claire Rickard
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Master Philosophy
Designing and implementing a nurse-led electronic medical record (EMR) integrated heparinisation protocol 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 effectiveness of peripheral intravenous catheter insertion techniques and technologies to improve insertion success and performance
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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