Overview
Background
Background
Dr Karen Davies is a Clinician Research Fellow jointly appointed with Queensland Health, the Herston Infectious Diseases Institute (HeIDI) and The University of Queensland, and works as Clinical Nurse Consultant (CNC), Safe Medication Practice at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital. Her work focuses on medication safety, nursing practice improvement, medication administration, antimicrobial administration, and vascular access management.
Karen began her nursing career in 1979, completed a Bachelor of Nursing in 1994, commenced her research journey in 2014, and was awarded her PhD in 2020.
Karen's principal research focus is the implementation and evaluation of the Medication Administration Evaluation and Feedback Tool (MAEFT), which she developed through her doctoral research. MAEFT provides a structured approach to observing, evaluating and supporting nurses' medication administration practices, with the aim of improving clinical performance, reducing medication-related risks, and enhancing patient outcomes.
Through her clinical and academic roles, Karen works to bridge the gap between research and practice by developing practical, evidence-based solutions that support nursing staff, strengthen medication safety systems, and improve healthcare quality across diverse clinical settings.
Current areas of expertise include:
- Medication administration and nursing practice
- Safe medication practice and medication safety
- Antimicrobial administration
- Vascular access management
- Clinical audit, feedback and quality improvement
- Translation of research into clinical practice
Availability
- Dr Karen Davies is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Nursing, Australian Catholic University
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Research interests
-
Medication Administration Practice Evaluation and Feedback
Research focused on improving nurses' medication administration practices through the implementation and evaluation of the Medication Administration Evaluation and Feedback Tool (MAEFT). Developed as part of a PhD program, this work aims to enhance clinical performance, support evidence-based practice, reduce medication-related risks, and improve patient safety outcomes through structured feedback and practice improvement strategies.
-
Safe Medication Practice and Medication Safety
Research examining strategies to strengthen safe medication practices across healthcare settings. This work focuses on reducing medication errors, supporting quality improvement initiatives, promoting medication safety culture, and enhancing patient outcomes through the application of evidence-based approaches to medication administration and clinical governance.
-
Nursing Practice Improvement and Clinical Research Translation
Research dedicated to translating evidence into nursing practice through the implementation of innovative clinical tools and improvement programs. This work focuses on supporting nurses' clinical decision-making, strengthening practice standards, and facilitating the uptake of research findings to improve healthcare quality and patient outcomes.
-
Antimicrobial Administration and Stewardship
Research exploring best practices in antimicrobial administration to support safe, effective, and timely treatment. Key interests include nursing practice, antimicrobial stewardship, optimisation of medication delivery processes, and reducing risks associated with antimicrobial therapy to improve patient care and health service outcomes.
-
Vascular Access Management
Research focused on vascular access management and the safe delivery of intravenous therapies. This work investigates clinical practices that support optimal device selection, insertion, maintenance, and medication administration, with the aim of improving patient safety, reducing complications, and enhancing the quality of nursing care.
-
Nursing Workforce Education and Clinical Competency
Research examining approaches to developing and sustaining nursing competency in medication administration and patient safety. Areas of interest include clinical education, performance feedback, professional development, and strategies that empower nurses to deliver safe, high-quality care across diverse healthcare environments.
Research impacts
Karen Davies research led to the development and implementation of the Medication Administration Evaluation and Feedback Tool (MAEFT), an evidence-based intervention that improves safe medication administration practices through observation, self-reflection and feedback. The program has demonstrated statistically significant improvements in medication safety behaviours across Metro North, including in digital medication management environments, and has been adopted across multiple Queensland Health services.
Influence on Digital Medication Safety:
A significant contribution of the research is its application within electronic medication management systems (EMMS) and ieMR environments. Findings showed MAEFT improves both behavioural and workflow adherence, including:
-
Barcode patient identification processes.
-
Allergy verification.
-
Medication administration documentation.
-
Appropriate use of electronic medication administration workflows.
The MAEFT has also gained international uptake in hospitals, universities and infusion services across the United States and Canada, with independent evaluations demonstrating improvements in medication administration adherence and reductions in medication errors. This work has translated research into sustainable clinical practice improvements that enhance patient safety, workforce capability and health service quality.
Works
Search Professor Karen Davies’s works on UQ eSpace
2026
Journal Article
Infection prevention and control priorities to improve peripheral intravenous catheter care– setting a national priority agenda
Havers, Sally M., Rickard, Claire M., Lovegrove, Josephine, Stewardson, Andrew J., Egerton-Warburton, Diana, McCann, Rebecca L., Ray-Barruel, Gillian, Davies, Karen M., Brown, Christine, Mathias, Samuel M. and Schults, Jessica A. (2026). Infection prevention and control priorities to improve peripheral intravenous catheter care– setting a national priority agenda. Infection, Disease and Health, 31 (1) 100379, 100379. doi: 10.1016/j.idh.2025.07.001
2025
Conference Publication
How can a tool for observation of nurses’ medication practice improve infection prevention control: knowledge translation
Davies, Karen, Garayi, Fanuel, Prasad, Leena, Gilbert, Shannaen, Crawford, Michelle, Donovan, Peter, Keogh, Samantha and Coombes, Ian (2025). How can a tool for observation of nurses’ medication practice improve infection prevention control: knowledge translation. 2025 ACIPC International Conference, Hobart, TAS Australia, 16-19 November 2025. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.idh.2025.10.059
2023
Journal Article
Controlling peripheral intravenous catheter failure by needleless connector design: A pilot randomised controlled trial
Marsh, Nicole, Larsen, Emily, O’Brien, Catherine, Peach, Hannah, Keogh, Samantha, Davies, Karen, Mihala, Gabor, Hewer, Barbara, Booker, Catriona, McCarthy, Alexandra L., Flynn, Julie and Rickard, Claire M. (2023). Controlling peripheral intravenous catheter failure by needleless connector design: A pilot randomised controlled trial. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 32 (21-22), 7909-7919. doi: 10.1111/jocn.16852
2023
Journal Article
Medication administration evaluation and feedback tool: Longitudinal cohort observational intervention
Davies, Karen M., Coombes, Ian D., Keogh, Samantha, Hay, Karen and Whitfield, Karen M. (2023). Medication administration evaluation and feedback tool: Longitudinal cohort observational intervention. Collegian, 30 (3), 417-423. doi: 10.1016/j.colegn.2022.12.001
2022
Conference Publication
Comparing neutral and negative pressure needleless connectors - A pilot randomised controlled trial
Marsh, Nicole, Larsen, Emily, O'Brien, Catherine, Peach, Hannah, Keogh, Samantha, Davies, Karen, Mihala, Gabor, Hewer, Barbara, Booker, Catriona, McCarthy, Alexandra, Flynn, Julie and Rickard, Claire (2022). Comparing neutral and negative pressure needleless connectors - A pilot randomised controlled trial. 2022 ACIPC International Conference, Sydney, Australia, 13-16 November 2022. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.idh.2022.09.032
2022
Conference Publication
How using the medication administration evaluation feedback tool improves nurses infection prevention strategies: Stepped wedge cluster randomised trial
Davies, Karen, Hay, Karen, Whitfield, Karen, Chippindall, Karen, Donovan, Peter, Keogh, Samantha and Coombes, Ian (2022). How using the medication administration evaluation feedback tool improves nurses infection prevention strategies: Stepped wedge cluster randomised trial. 2022 ACIPC International Conference, Sydney, NSW Australia, 13-16 November 2022. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.idh.2022.09.052
2020
Journal Article
Implementation and evaluation of short peripheral intravenous catheter flushing guidelines: a stepped wedge cluster randomised trial
Keogh, Samantha, Shelverton, Caroline, Flynn, Julie, Mihala, Gabor, Mathew, Saira, Davies, Karen M., Marsh, Nicole and Rickard, Claire M. (2020). Implementation and evaluation of short peripheral intravenous catheter flushing guidelines: a stepped wedge cluster randomised trial. BMC Medicine, 18 (1) 252, 252. doi: 10.1186/s12916-020-01728-1
2020
Other Outputs
Design, validation and testing of a nursing administration assessment and evaluation tool
Davies, Karen (2020). Design, validation and testing of a nursing administration assessment and evaluation tool. PhD Thesis, School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/e175c63
2020
Journal Article
Medication administration evaluation and feedback tool: inter-rater reliability in the clinical setting
Davies, Karen M., Coombes, Ian D., Keogh, Samantha, Hay, Karen and Whitfield, Karen M. (2020). Medication administration evaluation and feedback tool: inter-rater reliability in the clinical setting. Collegian, 28 (4), 369-375. doi: 10.1016/j.colegn.2020.10.001
2019
Journal Article
Medication administration evaluation and feedback tool: Simulation reliability testing
Davies, Karen M., Coombes, Ian D., Keogh, Samantha, Hay, Karen, Hurst, Cameron and Whitfield, Karen M. (2019). Medication administration evaluation and feedback tool: Simulation reliability testing. Clinical Simulation in Nursing, 32, 1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.ecns.2019.03.010
2019
Journal Article
Medication administration evaluation tool design: an expert panel review
Davies, Karen M., Coombes, Ian D., Keogh, Samantha and Whitfield, Karen M. (2019). Medication administration evaluation tool design: an expert panel review. Collegian, 26 (1), 118-124. doi: 10.1016/j.colegn.2018.05.001
2015
Journal Article
Nursing and midwifery practice for maintenance of vascular access device patency. A cross-sectional survey
Keogh, Samantha, Flynn, Julie, Marsh, Nicole, Higgins, Niall, Davies, Karen and Rickard, Claire M. (2015). Nursing and midwifery practice for maintenance of vascular access device patency. A cross-sectional survey. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 52 (11) 2618, 1678-1685. doi: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2015.07.001
2015
Journal Article
Nursing issues: The role of observation and feedback in enhancing performance with medication administration
Davies, Karen, Mitchell, Charles and Coombes, Ian (2015). Nursing issues: The role of observation and feedback in enhancing performance with medication administration. Journal of Law and Medicine, 23 (2), 316-321.
2014
Journal Article
A time and motion study of peripheral venous catheter flushing practice using manually prepared and prefilled flush syringes
Keogh, Samantha, Marsh, Nicole, Higgins, Niall, Davies, Karen and Rickard, Claire (2014). A time and motion study of peripheral venous catheter flushing practice using manually prepared and prefilled flush syringes. Journal of Infusion Nursing, 37 (2), 96-101. doi: 10.1097/nan.0000000000000024
2014
Conference Publication
Intravenous device flushing in the critical care setting: A pilot study
Keogh, S., Flynn, J., Marsh, N., Higgins, N., Davies, K. and Rickard, C. (2014). Intravenous device flushing in the critical care setting: A pilot study. 38th Australian and New Zealand Scientific Meeting on Intensive Care and the 19th Annual Paediatric and Neonatal intensive Care Conference, Hobart, TAS Australia, October 2013. Philadelphia, PA United States: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.aucc.2013.10.035
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Karen Davies is:
- Available for supervision
Looking for a supervisor? Read our advice on how to choose a supervisor.
Media
Enquiries
For media enquiries about Dr Karen Davies's areas of expertise, story ideas and help finding experts, contact our Media team: