These projects are transforming paediatric emergency care, improving staff safety and developing more effective emergency care solutions.
For much of the research in this round, the goal is simple: improve the emergency department (ED) experience for children. A/Prof Peter Snelling is exploring alternative approaches to splint therapy for children with arm fractures, while Dr Emma Whyte is trialling a needle-free sedative spray to help keep kids calm during procedures.
A/Prof Shane George is leading the Queensland site for the STeroids in preschool Asthma Reduction (STAR) study, which could simplify treatment for preschoolers with wheeze by investigating whether a single dose of prednisolone is as effective as the standard three-day course.
Across three Queensland EDs, Ms Ashleigh Barr is testing virtual reality as a tool to distract children during painful procedures, and Ms L’Oreal Steytler is capturing the perspectives of clinicians and families on forearm fracture treatment, generating insights that will inform everyday paediatric care.
Dr Kim Hansen, Medical Director, Critical Care, Women’s and Children’s Service Line, Redcliffe Hospital and EMF Board Director, shared:
“These projects show how clinician-led research can make a real difference in our EDs. By supporting practical, evidence-based solutions, EMF is helping clinicians deliver safer, more effective care for children and families across Queensland.”
Round 44 also recognises the challenges faced by those who care for patients. EDs can be intense, high-pressure environments, and occupational violence remains a persistent concern.
Ms Katherine Ganzon leads a Delphi study on best practice standards to improve safety in EDs, while A/Prof Andrew Staib was awarded a Leading Edge grant to generate evidence to help create safer workplaces and stronger emergency services.
Prof Hugh Grantham ASM, EMF Board Chair, outlined:
“Supporting the safety and wellbeing of ED staff is key to providing high-quality care. Research like this provides the evidence we need to strengthen emergency services, protect our workforce, and ensure patients receive the best care possible.”
Beyond paediatric care and workforce safety, Round 44 also supports innovative research in areas such as diagnostic stewardship, patient experience in ambulance services, and regional emergency care, reflecting EMF’s commitment to advancing emergency medicine across Queensland.
These research studies are generating new knowledge, fostering collaboration across the state, and shaping the future of emergency care for patients, families, and clinicians alike.
EMF’s Queensland Research Program is supported by the Queensland Government through Queensland Health, and we thank them for their ongoing support.
In this round, additional support from the Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC) is provided through EMF’s Trauma Care Program for Ms Elizabeth Doran’s project.
Round 45 opens for applications on 9 February 2026.
The program offers funding twice a year to all emergency clinicians working in Queensland public EDs, the Queensland Ambulance Service, Retrieval Services Queensland, LifeFlight, and the Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section).
Find out more about the Queensland Research Program here.
Principal Investigator (PI) |
Project Title |
PI Institution |
Amount Awarded |
| EMERGE | |||
| Ms Katherine Ganzon | A Delphi study to inform best practice standards in predicting and managing occupational violence risk in emergency departments | Metro South Health | $10,000 |
| Ms L’Oreal Steytler | Clinician and consumer perceptions, attitudes and preferences for the treatment of children with distal forearm fractures: A binational exploratory survey | Gold Coast University Hospital | $9,970 |
| Mr Robert Ley Greaves | The ROAD study (Rocuronium dOsing for optimal pAralytic conDitions) | LifeFlight | $8,000 |
| JUMPSTART | |||
| Dr Akmez Latona | Do Clinicians Need Both Clauss and PT-Derived Fibrinogen? A Comparative Evaluation in Bleeding Management | Ipswich Hospital | $34,600 |
| LEADING EDGE | |||
| A/Prof Shane George | The STeroids in preschool Asthma Reduction (STAR) Study | Gold Coast University Hospital | $108,024 |
| Dr Ya-Ling Huang | Co-creation of culturally and linguistically diverse patients’ experience measure in the emergency department: CALD ED TREASURE study | Gold Coast University Hospital | $99,998 |
| Dr Robbie King | CARE-PREM – a Community Ambulance REsponse – Patient Reported Experience Measure: a mixed methods development and psychometric evaluation study | QAS/Australian Catholic University | $99,716 |
| A/Prof Peter Snelling | Clinical Assessment of Splint Therapy – Alternative Ways to treat Arm fractures in Youth (CAST-AWAY): a pilot randomised controlled trial | Gold Coast University Hospital | $114,800 |
| Dr Kent Perkins | Sunshine Coast ED Validation of Vertigo Risk Tools | Sunshine Coast University Hospital | $99,833 |
| Ms Ashleigh Barr | Multi-site hYbrid rct of Virtual Reality for pain and distress in Paediatric Emergency DepArtment procedureS: Tertiary, urban and rural evaluation: MY VR in PEADs | Griffith University | $119,337 |
| Ms Elizabeth Doran | Evaluating the perceived and economic value of the RFDS (Queensland Section)’s Medical Chest Service for Regional and Remote Emergency Care | Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section) | $124,911 |
| A/Prof Andrew Staib | Effectiveness of immersive virtual reality (IVADE) in enhancing verbal de-escalation skills of emergency department staff: a mixed methods study | Metro South Health | $99,016 |
| Dr Emma Whyte | Intranasal Dexmedetomidine for paediatric procedural sedation in Emergency Departments (INDEX-ED): A prospective, multisite, observational study | Townsville University Hospital | $98,200 |
| Dr Vinay Gangathimmaiah | Implementation and evaluation of a theory-informed, co-designed, multicomponent, intervention to promote urine culture diagnostic stewardship in a major-referral, emergency department in Queensland | Townsville University Hospital | $67,544 |
