Research and Innovation

School of Health and Society

Optimising outcomes in acute and critical illness

This programme of research led by Dr Lyvonne Tume is centred around improving processes and outcomes in acute and critically ill children, and more specifically around optimising nutrition during and after critical illness. The research also investigates care practices such as endotracheal suctioning, non-medical weaning of mechanical ventilation, trial design in critical care and scores and systems that predict deterioration in children attending the emergency department and in hospitalised children and make hospital systems safer (Tume). Enhanced neonatal care transport of preterm neonates and end of life care (Professor Tony Long); improving decision-making about the need for admission or the safety of discharge in emergency departments, and ameliorating parental experiences after sudden unexpected death of a child (Professors Rowland and Long) add to this. Exploring novel means of supporting self-harming young people in psychiatric intensive care units is the final aspect of this theme (Celeste Foster).

Click below to view our different research projects:

Gastric residual volume measurement in mechanically ventilated Infants


Sedation and weaning in children: the SANDWICH trial



The effect of speed and road conditions on the physiological stability of sick and preterm babies undergoing inter-hospital transfer by ambulance
The PAGE study






First ABC Study






 A prospective observational study to explore the relationships between nutrition, protein intake and muscle mass loss during and after Pediatric Intensive care: the TRANSPIRE Study
PUMA – Paediatric early warning system (PEWS): Utilisation and Mortality Avoidance