Dr Karen Whitfield

Biography

Dr Karen Whitfield is a Honorary Fellow within the School of Pharmacy and currently works at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital as Team Leader for the Pharmacy Women’s and Newborn Team. Karen completed a Bachelor of Pharmacy at Leicester UK in 1988 and pursued a career in hospital pharmacy. Karen has worked at a number of different hospital including Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester General Infirmary, North Staffordshire Hospital Trust (Surgical and Paediatric Directorate Pharmacist), The Townsville Hospital, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (Assistant Director). She has also held a number of teaching positions including Teacher Practitioner with Medicines Services Queensland. Her specialist interests include paediatrics and neonatology She completed a Diploma in Hospital Pharmacy (1991), Masters in Clinical Pharmacy (1996) and completed her PhD at Aston University in 2002 under the supervision of Dr John Marriott and Dr Keith Wilson at the Birmingham Children’s Hospital UK, investigating sedatives in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit. Karen has presented work Nationally and Internationally at several Seminars and Conferences including, Life Long Learning for Pharmacists Conference (Croatia 2016), Neonatal and Paediatric Pharmacists Conference UK 2015), Society of Obstetric Medicine Australia and New Zealand (Melbourne 2015), Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand (Perth 2014) SHPA (Darwin 2014), American Society of Health System Pharmacists (California 2010), Pharmacy Education Symposium Italy (2009), British Pharmacological Society Conference (London 2002).

Research Interest

Medication optimisation in neonates Medication use in pregnancy and breast feeding Research in to the impact of leadership training and coaching