HANNAH ELIZABETH STAPLETON
Daisy Hill,Queensland
Summary
Clinical nurse with a background in paediatric intensive care, retrieval transport, and extracorporeal life support. Provides family-centred care for critically ill children across cardiac, neurological, respiratory, burns, oncology, and trauma presentations, while supporting colleagues through preceptorship, education, and multidisciplinary teamwork.
Overview
28
28
years of professional experience
Work History
CLINICAL NURSE
Gold Coast University Hospital
11.2019 - Current
- Apply advanced clinical assessment, monitoring and critical care skills within a high-acuity environment.
- Provide specialist critical care nursing within a tertiary paediatric critical care environment.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary team to provide comprehensive care for critically ill children and support their families.
- Mentored colleagues and facilitated education and development initiatives for nursing staff.
- Delivered specialized nursing in children’s critical care unit
CLINICAL NURSE
Queensland Children’s Hospital
06.2015 - Current
- Senior clinical nursing role within a tertiary paediatric intensive care environment caring for critically ill children with complex medical and surgical conditions.
- Key achievements and responsibilities:
- Provide specialist nursing care to critically ill children across cardiac, neurological, respiratory, burns, oncology and trauma presentations.
- Work autonomously and collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams to deliver safe, evidence-based and family-centred care.
- Provided physical and psychological support to critically ill children and their families during PICU admissions, enhancing patient and family experiences.
- Retrieved critically ill children from rural and peripheral health facilities in Queensland and New South Wales.
- Work collaboratively with Retrieval Services Queensland, LifeFlight, RFDS, Queensland Ambulance Service and referring hospital teams during critical care retrievals.
- Provide specialist ECLS care, including participation in ECLS retrievals.
- Undertake Team Leader responsibilities, coordinating care and collaborating with multidisciplinary teams.
- Act as a Clinical Support Nurse, providing guidance and support to new and existing staff.
- Precept and mentor new staff, graduate nurses and students.
- Recognized clinical deterioration and initiated timely interventions and modifications to patient care plans, improving patient outcomes and safety.
- Maintain high standards of infection prevention, medication safety, documentation, confidentiality and clinical governance.
- Contribute to ongoing professional development, education and evidence-based practice.
- Paediatric Intensive Care Unit
CLINICAL NURSE
Queensland Children’s Hospital
02.2015 - 10.2015
- Supported children and families with complex clinical care needs, fostering improved health outcomes.
- Worked collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams to coordinate safe and effective patient management.
- Provided specialist nursing care within CATCH service, enhancing quality of life for patients.
- Delivered specialized support within CATCH service, ensuring effective management of patient care.
REGISTERED NURSE
Royal Children’s Hospital
Brisbane
06.2013 - 11.2014
- Provided specialist nursing care to critically ill children within a tertiary PICU.
- Coordinated care for patients with cardiac, neurological, respiratory, burns, oncology, and trauma needs, ensuring comprehensive treatment.
- Executed critical care retrievals from regional and rural health facilities, enhancing access to specialized care.
- Guided patients and families through critical illness and intensive care, ensuring emotional and clinical support.
- Worked autonomously and collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams.
- Worked with retrieval and emergency services including RSQ, CareFlight, RFDS and QAS.
- Supported staff through mentoring and evidence-based clinical practice.
- Provided specialized services in paediatric intensive care unit
REGISTERED NURSE / ACTING CLINICAL NURSE
Mater Children’s Hospital
05.2010 - 08.2014
- Delivered specialist paediatric intensive care nursing to optimize patient outcomes.
- Provided care to critically ill children and worked closely with multidisciplinary teams.
- Undertook Acting Clinical Nurse responsibilities, enhancing clinical coordination and supporting staff effectiveness.
- Facilitated education and mentoring of nursing staff, promoting professional development and skill enhancement.
- Worked in paediatric intensive care unit providing critical support.
CASUAL FLIGHT NURSE — ADULT & PAEDIATRIC
Life Flight New Zealand
09.2005 - 01.2011
- Executed aeromedical retrieval and transport of critically ill patients, enhancing safety and efficiency of critical care delivery.
- Delivered specialist flight nursing care for adult and paediatric patients, ensuring optimal health outcomes during transport.
- Utilized advanced assessment, stabilisation and transport nursing skills in challenging environments to maintain patient stability and support rapid interventions.
RESEARCH NURSE
Starship Children’s Hospital
, New Zealand
01.2010 - 10.2010
- Contributed to paediatric intensive care research projects.
- Assisted in research activities in tertiary paediatric critical care setting.
- Provided patient care in paediatric intensive care unit.
HOME CARE NURSE
Children with Ventilated Complex Needs
06.2006 - 05.2010
- Managed ventilator care for children with complex respiratory needs.
- Delivered specialised nursing care to children with complex health needs requiring ventilation, ensuring safety and comfort.
- Monitored vital signs and recognized changes in child health status.
- Administered medications and treatments following care plans.
- Facilitated support for children and families in community and home settings, enhancing their overall well-being.
SAFETY SURVEILLANCE NURSE
Starship Children’s Hospital
06.2004 - 12.2005
- Monitored and conducted clinical follow-up for paediatric population, enhancing patient care and safety.
- Performed safety surveillance for MenzB immunisation programme, ensuring adherence to safety protocols.
- Facilitated achievement of MenzB immunisation programme objectives through active support and engagement.
STAFF NURSE
Sheffield Children’s Hospital
, UK
01.1999 - 01.2002
- Administered specialized nursing care in paediatric intensive care unit, supporting recovery and family communication during challenging situations.
- Delivered nursing care to critically ill children in paediatric intensive care unit, ensuring safety and comfort during critical interventions.
- Delivered paediatric nursing care across Sheffield Children’s Hospital wards and clinics.
- Assessed children’s observations, pain, and clinical needs during shifts.
- Administered prescribed medications and monitored treatment responses.
Education
Graduate Certificate - Health Service Management (S&Q)
University of Tasmania
TAS01-2022
Masters - Infectious Diseases Intelligence
University of New South Wales
Sydney, NSW01-2020
Masters - Public Health and Retrieval Medicine
James Cook University
QLD01-2018
Certificate IV - Training and Assessment
01-2016
Masters - Nursing (Child and Family)
Massey University
Auckland, NZ01-2009
Training Course - New Zealand Flight Nurse Course
NZFNA
Auckland, NZ01-2004
ENB 998 Diploma - Teaching and Assessment
Sheffield University
UK01-2002
ENB 415 Diploma - Acute and Critical Care of the Child
Sheffield University
UK01-2002
Bachelor of Nursing Studies (Honours) -
Sheffield Hallam University
UK01-1999
Skills
- Paediatric Intensive Care Nursing
- Extracorporeal Life Support (ECLS)
- Critical Care Retrieval & Transport
- Cardiac, Neurological & Respiratory Critical Care
- Paediatric Burns, Oncology & Trauma
- Complex Paediatric Nursing
- Clinical Assessment & Deterioration Recognition
- Infection Prevention & Medication Safety
- Evidence-Based Practice
- Clinical Documentation & Governance
- Aeromedical & Retrieval Nursing
- Clinical Leadership & Team Coordination
- Staff Education, Preceptorship & Mentoring
- Multidisciplinary Team Practice
- Multidisciplinary collaboration
- Family-Centred Care
- Family support
- ECLS specialist
- Retrieval medicine
- Clinical leadership
- Staff education
- International paediatric care
Personal Information
Title: Clinical Nurse | Paediatric Intensive Care | Retrieval & Transport | ECLS
INTERNATIONAL & VOLUNTEER CLINICAL EXPERIENCE
- OPEN HEART INTERNATIONAL, PICU NURSE, Present, Volunteer paediatric intensive care nursing with international medical missions, including recent trips to Papua New Guinea and Tanzania.
- NOVICK CARDIAC ALLIANCE, PICU NURSE, Present, Volunteer paediatric intensive care nursing with recent medical missions to Iraq and Libya.
- BABYHEART / ICHF, PICU NURSE, 2010, 2015, Participated in multiple international medical missions to Iraq, Russia, Macedonia and Ecuador.
Affiliations
- Current AHPRA Registration
- Queensland Nurses and Midwives' Union (QNMU)
PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS & TRAINING
- APLS Recertification — 2024
- HUET and EBS — LifeFlight, 2022
- ACN Immunisation for Health Care Practitioners — 2021
- Paediatric Basic Course — 2020
- Beyond Basics Neuro-Critical Care Course — 2019
- APLS — 2018
- HUET and EBS Training — 2018
- WFPICCS Singapore — 2018
- DFTB Conference — 2018
- CALS Course — 2018
- APELSO — 2017
- SMACC Conference — 2016
- Aeromedical Conference, Darwin — 2015
- Fire Warden Training, LCCH — 2015
- ECMO Specialist Course — 2014
- Nitric Oxide Study Day — 2013
- Organ Donation Study Update — 2013
- Team Leader Study Day — 2013
- APICS Course — 2011
- Multiple paediatric intensive care, transport and education updates
- Annual transport and aeromedical updates
- ACLS Course — 2005
- HUETS Underwater Training — 2005
- NZFNA Flight Nursing Course — 2004
Timeline
CLINICAL NURSE
Gold Coast University Hospital
11.2019 - Current
CLINICAL NURSE
Queensland Children’s Hospital
06.2015 - Current
CLINICAL NURSE
Queensland Children’s Hospital
02.2015 - 10.2015
REGISTERED NURSE
Royal Children’s Hospital
06.2013 - 11.2014
REGISTERED NURSE / ACTING CLINICAL NURSE
Mater Children’s Hospital
05.2010 - 08.2014
RESEARCH NURSE
Starship Children’s Hospital
01.2010 - 10.2010
HOME CARE NURSE
Children with Ventilated Complex Needs
06.2006 - 05.2010
CASUAL FLIGHT NURSE — ADULT & PAEDIATRIC
Life Flight New Zealand
09.2005 - 01.2011
SAFETY SURVEILLANCE NURSE
Starship Children’s Hospital
06.2004 - 12.2005
STAFF NURSE
Sheffield Children’s Hospital
01.1999 - 01.2002
Graduate Certificate - Health Service Management (S&Q)
University of Tasmania
Masters - Infectious Diseases Intelligence
University of New South Wales
Masters - Public Health and Retrieval Medicine
James Cook University
Certificate IV - Training and Assessment
Masters - Nursing (Child and Family)
Massey University
Training Course - New Zealand Flight Nurse Course
NZFNA
ENB 998 Diploma - Teaching and Assessment
Sheffield University
ENB 415 Diploma - Acute and Critical Care of the Child
Sheffield University
Bachelor of Nursing Studies (Honours) -
Sheffield Hallam University