JCU > Research Portfolio > Dr Karen Yates

About

Dr Karen Yates is a registered nurse and registered midwife, with a strong interest and background in midwifery clinical care, education and maternity service provision.

Dr Yates has worked in both private and public clinical settings and in both regional and rural facilities. Karen has worked for James Cook University on a sessional basis since 2000 and commenced a permanent position as Lecturer in 2012. Research interests include new graduate nurse and midwife workforce, rural health, maternity models of care and technology in learning and teaching

Current roles include:

Deputy Director, WHO Collaborating Centre for Nursing & Midwifery Education and Research Capacity Building

Senior Lecturer Nursing & Midwifery

Teaching

NS2220: Specialisation Project (Level 2; TSV)
NS5134: Challenges to Pregnancy, Birth and Postnatal Continuum (Level 5; TSV)
NS5201: Research Design: Theory and Application (Level 5; TSV)

Interests

Professional

Member Australian College of Midwives
Member Australian College of Nursing

Research

Qualitative methodologies. Maternity service provision and midwifery workforce. Rural midwifery and nursing. Health workforce. Technology in teaching and learning

Experience

2015 to present - Senior Lecturer, James Cook University (Cairns)
2014 to present - Deputy Director, WHO Collaborating Centre, James Cook University (Cairns, Qld)
2016 to 2021 - Associate Dean Research Education, College of Healthcare Sciences, James Cook University (Cairns)
2014 to 2018 - Deputy Academic Head Nursing & Midwifery, James Cook University (Cairns, Qld)
2012 to 2014 - Lecturer, James Cook University (Cairns)
2009 to 2011 - Nursing & Midwifery Director, Cairns Base Hospital (Cairns)
2006 to 2009 - Regional Maternity Services Coordinator, Cairns Base Hospital (Cairns)
1999 to 2006 - Clinical Midwife, Cairns Base Hospital (Cairns)

Research Disciplines

Socio-Economic Objectives

Publications

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles

Harerimana A, Wicking K, Biedermann N and Yates K (2022) Nursing informatics in undergraduate nursing education in Australia prior to COVID-19: a scoping review. Collegian, 29 (4). pp. 527-539
McElroy M, Wicking K, Harvey N and Yates K (2022) What challenges and enablers elicit job satisfaction in rural and remote nursing in Australia: An Integrative review. Nurse Education in Practice, 64.
Harerimana A, Wicking K, Biedermann N and Yates K (2021) Integrating nursing informatics into undergraduate nursing education in Africa: a scoping review. International Nursing Review, 68 (3). pp. 420-433
Hutchinson M, Doran F, Brown J, Douglas T, East L, Irwin P, Mainey L, Saunders A, Sweet L, Van De Mortel T and Yates K (2020) A cross-sectional study of domestic violence instruction in nursing and midwifery programs: out of step with community and student expectations. Nurse Education Today, 84.
Ramsay A, Wicking K and Yates K (2020) In what ways does online teaching create a positive attitude towards research in nursing students studying a first year evidence-based practice undergraduate subject online? Nurse Education in Practice, 44.
Yates K, Birks M, Coxhead H and Zhao L (2020) Double degree destinations: nursing or midwifery. Collegian, 27 (1). pp. 135-40
Doran F, Hutchinson M, Brown J, East L, Irwin P, Mainey L, Mather C, Miller A, van de Mortel T, Sweet L and Yates K (2019) Australian nursing and midwifery student beliefs and attitudes about domestic violence: a multi-site, cross-sectional study. Nurse Education in Practice, 40.
Hurren S and Yates K (2019) At what point can I lift things? Women's satisfaction with lymphoedema prevention information after breast cancer surgery. Collegian, 26 (3). pp. 335-340
Edwards S, Birks M, Chapman Y and Yates K (2018) Bringing together the 'Threads of Care' in possible miscarriage for women, their partners and nurses in non-metropolitan EDs. Collegian, 25 (3). pp. 293-301
Usher K, Woods C, Brown J, Power T, Lea J, Hutchinson M, Mather C, Miller A, Saunders A, Mills J, Zhao L, Yates K, Bodak M, Southern J and Jackson D (2018) Australian nursing students' knowledge and attitudes towards pressure injury prevention: a cross-sectional study. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 81. pp. 14-20
Edwards S, Birks M, Chapman Y and Yates K (2016) Miscarriage in Australia: the geographical inequity of healthcare services. Australasian Emergency Nursing Journal, 19 (2). pp. 106-111
Mills J, Chamberlain-Salaun J, Harrison H, Yates K and O'Shea A (2016) Retaining early career registered nurses: a case study. BMC Nursing, 15. pp. 1-6

More: ResearchOnline@JCU stores 28+ research outputs authored by Dr Karen Yates from 2011 onwards.

Current Funding

Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.

Tropical Australian Academic Health Centre Limited - Research Assistance Scheme

Application, evaluation and validation of the Nutrition Education and Screening Tool in Mookai Rosie Bi Bayan; nutrition profiles, their determinants, and associations with birth outcomes.

Indicative Funding: $20,000 over 1 year
Summary: This study takes a participatory action approach to inquiry using mixed traditional/weste rn and quantitative/qualitative methods. To understand the determinants of nutrition-rel ated health outcomes of pregnant Australian Aboriginal women and babies, we must not only be able to empirically measure their dietary intake but seek to understand the motives underlying their dietary decision-making and the cultural factors that influence their dietary decision-making. We aim to determine these factors using a novel digital Nutrition Education and Screening Tool (NEST) and yarning circles.
Investigators: Janelle James-McAlpine, Ian Wright and Karen Yates (College of Medicine & Dentistry and College of Healthcare Sciences)
Keywords: Nutrition; Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islanders; Child health

Australian Health Research Alliance - Women's Health Research Translation Network (WHRTN)

The Far North Queensland My Body, My Baby Project.

Indicative Funding: $15,000 over 2 years
Summary: This project examines nutrition, its determinants and associations with birth outcomes in pregnant First People of Far North Queensland (FNQ) using the Maternal Outcomes and Nutrition Tool (MONT). Successfully piloted in South-East Queensland, the MONT offers a digital data collection tool suitable for use in culturally and linguistically diverse and low-literacy populations. In conducting this research, we aim to establish the nutrition and supplementation patterns exhibited by FNQ?s pregnant First People, identify those at risk of nutrition-related adverse outcomes, inform the development of primary health strategies to mitigate their risk and validate the MONT for use in pregnant First People.
Investigators: Janelle James-McAlpine, Ian Wright and Karen Yates in collaboration with Anthony Perkins and Theresa Simpson (College of Medicine & Dentistry, College of Healthcare Sciences, Griffith University and Mookai-Rosie Bi Bayan)
Keywords: Pregnancy; Nutrition; Birth outcomes; Health Literacy

Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation - Research Grant

The Far North Queensland My Body, My Baby Project.

Indicative Funding: $10,000 over 1 year
Summary: This project examines nutrition, its determinants and associations with birth outcomes in pregnant First People of Far North Queensland (FNQ) using the Maternal Outcomes and Nutrition Tool (MONT). Successfully piloted in South-East Queensland, the MONT offers a digital data collection tool suitable for use in culturally and linguistically diverse and low-literacy populations. In conducting this research, we aim to establish the nutrition and supplementation patterns exhibited by FNQ?s pregnant First People, identify those at risk of nutrition-related adverse outcomes, inform the development of primary health strategies to mitigate their risk and validate the MONT for use in pregnant First People.
Investigators: Janelle James-McAlpine, Ian Wright, Karen Yates and Theresa Simpson in collaboration with Anthony Perkins (College of Medicine & Dentistry, College of Healthcare Sciences, Griffith University and Mookai-Rosie Bi Bayan)
Keywords: Pregnancy; Nutrition; Birth Outcomes; Health Literacy

Queensland Health - Nursing and Midwifery Research Fellowship

Developing a consumer influenced model of accessibility to maternity services

Indicative Funding: $119,190 over 3 years
Summary: This project aims to develop a consumer influenced model of accessibility to maternity services utilising geographic information systems and consumer survey data. The model will include the physical accessibility of services, service availability, and the acceptability of the service to the population. This project will modify an existing spatial model that determines accessibility based on physical accessibility and service availability using consumer survey data that will reflect the acceptability of service. The model will be applied to Far North Queensland, an area with a high Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population and many rural and remote localities.
Investigators: Karen Yates, Caryn West, Geoffrey Clark and Catherine Smith in collaboration with Christopher Rouen (College of Healthcare Sciences and Cairns & Hinterland Hospital & Health Service)
Keywords: Maternity Services; Geographic Information System; Healthcare accessibility; Rural And Remote Health; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders

Queensland health - Contract Research

Nurses and Midwives (Queensland Health and Department of Education) Certified Agreement (EB10) 2018 (Nurses and Midwives EB10): Midwifery research.

Indicative Funding: $73,294 over 1 year
Summary: A multi-method descriptive exploratory project that aims to define the role and scope of contemporary midwifery practice in Queensland and describe the domains of midwifery practice and the descriptors of each domain. The project includes three phases:1) an integrative review of the literature; 2) interviews and focus groups with midwives; and 3) a Delphi study.
Investigators: Cate Nagle, Karen Yates and Marie McAuliffe in collaboration with Lesley Brown and Misha Byrne (College of Healthcare Sciences, Townsville Hospital and Health Services and Strategic Momentum Group)
Keywords: Midwifery Practice; Standards of Practice; Scope of Practice; Queensland Health; Practice setting; Delphi Study

Supervision

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or Secondary Advisor.

These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Current

A Phenomenological Study; Women's experience of Pregnancy and or Birthing at the time of a Breast Cancer diagnosis in Australia (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
Analysing the integration of nursing informatics into undergraduate nursing curricula: A holistic multiple case study (PhD , Advisor Mentor)
Birthing in Remote Queensland: A case study approach Investigating the Experiences of Registered Nurses (PhD , Advisor Mentor)
How is Health Information Technology changing Nurses' Social Practices when Caring for Patients? (PhD , Advisor Mentor)

Completed

Moral reasoning, death and the clinic: the ethics of end-of-life decisions (2019, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
Bringing Together the `Threads of Care? in Possible Miscarriage for Women, Their Partners and Nurses in Non-Metropolitan Emergency Departments (2017, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
Outcomes and impact of an ICU admission for severe maternal complications during pregnancy or birth: a case study (2017, PhD , Primary Advisor)

Collaboration

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.