Debbie Long

Dr. Debbie Long is a Professor in the School of Nursing at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), specializing in paediatric intensive care nursing. She holds senior roles in the PICU at the Royal Children’s Hospital and Queensland Children’s Hospital since 2004. Her research focuses on improving outcomes for PICU survivors, particularly addressing post-intensive care syndrome (PICS-p) and long-term follow-up care. She has led studies on sedation, delirium management, and post-traumatic stress in children.

Education:

• Bachelor of Nursing
• Master of Nursing (Critical Care)
• Doctor of Philosophy (Nursing, Griffith University, 2012)

Research Interests: Her work prioritizes patient-centered care models, early intervention for neurodevelopmental impairments, and optimizing post-discharge support for paediatric ICU survivors. She has pioneered initiatives like the PICU Liberation program and the Paediatric AirWay Suction (PAWS) guidelines.

Awards:

• Churchill Fellowship (2018)
• 20+ awards for research excellence in paediatric critical care (2003–2018)

Grants & Leadership: Secured over $11M in grants for projects such as the RESPOND trial (vitamin C in septic shock) and PICU follow-up models. She chairs national/international research networks, including the ANZICS Paediatric Study Group.

Labs/Teams: Leads the QUT Healthcare Transformation Centre’s PICU survivorship research. Collaborates with global teams on neurodevelopmental outcomes and delirium monitoring in children.