Karen Walker

Clinical Professor Karen Walker is affiliated with the Sydney Nursing School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney. She joined the Reproduction and Perinatal Centre leadership in 2023 and serves as President of the Council of International Neonatal Nurses.

• Clinical Nurse Consultant at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
• Nurse Advisor for Kokoda Track Foundation (Western Papua New Guinea)

Research Interests: Dr. Walker specializes in global maternal and neonatal health outcomes, with a focus on neurodevelopmental consequences of early-life surgery. Her work spans clinical trials, epidemiology, and developmental biology.

Publications: Recent articles address core outcome sets for neonatal encephalopathy, thermoregulation in preterm infants, and perinatal stroke risk factors. Her 2024 studies emphasize standardized research metrics and parental involvement in NICUs.

Scientific Recognition:

• Led 2016 Continence Foundation pilot study
• Key member of WHO committees and global neonatal research collaborations

Education & Supervision: A PhD graduate from the University of Sydney (2011), she supervises higher-degree nursing students and contributes to curriculum development through COINN neonatal nurse competencies.