Brilliant minds
Meet our Brilliant Minds: Dr Kate Masterson
Dr Kate Masterson is helping shape the future of paediatric intensive care through her work at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) and The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH), where she combines clinical care with research to improve outcomes for critically ill children.
As a nurse researcher and nursing research lead in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at both MCRI and RCH, Kate plays a key role in advancing evidence-based care while remaining closely connected to patients and families at the bedside.
“I’m a nurse with a PhD, which means I not only care for patients and families but also lead research to improve how that care is delivered,” she explains. “It’s about making sure our work is safe, ethical and shaped in partnership with families.”
Kate’s passion for research grew from more than a decade working in PICU, where she saw firsthand how complex care experiences can affect children, their families and healthcare teams.
Dr Kate Masterson is helping shape the future of paediatric intensive care through her work at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) and The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH), where she combines clinical care with research to improve outcomes...
Dr Kate Masterson is helping shape the future of paediatric intensive care through her work at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) and The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH), where she combines clinical care with research to improve outcomes for critically ill children.
As a nurse researcher and nursing research lead in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at both MCRI and RCH, Kate plays a key role in advancing evidence-based care while remaining closely connected to patients and families at the bedside.
“I’m a nurse with a PhD, which means I not only care for patients and families but also lead research to improve how that care is delivered,” she explains. “It’s about making sure our work is safe, ethical and shaped in partnership with families.”
Kate’s passion for research grew from more than a decade working in PICU, where she saw firsthand how complex care experiences can affect children, their families and healthcare teams.
“I wanted to better understand those experiences and find ways to improve them,” she says. “That includes amplifying the nursing voice and embedding family-centred care into everything we do.”
She completed her PhD in 2024, focusing on the nursing voice in paediatric intensive care. Her research continues to explore the PICU environment, including recent work looking at how factors such as sound levels in PICU can impact both patients and staff.
For Kate, nurse-led research is grounded in the realities of care.
“As nurses, we spend so much time with patients and families, and it’s often those everyday interactions that shape how we think about care,” she explains. “That perspective helps drive meaningful improvements for all patients.”
She is proud that her core nursing values remain central to her work.
“Providing compassionate, high-quality care has always been my focus, and research allows me to extend that impact beyond the bedside,” she says.
Kate is encouraged by the growing number of nurses engaging in research and questioning how care can evolve.
Originally from Ireland, Kate has lived in Melbourne for over 11 years and is also a mum to two young boys.
“Life is busy at work and at home,” she says. “I enjoy baking gluten-free treats with the boys and have recently started making gluten-free sourdough with my rice starter, Rita.”
Looking ahead, Kate hopes more nurses feel empowered to see the impact of their work.
“As we celebrate International Nurses Day, my wish is for nurses to recognise that even the small aspects of care can make a meaningful difference and to feel empowered to take those insights further through research, so we can continue building a stronger evidence base.”
