Professor Jeanine Young

Professor Jeanine Young AM
School of Nursing and Midwifery and Paramedicine, University of the Sunshine Coast
PhD BSc(Hons-1st class) Nursing Studies RGN RM Neonatal Nurse (ENB 405: Special and Intensive Care of the Newborn)

Professor Jeanine Young is a registered nurse, midwife, and neonatal nurse with over 30 years of experience in neonatal, paediatric, maternal and child health care. Jeanine has a special interest in how infant care practices impact infant mortality, and in particular breastfeeding, parent-infant bed-sharing and shared sleeping practices.

Jeanine’s research has a particular focus on developing innovative, evidence-based, culturally appropriate and practical strategies and educational resources to assist health professionals and community workers in supporting families with young infants to incorporate Safe Sleep recommendations into the care of their baby. A particular focus of interest is the development of individually tailored, community based, wrap around care interventions to address the multiple disadvantages experienced by families with social vulnerabilities who experience the greatest burden of infant mortality.

As Principal Investigator, Jeanine led the first trial of the Australian Pepi-Pod Program in metropolitan, rural and remote Indigenous communities, in collaboration with Change for our Children; and ESCCaPE, the first Australian trial of a postnatal sleep space designed to support breastfeeding and reduce adverse infant events in hospital postnatal settings. Jeanine works in partnership with government, industry, safety and regulatory bodies, and communities in translating evidence into practical parenting advice. Jeanine is a ministerial appointment to the Queensland Child Death Review Board, and Queensland Paediatric Quality Council Infant Mortality Subcommittee.

Jeanine was an inaugural member and Chair (2008-2015) for the Red Nose National Scientific Advisory Group (2004-June 2021). Jeanine was awarded Member of the Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 2020 for her significant contributions to medical research, tertiary education and nursing.