Dr Kate Cantwell

Dr Kate Cantwell is an Intensive Care Paramedic with over 20 years’ experience from Melbourne, Australia. In addition to her on-road position she serves on the Medical Advisory Committee for Ambulance Victoria.
Her academic interest is in pre-hospital epidemiology. She has a Master’s degree in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from the University of Melbourne and a PhD in the epidemiology of ambulance demand through Monash University.
Kate is also the Chair of the Scientific Committee for Paramedics Australasia which, through its annual conference, aims to promote a research culture among paramedics.
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, Monash University 2015
- Post Graduate Diploma in Emergency Health, Monash University 2005
- Graduate Certificate in Intensive Care Paramedicine,
Victoria University 2003
- Master of Epidemiology , University of Melbourne 2001-2002
- Certificate of Advanced Life Support, Victoria University, 2002
- Post Graduate Diploma in Public Health, University of Melbourne 1999-2000
- Bachelor of Agricultural Science, University of Melbourne 1988-1991
Papers published
1. Cantwell K, Burgess S, Morgans A, Smith K, Livingston M, Dietze P. Temporal trends in falls cases seen by EMS in Melbourne: the effect of residence on time of day, day of week patterns. Injury. In press.
2. Cantwell K, Morgans A, Smith K, Livingston M, Dietze P. Temporal trends in cardiovascular demand in EMS: weekday versus weekend differences. Chronobiology International 2015;32(6).
3. Cantwell K, Morgans A, Smith K, Livingston M, Spelman T, Dietze P. Time of day and day of week trends in EMS demand. Prehosp Emerg Care 2015. ePub 9 Feb 2015
4. Bray J, Bernard S, Cantwell K, Stephenson M, Smith K. The association between systolic blood pressure on arrival at hospital and outcome in adults surviving from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests of presumed cardiac aetiology. Resuscitation 2014;85:509-15.
5. Cantwell K, Morgans A, Smith K, Livingston M, Dietze P. Improving the coding and classification of ambulance data through the application of International Classification of Disease 10th revision. Aust Health Rev. 2014;38(1):70-9.
6. Cantwell K, Burgess S, Patrick I, Niggemeyer L, Fitzgerald M, Cameron P, et al. Improvement in the prehospital recognition of tension pneumothorax: the effect of a change to paramedic guidelines and education. Injury. 2014;45:71-6.
7. Smith G, Dyson K, Taylor D, Morgans A, Cantwell K. Effectiveness of the valsalva manoeuvre for the reversion of supraventricular tachycardia (Review). The Cochrane Library. 2013(3).
8.Cantwell K, Dietze P, Morgans A, Smith K. Ambulance Demand: Random
events or predictable patterns. Emerg Med J. Published Online First 26 November 2012. doi:10.1136/emermed-2012-201852
9.Nielsen S, Dietze P, Cantwell K, Lee N, Taylor D. Methadone and
Buprenorphine related ambulance attendances in Metropolitan Melbourne,
Australia: Incidence and case characteristics. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment. 2008;35(4):457-61.
10.Cantwell K, Dietze P, Flander L. The relationship between naloxone dose and
key patient variables in the treatment of non-fatal heroin overdose in the prehospital setting. Resusciation. 2005;65:315-9.
11.Dietze P, Jolley D, Cvetkovski S, Cantwell K, Jacobs I, Indig D. Characteristics
of non-fatal opioid overdoses attended by ambulance services in Australia. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health. 2004;28:569-75.
12. Dietze P, Cantwell K, Burgess S. Bystander resuscitation attempts are heroin
overdose: does it improve outcomes? Drug and Alcohol Dependance. 2002(67):213-8.
Book Chapter
Burgess S, Cantwell K. Evidence based paramedic practice. In: O'Meara P, Grbich C, editors. Paramedics in Australia: contemporary challenges of practice. Sydney: Pearson Education Australia; 2009.
Conference presentations
- European EMS 2016 Conference, Invited Speaker
- Council of Ambulance Authorities, Presenting Author, Melbourne Australia 2015
- Paramedics Australasia International Conference, Scientific Convenor Adelaide Australia 2015
- EMS 999 Research Forum, Presenting Author Nottingham, United Kingdom, 2015
- Paramedics Australasia Conference, Presenting Author Gold Coast Australia 2014
- Council of Ambulance Authorities, Poster Presentation Darwin 2014
- International Conference of Emergency Medicine, Poster Presentation Hong Kong 2014
- Health Services Research Association, Australian and New Zealand Conference, Presenting Author Wellington 2013
- Paramedics Australasia Conference, Presenting Author Canberra Australia 2013
- Paramedics Australasia Conference, Presenting Author Hobart Australia, 2012
- Paramedics Australasia Conference, Presenting Author Perth Australia, 2010
- Australian College of Ambulance Professionals National Conference, Presenting Author Australia, 2008
- St John Ambulance (Australia) National Conference, Presenting Author, Melbourne Australia, 2005
- Australian College of Ambulance Professionals National Conference, Australia, 2003
- Australian College of Ambulance Professionals National Conference, Australia, 2002
- International Conference on the Reduction of Drug Related Harm, Presenting Author, India, 2001
- Australian College of Ambulance Professionals National Conference, Presenting Author Australia, 2001
- Australian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs, Presenting Author Australia, 2000
Grants and Awards
- Miller Foundation Public Health Travel Award 2014
- NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship 2014
- APA Postgraduate Scholarship 2014
- Victorian Trauma Foundation grant for $35,000 to investigate the pre-hospital management of tension pneumothorax using VSTORM data
- Australian Prehospital Emergency Health Research Forum Prize for Best Post-Graduate Conference Paper September 2014
- Australian Prehospital Emergency Health Research Forum Prize for Best Conference Paper, October 2010