Dr Nichola Ashby

Dr Nichola Ashby is the Deputy Director of Nursing, Education, Research and Ethics, at the Royal College of Nursing. She strategically leads organisational delivery of the RCN education, learning and development offer, research, International Diaspora and student membership across the UK. Nichola influences through the development of global health policy and representing nursing and nurses from across the entire health and social care provision. She is also an Associate Professor at Nottingham University (hon).

The representation of the nursing voice is essential to embedding nurse leadership across UK health and social care delivery and she represents the RCN 450,000 plus members voices working closely with regulators, Professional Bodies, UK senior stakeholder groups and Governments. Nichola sits on the steering and advisory groups leading care audit and strategic planning, such as the National Clinical Enquiry of Outcome and Clinical Death.

As an active researcher, Nichola’s PhD explored the stigmatising attitudes values and beliefs of healthcare workers towards iatrogenic infections, and she has developed a longitudinal educational model. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She continues to actively support research into student experiences of learning during Covid 19.