Dr Zena Aldridge

NIHR Nursing and Midwifery Office Associate Director for Social Care Nursing and Independent dementia nurse consultant, NIHR Nursing and Midwifery Office

Zena is a clinical academic whose career in health and social care has spanned across four decades, initially in domiciliary care and then as a nursing auxiliary in acute and community settings, before undertaking her mental health nurse training.

Zena completed a Master’s degree in Mental Health in 2013 and a PhD in Nursing Studies in 2022 with a thesis titled: Relationships, morality and emotion: their impact and influence on nursing home staff decision-making when a resident with advanced dementia deteriorates.

Zena's specialist interests include the care of older people, dementia care, palliative and end of life care, continence management, case management, biopsychosocial care, social care nursing as well service integration and quality improvement. Zena is a published author of multiple journal articles and contributor to three books.

Given her various areas of interest, skills and experience Zena retains a portfolio of clinical, research and leadership activities at regional and national level.