As a nurse she is the lead within the school for Critical Care and Major Trauma. She undertook her PhD at the University of Birmingham and looked at stigma and iatrogenic disease, focusing on healthcare workers attitudes and values towards others within the profession. Further research undertaken is qualitative work on sepsis management, critical care, trauma coordinators doctoral journeys for women and pressure area care within critical care. Her research interests are the perceptions , values and attitudes of healthcare workers towards sepsis and infection. She works actively within national policy development for critical care and major trauma and is a clinical expert for the National Institute of clinical Excellence. Dr Ashby also is a steering group committee member for the Royal College of Nursing Critical Care and In flight Nursing.