Zena is a registered nurse, who holds a PhD, a FFNMRCSI, an MSc in Wound Healing & Tissue Repair, an MSc in Leadership in Education, a PGDip in Wound Healing & Tissue Repair, and a Diploma in Management.

Zena is the Chair in Nursing at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), University of Medicine and Health Sciences, is Head of the School of Nursing & Midwifery and Director of the Skin Wounds, and Trauma (SWaT) Research Centre at RCSI.

Zena’s area of research interest is Wound Healing & Tissue Repair, and she has published over 300 articles, guidelines, consensus documents and book chapters in this field.

In 2022 Zena received a lifetime achievement award from the World Union of Wound Healing Societies in recognition of her contribution to this field of research and practice.

Zena is chair of the European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, International Guideline Governance Group and is also a Past President of the European Wound Management Association. Zena is an Adjunct Professor, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia, a Visiting Professor at Ulster University, an Honorary Visiting Professor, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, a Professor at the Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, an Honorary Professor, Lida Institute, Shanghai, China and an Adjunct Professor, Department of Nursing, Fakeeh College for Medical Sciences, Jeddah, KSA.