Shandeigh “Nikki” Berry, Ph.D, RN, CNE

Background

Dr. Shandeigh “Nikki” Berry, PhD, RN, CNE, is an honored and award-winning graduate from Washington State University. She has been teaching in the undergraduate nursing program at Saint Martin’s University since the Fall of 2020 and brings over a decade of experience in operating room, trauma, critical care and palliative nursing.

Dr. Berry’s research in perinatal loss, grief, and bereavement focuses on decreasing the emotional trauma parents experience in the wake of a life-limiting fetal diagnosis. Dr. Berry has been invited to develop multiple continuing education perinatal bereavement courses for leading reproductive loss organizations, including the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nursing (AWHONN), Life Perspectives Institute on Reproductive Loss, and End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC). She has been recognized nationally as a leader in perinatal loss for her distinguished contributions to palliative care education. Dr. Berry is also the founder of Project Poppyseed, a non-profit organization dedicated to breaking the silence of perinatal loss through research, education and advocacy.

Publications

• Berry, S., N., Lazcano, S. (2025). Holistic nursing care for perinatal loss based on Swanson's theory of caring. American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing 50(9), 24-29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/NMC.0000000000001060  
• Berry, S., N., Winsor, T., Huene, L. (2023). A framework for perinatal loss trauma informed care. Journal of Neonatal Nursing. 6(29), 916-921. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnn.2023.08.004
• Berry, S., N. (2022). The Trauma of Perinatal Loss: A Scoping Review. Trauma Care. 2(3), 392-407. https://doi.org/10.3390/traumacare2030032
• Berry, S., N. (2021). Providing Palliative Care to Neonates with Anencephaly in the Home Setting. Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing.
• Grauerholz, K., Berry, S., N., Capuano, R., Early, J. (2021). Uncovering prolonged grief reactions subsequent to a reproductive loss: Implications for the primary care provider. Frontiers Psychology. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.673050
• Berry, S., N., Severtsen, B., Davis, A., Nelson, L., Hutti, M., Oneal, G. (2021). The Impact of Anencephaly on Parents: A Mixed-Methods Study. Death Studies. https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2021.1909669
• Berry, S., N., Mako, T., Oneal, G. (2020). Qualitative Interpretive Meta-Synthesis of Parents’ Experiences of Perinatal Loss. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecological and Neonatal Nursing. 50, 20–29; 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jogn.2020.10.004
• Berry, S., N. (2020). Experiencing anencephaly: A parents’ perspective. Journal of Pain and Symptoms Management, 59(2), 576.
• Berry, S., N., Colorafi, K., (2019). The impact of communication surrounding intrauterine congenital anomaly diagnoses: An integrative review. Journal of Neonatal and Perinatal Nursing, 33(4), 301-311.

Books

• Fredenburg, M., Grauerholz, K., Berry, S., N., Ecret, E. (2023). Caring for families who have previously endured multiple perinatal losses. In Maheshwari, Evidence based neonatology. Elsevier.

Course development

• Reproductive Grief Care for Healthcare Professionals (2023). Life Perspectives Institute on Reproductive Loss. Continuing education course, 2 CEUs.
• Caring for the Family (Person and Family unit), (2021). Association of Women’s Health, Obstetrics & Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN). Continuing education course.
• Postpartum Care and Next Pregnancy (2021). Association of Women’s Health, Obstetrics & Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN). Continuing education course.
• Supporting Parents Following a Life-Limiting Fetal Diagnosis: Guidance for Clinicians (2021). Life Perspectives Institute on Reproductive Loss. Continuing education course, 2 CEUs.

Recognition & awards

• Daisey Faculty Award (2023)
• 2021 ELNEC Excellence Award (2022)
• Karen P. DePauw Leadership Award (2020)
• Washington State University College of Nursing Outstanding PhD Student (2020)
• Western Governor’s University Outstanding Achievement Award (2016)