Samantha Bernstein, PhD, RNC-OB, IBCLC, FAWHONN

Dr. Bernstein holds a BA (Anthropology) from University of Colorado, BSN from Simmons College, MA (American Studies) from Fairfield University, MSN from University of New Hampshire, and PhD in Nursing Science from the Medical University of South Carolina. Dr. Bernstein’s current national research project is funded by the Association for Women’s Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) and examines nurses’ use of workarounds in birth settings. She serves on the Editorial Board of MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing and is a reviewer for Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing and Nursing for Women’s Health.

Dr. Bernstein has experience in labor & delivery and postpartum inpatient settings in both rural and tertiary care hospitals. She is certified in inpatient obstetrics, is an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant, Certified Nurse Educator, and Clinical Nurse Leader. She was inducted as a Fellow of AWHONN in 2025.

Dr. Bernstein’s research interests center around obstetric patient safety and how systems level factors affect nurses’ care of obstetric patients. She founded the Human Factors in Nursing lab in 2024 and has received both intramural and extramural funding. She particularly enjoys interdisciplinary research and frequently publishes with systems engineers, physicians, and midwives. Dr. Bernstein is especially excited to include students on future projects.

Peer-reviewed articles (*data based, ^students/residents as co-authors)

1. *^Bernstein, S.L., O’Brien, L.M., Connors, C. (2025, published online ahead of print). Human factors evaluation of the use of workarounds among obstetric nurses. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing. doi: 1016/j.jogn.2025.07.004 
2. Erickson, E., Barcelona, V., Turchioe, M.R., Bernstein, S.L., Dreisbach, C. (2025). Application of predictive analytics in pregnancy, birth, and postpartum nursing care. MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 50(2), 66-77, March/April. doi:10.1097/NMC.0000000000001082.
3. ^Bernstein, S.L., Bell, J.G., Broadhurst, R (2025). Huddles in hospital maternity settings: A scoping review. MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 50(2), 92-98, March/April. doi:10.1097/NMC.0000000000001077.
4. ^Penner, S.B., Mercado, N., Bernstein, S.L., Erickson, E., DuBois, M.A., Dreisbach. C. (2025). Fostering informed consent in obstetric nursing with the advancement of artificial intelligence. MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 50(2), 78-85, March/April. doi:10.1097/NMC.00000000000001083.
5. *^Bernstein, S.L., Novy, E., Kittredge, M, Hill, R.R. (2024). Assessment of breastfeeding and human lactation content in accredited nurse practitioner programs. Journal of Nurse Practitioners, 20(6). doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2024.105018.
6. Mack, A., O’Donnell, M., Henning, A., Bernstein, S.L. (2024). Development of a hospital-academic collaboration to implement an interprofessional telehealth breastfeeding support group to meet community needs and student clinical needs. Journal of Interprofessional Care,38(1),172-175.doi:1080/13561820.2023.2240851
7. *^Samost-Williams, A., Bernstein, S.L., (Co-first authors), Thomas, A.T., Piersa, A.P., Hawkins, J.E., Pian-Smith, M.C. (2024). A qualitative study of the work systems and culture around end-of-day intraoperative anesthesia handoffs in a tertiary care center. Anesthesia and Analgesia. 139(5):1056-1063. doi:10.1213/ANE. 0000000000006751
8. *^Bernstein, S.L., Piccioli, M.E., Grills, E.C., Catchpole, K. (2023). A qualitative study of system level factors that impact rural obstetric nurses’ work in clinical emergencies. Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety. doi:10.1016/j/jcjq.2023.12.002.
9. ^Cox, R., Bernstein, S.L., Roy, K. (2023). A guide to application of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles for prelicensure nursing education. Journal of Professional Nursing, 46, May/June,146-154. doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2023.03.002
10. *Bernstein, S.L., Catchpole, K., Kelechi, T.J, & Nemeth, L.S. (2022). Systems level factors affecting registered nurses during care of women in labor experiencing clinical deterioration. Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, 48(6-7),309-318 doi:10.1016/j.jcjq.2022.02.007.
11. Bernstein, S.L., Kelechi, T.J, Catchpole, K., & Nemeth, L.S. (2021). Prevention of failure to rescue in obstetric patients: A realist review. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing, 18, (6) 352-360. doi:10.1111/wvn.12531
12. Bernstein, S.L. (2021). Scoping review on the use of early warning trigger tools for women in labor. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 50, (3) 256-265. org/10.1016/j.jogn.2021.01.003
13. *Hernandez-Tejada, M., Balasubramanian, S., Bian, J., Madisetti, M., Nagel, A., Bernstein, S.L., Kelechi, T. (2021). Addressing physical, functional, and physiological outcomes in older adults via integrated mHealth intervention. Innovation in Aging 5 (Suppl 1), 934-935.
14. Acquaviva, K.D., Mugele, J., Abadilla, N., Adamson, T., Bernstein, S.L., Bhayani, R.K., Büchi, A.E., Burbage, D., Carroll, C. L., Davis, S.P., Dhawan, N., English, K., Grier, J.T., Gurney, M.K., Hahn, E.S., Haq, H., Huang, B., Jain, S., Jun, J., … Trudell, A.M. (2020). Documenting social media engagement as scholarship: A new model for assessing academic accomplishment for the health professions. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(12), e25070. doi.org/10.2196/25070

Books and chapters (peer-reviewed)

1. Bernstein, S.L. (forthcoming 2026). Pregnancy Complications from a Preexisting or Newly Acquired Illness, In M. DeFoor and A. Hitt (Eds). Maternal and Child Health: Nursing Care of the Childbearing and Childrearing Family, 10^th Wolters Kluwer.
2. Bernstein, S.L. (forthcoming 2026). Family Experiencing a Sudden Pregnancy Complication, In M. DeFoor and A. Hitt (Eds). Maternal and Child Health: Nursing Care of the Childbearing and Childrearing Family, 10^th Wolters Kluwer.
3. Bernstein, S.L. (forthcoming: 2026). Specialized Care of the Pregnant Family with Complex Needs, In M. DeFoor and A. Hitt (Eds). Maternal and Child Health: Nursing Care of the Childbearing and Childrearing Family, 10^th Wolters Kluwer.
4. Bernstein, S.L. (forthcoming: 2026). Complications of Labor and Birth, In M. DeFoor and A. Hitt (Eds). Maternal and Child Health: Nursing Care of the Childbearing and Childrearing Family, 10^th Wolters Kluwer.
5. Bernstein, S.L. (forthcoming: 2026). Surgical Interventions for Birth, In M. DeFoor and A. Hitt (Eds). Maternal and Child Health: Nursing Care of the Childbearing and Childrearing Family, 10^th Wolters Kluwer.
6. Bernstein, S.L. (forthcoming: 2026) Postpartum Complications, In M. DeFoor and A. Hitt (Eds). Maternal and Child Health: Nursing Care of the Childbearing and Childrearing Family, 10^th Wolters Kluwer.

Columns, editorials, protocols

1. Bernstein, S.L. (2025) Quality improvement to decrease cesarean birth. MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing
2. Bernstein, S.L. (2025) Update on lower extremity nerve injury. MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 50(3), 236, July/August. doi: 1097/NMC.0000000000001110
3. Bernstein, S.L. (2025) Update on amniotic fluid embolism. MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 50(2), 114, March/April. doi:10.1097/NMC.00000000000001075.
4. Bernstein, S.L. (2024). Elective induction of labor. MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing, 49(6), 354, November/December, doi:10.1097/NMC.0000000000001047
5. Bernstein, S.L. (2024). Effect of climate events on birth outcomes. MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing, 49(4), 232, July/August, doi:10.1097/NMC.0000000000001014.

1. Bernstein, S.L., Bell, J., Broadhurst, R. (2024). The use of safety huddles on inpatient obstetric units: A scoping review protocol. OSF Registries. doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/2BNEP
2. Bernstein, S.L. (2024). Update on screening for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing, 49(2),114, March/April. doi:10.1097.NMC.0000000000000988
3. Bernstein, S.L. (2023). Update on perinatal mental health disorders. MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing, 48(6), 341, November/December. doi:10.1097/NMC.0000000000000951.
4. Bernstein, S.L. (2023). Postpartum urinary retention. MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing, July-August, 48(4), 224. doi:10.1097/NMC.0000000000000922
5. Bernstein, S.L. (2023). Evidence-based guidelines for labor support that promote vaginal birth. MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing, 48(2),103. March/April. doi: 10.1097/NMC.0000000000000897
6. Bernstein, S.L., Frederick, A., Abbu, S., Condo DiCioccio, H., Thomas, A., Dreisbach, C. (2023). Reflections on the 2021 MCN editorial fellowship. MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing, 48(1), 6-7. doi: 10.1097/NMC.0000000000000872
7. Bernstein, S.L. (2022). New management guidelines for mild hypertension in pregnancy. MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing, 47(6), 359. November/December. doi:10.1097/NMC.0000000000000857
8. Bernstein, S.L. (2022). Respectful maternity care. MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing, 47(4), 35. July/August doi: 10.1097/NMC.0000000000000828.
9. Rohan, A., Abbu, S., Bernstein, S. L., Krowchuk, H. (2022). Towards evidence-based practice. MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing, 47(2),112-114, March/April. doi:10.1097/NMC.0000000000000806
10. Bernstein, S.L. (2022). Important safety role of nurses in improving maternal health. Joint Commission Blog. Available at https://www.jointcommission.org/resources/news-and-multimedia/blogs.
11. Bernstein, S.L. (2021). Accurate respiratory rate assessment for women in labor. MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing, 46(5),35. September/October. doi:10.1097/NMC.0000000000000758.
12. Wright, M. L., Morse, B., Phillips, C., Muir, K. J., Manges, K., White, A., & Bernstein, S. (2020). Concerned nurses ask: Are we heroes or expendable? Ms. Magazine online.
13. Bernstein, S.L. (2019). Funding Planned Parenthood. New Hampshire Nursing News 43(1). January-February 2019.