Nancy Dias

Nancy Dias is an Associate Professor in Nursing Science at East Carolina University's College of Nursing. With over 20 years of nursing experience that began in India, Dr. Dias brings international and domestic perspectives to her work as a clinician, educator, researcher, and leader. Her academic journey includes a B.S.N. from L.T. College of Nursing in India and a Ph.D. in Nursing from Duke University, followed by post-doctoral work that expanded her research capabilities and collaborations.

Dr. Dias's research program focuses on a critical gap in healthcare: the bereavement experiences of parents after the death of a terminally ill child. Her work addresses the 'sense of abandonment' that bereaved parents often report from the healthcare system, extending palliative and end-of-life care into the bereavement period. Key research areas include:

• Parents' bereavement processes, health concerns, and health outcomes
• Development of targeted interventions to improve bereaved parents' health outcomes
• Concept analysis of 'Continuing Bonds' in parental bereavement
• Health outcomes of bereaved parents during the first 6 months after their child's death
• Integration of community-based palliative care using social determinants of health framework

Dr. Dias has established herself as a leader in bereavement research with numerous publications spanning from 2017 to 2025. Her publication trajectory shows increasing focus on developing interventions for bereaved parents, with several systematic reviews establishing the evidence base followed by intervention development work. Recent publications (2024-2025) demonstrate her shift toward practical applications including web-based psychoeducational interventions and structured clinical models. Her work bridges palliative care, pediatric nursing, and mental health, with strong emphasis on translating research into clinical practice and policy.

Dr. Dias has received significant recognition for her contributions to nursing and palliative care:

• Volunteerism Award, Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (2024)
• Fellow in Palliative Care Nursing, Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (2023)
• Beta Nu Excellence in Mentoring, Sigma Theta Tau (2023)
• ECUCON Outstanding Faculty award and induction into ECU's 'Servire' Society (2021)
• NCNA Nurse Researcher of the Year Award (2020)
• Health Sciences Author Recognition Award, ECU (2019)

As a funded researcher, Dr. Dias has secured multiple competitive grants including 'Navigating the New Normal: A Novel Clinical Approach to Grief Adaptation' (NC Biotechnology Center, 2023-2025), 'Hospice and Home Care Pilot Project Evaluation' (Hospice and Home Care Foundation of NC, 2019-2022), and participation in NIH-funded research. Her collaborative approach is evident through her involvement with the Palliative Care Research Cooperative Group and Pediatric Palliative Care Research Network.

Dr. Dias maintains active leadership roles in professional organizations including serving as Membership Chair for the Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science, active participation in the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association, and leadership in the National Association of Indian Nurses of America. Her commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is reflected in her service as Advisor for the Diversity in Nursing Leadership Fellowship program.