Michelle L. Litchman, PhD, APRN, FNP-BC

Michelle Litchman, PhD, FNP-BC, FAANP is an Assistant Professor at the College of Nursing and School of Medicine. Her position includes research, teaching, and clinical work at the Utah Diabetes and Endocrinology Center. She is passionate about teaching and precepts health sciences students and teaches didactic courses at the College of Nursing.

Research Statement

Michelle Litchman, PhD, FNP-BC, FAANP is an Assistant Professor at the College of Nursing and Adjuct Assistant Professor at the School of Medicine. My program of research is focused on how individuals manage their diabetes in the context of technology and peer health. I have examined individuals who participate in online peer health via the organic, patient-driven and community-governed Diabetes Online Community. The majority of adults have internet access and those with chronic conditions are increasingly going online to seek peers who have the same condition. The use online communities to support chronic conditions is a new movement in healthcare delivery. This work sets the stage to understanding how online peer health is associated with patient outcomes. My work also examines how adults and elders are using real-time continuous glucose monitoring technology and associated data sharing to facilitate safety. Finally, I developed a high-fidelity diabetes simulation, the Fakebetes Challenge, aimed to improve healthcare provider understanding of the complexities of diabetes management. By replicating diabetes related tasks and day-to-day challenges that patients face, healthcare providers gain an experiential knowledge and empathy that cannot be taught in the classroom.