Michelle Lichtenberg
Assistant Professor (Rapid City)
Education
- B.A. in sociology | South Dakota State University | 1995
- B.S. in nursing | Mount Marty College | 1998
- M.S. in nursing education | South Dakota State University | 2012
- Ph.D. in health sciences | University of South Dakota | 2021
Academic and Professional Experience
Academic Interests
- Student clinical judgment development
- Student academic success
- Evidence-based practice
Academic Responsibilities
- NURS 347 Concept Synthesis I
- NURS 437 Concept Synthesis II
- NURS 360 Research and Evidence-Based Practice (BSN programs)
- NURS 465 Research and Evidence-Based Practice
- NURS 444 Population-Centered Care Concepts (clinical)
- NURS 626 Research in Nursing and Health Care
Committees and Professional Memberships
Professional Memberships
- South Dakota Nurses Association
- Sigma Theta Tau
- Midwest Nursing Research Society
- South Dakota Organization of Nurse Leaders
- American Nurses Association
Committee Memberships
- Research and Scholarship Nursing Subcommittee
- Ph.D. Nursing Subcommittee
- Academic Affairs University Committee
- Intercollegiate Athletics Board University Committee
Work Experience
- 2023-present – Assistant professor, South Dakota State University (Rapid City)
- 2008-2023 – Nursing instructor, University of South Dakota (Vermillion)
- 2013-2015 – Nursing education peer adviser, Elsevier (St. Loius, Missouri)
- 2004-2016 – Registered nurse, Siouxland Surgical Center (Dakota Dunes, South Dakota)
- 2002-2003 – Registered nurse, Elite Professionals (Lincoln, Nebraska)
- 1998-2002 – Registered nurse, Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital (Lincoln, Nebraska)
- 1998-1999 – Registered nurse, Sioux Valley Hospital (Sioux Falls)
- 1998-1999 – Registered nurse, Human Services Center (Yankton)
Research and Scholarly Work
Areas of Research
- Nurse well-being
- Nursing student success
- Educational interventions for evidence-based practice nursing courses
Awards and Honors
- Excellence in Teaching (University of South Dakota) 2021
Grants
- Subaward co-principal investigator: “Collaborative Research: E-RISE RII: Ge-STAR – Germanium-based Science and Technology Advancement Research,” sponsored by National Science Foundation (NSF), federal, $517,320.00 (July 1, 2025-June 30, 2029).
- Project director: In-kind grant through eTrainETC, $15,000 (June 1, 2025-May 31, 2026), Zweifel, Alyssa, project director; Schievelbein, Danielle, project director.
- Co-principal investigator: “Direct Measurement of Human Factors to Understand Undergraduate Nursing Students' Perceived Anxiety During Patient Care,” Challenge Fund sponsored by South Dakota State University, $15,000 (July 1, 2025-June 30,2026), Zweifel, Alyssa, principal investigator; Nguyen, Phuong, co-principal investigator; Brennan, Brittany, co-principal investigator.
- Co-principal investigator: “Integrating Eye-Tracking Technology to Optimize Cognitive Load and Clinical Competency in Nursing Simulation,” Sponsored by South Dakota Board of Regents Competitive Research Grant (CRG), South Dakota, $90,000 (July 1, 2025-June 30,2026), Brennan, Brittany, principal investigator; Zweifel, Alyssa, co-principal investigator; Nguyen, Phuong, co-principal investigator.
Publications
Publications
- Zweifel, A., Nguyen, P., Brennan, B. and Lichtenberg, M. (2025). Wired for performance: Using wearable physiological sensors to decode cognitive load in health care simulation. Simulation Technology and Operations Resource Magazine. The Society for Simulation in Healthcare.
- Lichtenberg, M. (2026). Implementation of the curriculum. In S. DeBoor (Ed.), Keating's curriculum development and evaluation in nursing education (pp. 113-126). Springer Publishing.
- Lichtenberg, M. (2015). Risk factor scavenger hunt. Instructor's e-text for nursing: A concept-based approach (first ed.). Livonia, Michigan: Pearson.
- Lichtenberg, M. (2015). A little off-balance. Instructor's e-text for nursing: A concept-based approach (first ed.). Livonia, Michigan: Pearson.
- Lichtenberg, M. (2015). It’s all about balance. Instructor's e-text for nursing: A concept-based approach (first ed.). Livonia, Michigan: Pearson.
- Lichtenberg, M. (2015). Protective details. Instructor's e-text for nursing: A concept-based approach (first ed.). Livonia, Michigan: Pearson.
- Lichtenberg, M. (2015). Take a breath away. Instructor's e-text for nursing: A concept-based approach (first ed.). Livonia, Michigan: Pearson.
- Lichtenberg, M. (2015). Talk the talk. Instructor's e-text for nursing: A concept-based approach (first ed.). Livonia, Michigan: Pearson.
Presentations
- "Implementing the Use of an eMicro Simulation for Active Learning in the Classroom," Podium presentation at the South Dakota State University SoTL Symposium, Brookings, SD, Nov. 3, 2025; co-presenters D. Schievelbein, Ph.D. and A. Zweifel, Ph.D.
- "Searching, Appraising, and Applying the Evidence," Workshop at Monument Health, Rapid City, SD, April 16, 2025; co-presenter A. Newstrom, DNP, FNP-BC
- “Exploring Nurse Educators’ Knowledge of Nursing Student Cue Recognition” poster at the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Transform Conference in Dallas, Texas – December 2021
- “The Next Generation Nurse” presented at Sigma Theta Tau (Omega Beta Sigma Chapter) via Zoom – Sept. 21, 2021
- “A Toolbox for Student Evaluation in a Concept-Based Curriculum: National Council Licensure Examination Results and Beyond” presented at the Concept-Based Curriculum for Nurse Educators Conference by DI Associates in Albuquerque, New Mexico, February 2016
- "Postclinical Conference: Should It Look the Same in a Concept-Based Curriculum” presented at the Concept-Based Curriculum for Nurse Educators Conference by DI Associates in Albuquerque, New Mexico – February 2016
- “Introduction to a Concept-Based Curriculum” presented at the Concept-Based Curriculum Symposium by Elsevier in Kansas City, Missouri – June 2015
- “Reducing Gaps and Overlaps in a CBC: Using a Faculty Team and the NCLEX Blueprint” presented at the Concept-Based Curriculum Symposium by Elsevier in Kansas City, Missouri – June 2015
Associated Areas
