In the School of Nursing, Judith Erlen is Professor Emeritus and is the former Interim Chair of the Department of Health and Community Systems, the Director of the PhD Program, and the Director of the Pre-doctoral and Postdoctoral Training Program “Technology: Research in Chronic and Critical Illness” (T32 NR008857). Her research has focused on regimen adherence in patients with chronic disorders and quality of life. Specifically, she tested the efficacy of two different nurse-delivered telephone interventions to improve adherence to antiretroviral therapy in patients with HIV. She also examined the process of medication taking in community dwelling patients with Alzheimer’s disease. A member of the faculty of the University of Pittsburgh since 1983, Dr. Erlen taught students at all levels. She focused her teaching in the areas of ethics in nursing and health care and research for evidence-based practice. Within the PhD program in nursing she taught courses to help students develop their skills in grantsmanship and manuscript preparation.
Dr. Erlen has provided research consultation to faculty at Michigan State University, Northern Illinois University, SUNY Buffalo and West Virginia University Schools of Nursing, served as President of the Eastern Nursing Research Society (ENRS), and is a member of the 2016 ENRS Conference Planning Committee. Dr. Erlen is a member of the Program Committee of the Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science and is the Chair of the 2016 National State of the Science Conference.
