John Litchfield Faculty Profile

John Litchfield, PhD, CRNA is the Laboratory Director and an Assistant Professor in the Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice Program at Georgetown University. Currently, he is the course director for “Advanced Health Assessment,” “Advanced Principles of Anesthesia III,” and “Advanced Principles of Anesthesia IV.”

Dr. Litchfield enlisted in the United States Navy in 1991 and served as a Signalman aboard the USS Goldsborough (DDG-20), USS Worden (CG-18), and USS McClusky (FFG-41) and was selected for the Medical Enlisted Commissioning Program to attend Seattle University in 1999.  Dr. Litchfield was commissioned as a Navy Nurse Corps Ensign in 2002 and began his nursing career as an adult critical care nurse at Naval Hospital Bremerton.  He was then selected for the Navy Nurse Corps Anesthesia Program at the Uniformed Services University graduating in 2008.  Dr. Litchfield has served as a staff nurse anesthetist at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune, and aboard USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. While at Camp Lejeune, Dr. Litchfield completed the Medical Acupuncture for Physicians Course through Helms Medical Institute and was the inaugural director of Acupuncture Services.  In 2013, he was selected for Duty Under Instruction and received a Doctor of Philosophy of degree from the Uniformed Services University in 2018.  Upon graduation, Dr. Litchfield was assigned as an Assistant Professor in the Daniel K. Inouye Graduate School of Nursing at the Uniformed Services University and as the Clinical Site and Research Director at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center where he was responsible for the Phase II clinical education, training, and leadership develop of Navy, Air Force, and Public Health nurse anesthesia students.  In 2019, after 27 years of honorable service, Dr. Litchfield retired from active Naval service.  His major personal awards include the Surface Warfare Medical Department Officer qualification, Joint Services Commendation Medal, two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, four Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, four Navy Good Conduct Medals, and the Enlisted Surface Warfare qualification.  

Dr. Litchfield is a committed nurse scholar, educator, and mentor.  He has served as clinical preceptor, faculty mentor, and guest lecturer for the Uniformed Services University, Duke University, and Old Dominion University. Dr. Litchfield has obtained both extramural and intramural grant funding to support is dissertation research on the effects of multiple exposures to isoflurane on the structure and function of the blood brain barrier.  In addition to research, he has served as Senior Mentor and Subject Matter Expert on a variety of Doctor of Nurse Practice Projects evaluating topics such as emergent intraoperative intraosseous needle placement, comparison of low and high fidelity neuraxial training, implementation of cognitive aids in the management of intraoperative emergencies, and standardization of adductor canal block techniques.  Dr. Litchfield is a Jonas Nursing and Veterans Healthcare Scholar, on the editorial board for the International Student Journal of Anesthesia, and member of Alpha Sigma Nu, American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, and TriService Nursing Research Program Anesthesia Research Interest Group.  

RESEARCH & SCHOLALY ACTIVITIES

Research Funding

Previous  

“Influence of Isoflurane on the Expression of Claudin 5 in Rats,” Uniformed Services University Intramural Grant. Award #GSN-61-4073-02, 07 Feb 2017 – 27 Jul 2018.  Total: $2,500.  Role: Primary Investigator.  

“Influence of Isoflurane on the Physiological Parameters of Rats,”Uniformed Services University Intramural Grant. Award #GSN-61-4073-01, 30 Mar 2016 – 27 Jul 2018. Total: $2,500.  Role: Primary Investigator.  

“Influence of Isoflurane on the Integrity of the Blood Brain Barrier,”TriService Nursing Research Program. Award #HU0001-15-TS15, 15 Aug 2015 – 27 Jul 2018. Total: $46,700 ($29,935/$16,765). Role: Primary Investigator. 

Invited Podium Presentation

Litchfield, J., Moratz, C., Dalgard, C., Osborne-Smith, L., & Kasper, C (July 2017). Effects of Repeated Anesthesia Exposures on the Physiological Parameters of Sprague Dawley Rats.  Anesthesia Research Interest Group Lecture at TriService Nursing Research Evidence Based Practice Dissemination Course, Ellicott City, MD.  

Litchfield, J., Moratz, C., Dalgard, C., Osborne-Smith, L. & Kasper, C.  (July 2017).  Tales of the Anesthesia Mask.Graduate Student Lecture Daniel K. Inouye Graduate School of Nursing Research Colloquium, Bethesda, MD.  

Peer Reviewed Podium Presentations

Hartman, J., Hutchinson, S., Wallace, S. & Litchfield, J. (July 2018).  Improving Success Rate of the Adductor Canal Block by Standardization of Technique.  Research Days, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD.

Hutchinson, S., Hartman, J., Wallace, S. & Litchfield, J. (May 2018). Standardization of the Adductor Canal Block to Improve Success Rate.  TriService Nursing Research & Evidence Based Practice Dissemination Course, San Antonio, TX.  

Taylor, L., Uranga, T., Litchfield, J., Williamson, M., & Schramm, J.  (May 2018).  Developing and Implementing a Comprehensive Inter-professional Integrative Medicine Day of Health, Wellness, and Resiliency. National Capital Region Innovation in Education Days, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD.  

Litchfield, J., Moratz, C., Dalgard, C., Osborne-Smith, L. & Kasper, C. (July 2017). Effects of Repeated Anesthesia Exposures on the Physiological Parameters of Sprague Dawley Rats. Research Days, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD.

Litchfield, J., Moratz, C., Dalgard, C., Osborne-Smith, L. & Kasper, C. (Aug 2016). Anesthesia Mask Choice Can Alter the Physiological Parameters of Sprague Dawley Rats.  Military Health Systems Research Symposium, Orlando, FL.  

Litchfield, J., Moratz, C., Dalgard, C., Osborne-Smith, L., & Kasper, C. (Aug 2016). Rodent Anesthesia Delivery: Tale of the Mask.  TriService Nursing and Research and Evidence Based Practice Dissemination Course, San Antonio, TX.  

Litchfield, J., Moratz, C., Dalgard, C., Osborne-Smith, L., & Kasper, C. (Aug 2015). Developing Research & Evidenced Based Practice Priorities for the Anesthesia Research Interest Group: A Strategic Planning Session.  TriService Nursing Research and Evidence Based Practice Dissemination Course, San Antonio, TX.  

Peer Reviewed Poster Presentation 

Wallace, S., Hartman, J., Hutchinson, S., & Litchfield, J. (Aug 2018).  Standardization of the Adductor Canal Block to Improve Success Rate.  State of the Science General Poster Session, American Association of Nurse Anesthetists Annual Congress, Boston, MA. 

Hartman, J., Hutchinson, S., Wallace, S., & Litchfield, J.(July 2018).  Improving the Success Rate of the Adductor Canal Block by Standardization of Technique: An Evidence Based Practice Project. Research Days, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.  

Hutchinson, S., Hartman, J., Wallace, S., & Litchfield, J. (May 2018).  Standardization of the Adductor Canal Block to Improve Success Rates. TriService Nursing Research and Evidence Based Practice Dissemination Course, San Antonio, TX.  

Litchfield, J., Moratz, C., Dalgard, C., Osborne-Smith, L., & Kasper, C. (July 2017).  Effects of Repeated Anesthesia Exposures on the Physiological Parameters of Sprague Dawley Rats.  TriService Nursing Research and Evidence Based Practice Dissemination Course, San Antonio, TX.  

Litchfield, J., Moratz, C., Dalgard, C., Osborne-Smith, L., & Kasper, C. (July 2017).  Effects of Repeated Anesthesia Exposures on the Physiological Parameters of Sprague Dawley Rats.  Research Days, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD.

Litchfield, J., Moratz, C., Dalgard, C., Osborne-Smith, L., & Kasper, C. (August 2016).  Effects of Anesthesia Mask Choice on the Physiological Parameters of Sprague Dawley Rats.  TriService Nursing Research and Evidenced Based Practice Dissemination Course, San Antonio, TX.

Litchfield, J., Moratz, C., Dalgard, C., Osborne-Smith, L., & Kasper, C. (August 2016).  Anesthesia Mask Choice Can Alter the Physiological Parameters of Sprague Dawley Rats.  Military Health Systems Research Symposium, Orlando, FL.  

Litchfield, J., Harris, S., Chandler, R., & Osborne, L. (November 2008).  Prevention of Post-Operative Nausea and Vomiting in High Risk Patients Utilizing Aprepitant.  Karen A. Rieder Nursing Research & Federal Poster Session, Society of Federal Health Professionals, 114^thAMSUS Conference, San Antonio, TX.