Sonya Lachance

Sonya LaChance, PhD, DNP, MBA, RN, FNP-C

Dr Lachance is a  nurse practitioner, educator, and leader with expertise spanning healthcare, business, and technology. Board certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner and experience with technology,  Dr. LaChance integrates her dual doctoral preparation and MBA training to advance healthcare innovation, informatics, and culturally responsive care. Her background also includes more than 20 years of leadership in asset management and financial technology, giving her a unique systems perspective that bridges clinical practice, research, and organizational strategy.

Her professional interests center on the intersection of healthcare delivery, evidence-based practice, and technology. She is passionate about leveraging innovation and informatics to improve patient safety, enhance clinical workflows, and strengthen nursing education. Through teaching, research, and practice, her aim is to prepare future nurses to integrate technology and evidence into high-quality, patient-centered care.

As Assistant Professor and Graduate Program Coordinator at Salem State University, Dr. LaChance oversees the curriculum development, course scheduling, and accreditation compliance. She advises and mentors graduate nursing students, coordinates preceptorship placements, and collaborates with faculty to ensure high-quality teaching and program outcomes. 

• LaChance, S. (2024). Contributions to the book. In D. Zucker (Ed.), Case Study Methodology for Nursing: Exploring the Lived Experience of those with Chronic Health Problems. Routledge.
• Lachance, S., & Hutchins, J. M. (2024). Privacy-preserving cameras for fall detection: Data acquisition for artificial intelligence. Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 42(7), 481-485. https://doi.org/10.1097/CIN.0000000000001136
• Lachance, S. L., Zucker, D. M., & Hutchins, J. M. (2023). Adult cannabis use: An exploratory case study. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 49(8), 19–26. https://doi.org/10.3928/00989134-20230707-01
• Lachance, S. L., Becker, A. M., & Zucker, D. M. (2022). Electronic alcohol screening and brief intervention and referral to treatment for college students with increased alcohol use risk. Journal of Addictions Nursing, 33(4), E36–E43. https://doi.org/10.1097/JAN.0000000000000422
• Lachance, S. (2021). Technology use for alcohol screening and referral to treatment: An integrative review using Davis’ Technology Acceptance Model. Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 39(11), 605–611. https://doi.org/10.1097/CIN.0000000000000840
• Lachance, S. (2020). Perceptions and experiences of adopting a technology-based intervention for alcohol screening and referral to treatment in primary care [Doctoral dissertation, University of Massachusetts Amherst]. UMass Amherst ScholarWorks. https://doi.org/10.7275/18061455
• Lachance, S. (2017). Chronic pain and opioid prescribing [Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) capstone project, University of Massachusetts Amherst]. UMass Amherst ScholarWorks. https://doi.org/10.7275/10083562

Lachance, S., & Hutchins, J. (2024, April). Simulation of privacy-preserving AI for autonomous fall detection [Poster presentation]. Eastern Nursing Research Society Annual Conference, Boston, MA.

Lachance, S., Zucker, D., & Hutchins, J. (2023, March). Adult cannabis use – An exploratory case study [Poster presentation]. Eastern Nursing Research Society Annual Conference, Philadelphia, PA.

Hutchins, J., Lachance, S., Tagi, A., Beaudet, R., & Polchies, J. (2022, September). Simulation of privacy-preserving AI for autonomous fall detection [Poster presentation]. University of Southern Maine Research Symposium, Portland, ME.

Lachance, S. (2017, May). Chronic pain and opioid prescribing [Poster presentation]. University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA.

University of Maine System. (2019, December). Grant Challenge Pilot Initiative: Aging, technology, & nursing[Interdisciplinary research competition, semi-finalist]. University of Maine System, Orono, ME.

Outside of teaching and research, Dr. LaChance enjoys spending time on Cape Cod gardening and staying active outdoors. She is passionate about mentoring future nurse leaders and enjoys exploring how technology and innovation can improve healthcare delivery. She also follows broader conversations in finance, technology, and public policy, bringing a unique systems perspective to her work and teaching.