Ladonna Northington - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Ladonna Northington
Introduction: The African American population bears a disproportionate burden of SIDS, a phenomen... more Introduction: The African American population bears a disproportionate burden of SIDS, a phenomenon noted throughout the world and shared by Mississippi infants. The purpose of this study was to assess the level of SIDS-related knowledge among African American women to identify challenges and weaknesses in methods for education and outreach. Method(s): Six focus groups were conducted among African American women in urban and rural communities in Mississippi. The benefit of focus group research is to gain insight into people’s shared understandings of everyday life experiences and the influences and impact of these emotions. Six focus groups were held (n=57) in two geographical areas of the state. The researcher directed the initial discussion and then participants led the remainder of the discussion based on their experiences and knowledge. Focus group sessions were audio recorded and transcribed for later analysis. Data were analyzed utilizing qualitative methodology to identify th...
Home Healthcare Now, 2018
Journal of Intensive and Critical Care Nursing, 2018
Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 2017
Enteral feeding tubes are used in pediatric patients to deliver nutrition, fluids or medications.... more Enteral feeding tubes are used in pediatric patients to deliver nutrition, fluids or medications. The literature related to short-term feeding tube (nasogastric [NG], hereafter known as NGT, or orogastric [OGT],) use in pediatric homecare patients is sparse. This descriptive study sought to gather baseline information about these children and how their feeding tubes are managed at home. Specifically, we sought to better understand how the tubes are placed and the method(s) used for tube placement verification. Two surveys were distributed: one to parents and one to homecare providers who have direct patient contact. Results: Responses were obtained from 144 parents and 66 homecare providers. Over half of the children were 12 months of age or younger and had a 6 Fr feeding tube. Over 75% (108) had an NGT for 1 year or less. Predominantly parents replaced the NGT but a few children self-inserted their tubes. Feeding tube placement was verified by auscultation (44%) or measurement of gastric pH (25%) in the parent's survey. Twenty-six percent of parents indicated they had misplaced an NGT at least once and 35 parents described symptoms of pulmonary misplacement. The homecare provider data indicated auscultation (39%) and pH measurement of gastric contents (28%) to verify NG tube placement location. Study results confirms a need for consistency of practice among health care professionals and in parent education for those children who require NGTs at home. It is troubling that auscultation is still widely used for NGT location confirmation despite practice alerts that warn against its use.
Nursing (Ed. española), 2016
Verificar la ubicación de la sonda nasogástrica en niños > Nos gustaría aclarar algunas cuestione... more Verificar la ubicación de la sonda nasogástrica en niños > Nos gustaría aclarar algunas cuestiones del reciente informe de la encuesta "20 preguntas: ¿práctica basada en la evidencia o vaca sagrada? (Marzo-Abril 2016, ed. esp.). El punto 5, en donde se afirma que el control del pH del aspirado gástrico es un método fiable para determinar la correcta ubicación de la sonda nasogástrica (SNG) para nutrición enteral, se identifica como "falso" por parte de los autores. Creemos que la respuesta correcta es "probablemente cierto", especialmente en el caso de los pacientes pediátricos 1. Participé en el proyecto "Nuevas oportunidades en la verificación de la ubicación de la sonda de nutrición enteral (NOVEL), financiado por A.S.P.E.N. La referencia citada sobre la nota de prensa que A.S.P.E.N. lanzó en 2014 es sobre un estudio de prevalencia reciente, con corte de 1 día, sobre el uso de las SNG cuya autoría es de nuestro grupo de trabajo 2. En este estudio observamos la amplia diversidad de métodos empleados para verificar la correcta ubicación de la SNG. En una revisión previa, que también se cita en las referencias, analizamos el uso de la técnica de control del pH en la población pediátrica y revisamos la evidencia existente que apoya este método de verificación de la ubicación de la sonda 3. Ninguna de estas dos referencias sugiere que el control del pH no sea una técnica fiable. Compartimos la afirmación de que la técnica más fiable para el control de la ubicación de la sonda es la verificación radiológica, pero no estamos de acuerdo en que este método es o debería ser el de elección en los pacientes pediátricos, por los riesgos asociados a la exposición radiológica y sus efectos acumulativos en la salud y el desarrollo de los niños que cuidamos. Nos gustaría compartir con nuestros lectores que, hasta el momento, en pacientes pediátricos, el control del pH gástrico es la mejor técnica para la verificación de la ubicación de la SNG si se combina con otras actividades, como la confirmación de la longitud de la sonda, y una adecuada valoración del estado del niño. Encontrará más información sobre el proyecto NOVEL en este link: www.nutritioncare.org/novel/
The ABNF journal : official journal of the Association of Black Nursing Faculty in Higher Education, Inc
Childhood obesity has become one of the most common health problems facing children in America. R... more Childhood obesity has become one of the most common health problems facing children in America. Results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey reveal that ethnic minority children in the United States are at particular risk for development of cardiovascular disease due to their disproportionate levels of obesity. In treating childhood obesity among ethnic minorities, practitioners need to be mindful of the cultural norms surrounding body size. Additional concerns that must be addressed include the effects of target marketing of unhealthy foods toward ethnic minorities and environmental deterrents to outside physical activities, to name a few. Strategies given to address the problem of childhood obesity among ethnic minorities include, increasing the child's physical activity, reducing television viewing and the adoption and maintenance of healthy lifestyle practices for the entire family.
Critical Care Nurse is the official peer-reviewed clinical journal of the American
Journal of Pediatric Nursing
Nutrition in Clinical Practice
The placement of a nasogastric tube (NGT) in a pediatric patient is a common practice that is gen... more The placement of a nasogastric tube (NGT) in a pediatric patient is a common practice that is generally perceived as a benign bedside procedure. There is potential risk for NGT misplacement with each insertion. A misplaced NGT compromises patient safety, increasing the risk for serious and even fatal complications. There is no standardized method for verification of the initial NGT placement or reverification assessment of NGT location prior to use. Measurement of the acidity or pH of the gastric aspirate is the most frequently used evidence-based method to verify NGT placement. The radiograph, when properly obtained and interpreted, is considered the gold standard to verify NGT location. However, the uncertainty regarding cumulative radiation exposure related to radiographs in pediatric patients is a concern. To minimize risk and improve patient safety, there is a need to identify best practice and to standardize care for initial and ongoing NGT location verification. This article provides consensus recommendations for best practice related to NGT location verification in pediatric patients. These consensus recommendations are not intended as absolute policy statements; instead, they are intended to supplement but not replace professional training and judgment. These consensus recommendations have been approved by the American Society for Parental and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) Board of Directors.
Issues in Comprehensive Pediatric Nursing, 2000
Chronic illness affects over 1 million children in the United States annually. One such illness p... more Chronic illness affects over 1 million children in the United States annually. One such illness prominent in the African-American population is sickle cell disease (SCD), which affects approximately 1 in 375 African Americans in the United States. This potentially life-threatening disease requires caregivers to carefully monitor and supervise children with SCD. Monitoring and caring for children with SCD places heavy burdens, demands, and responsibilities on these caregivers. The psychological stressors and unpredictable nature of the disease could cause caregivers to experience a variety of emotions, with one being chronic sorrow. The purposes of this study were to examine the process of chronic sorrow in caregivers of school age children with SCD, identify the characteristics of chronic sorrow, and generate a substantive theory of chronic sorrow. The methodology used was grounded theory, and data were generated through two interview sessions, a demographic questionnaire, field notes, and memos. Data analyses were performed following the principles of grounded theory. Data suggested these caregivers move through three overlapping stages: learning about and incorporating SCD into their daily lives; experiencing the sorrow; and doing what one has to do and moving on. The diagnosis was the initial trigger to evoke feelings, including sorrow. As time progressed, other internal and external triggers began to evoke feelings of sorrow that eventually became chronic. A process of repatterning began as caregivers learned to live with the unpredictable consequences of SCD, which produced the feelings of chronic sorrow. Repatterning behaviors enabled caregivers to "do what you have to do and move on."
Journal of Cultural Diversity, 2000
Childhood obesity has become one of the most common health problems facing children in America. R... more Childhood obesity has become one of the most common health problems facing children in America. Results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey reveal that ethnic minority children in the United States are at particular risk for development of cardiovascular disease due to their disproportionate levels of obesity. In treating childhood obesity among ethnic minorities, practitioners need to be mindful of the cultural norms surrounding body size. Additional concerns that must be addressed include the effects of target marketing of unhealthy foods toward ethnic minorities and environmental deterrents to outside physical activities, to name a few. Strategies given to address the problem of childhood obesity among ethnic minorities include, increasing the child's physical activity, reducing television viewing and the adoption and maintenance of healthy lifestyle practices for the entire family.
Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 2014
Issues in Comprehensive Pediatric Nursing, 2000
Chronic illness affects over 1 million children in the United States annually. One such illness p... more Chronic illness affects over 1 million children in the United States annually. One such illness prominent in the African-American population is sickle cell disease (SCD), which affects approximately 1 in 375 African Americans in the United States. This potentially life-threatening disease requires caregivers to carefully monitor and supervise children with SCD. Monitoring and caring for children with SCD places heavy burdens, demands, and responsibilities on these caregivers. The psychological stressors and unpredictable nature of the disease could cause caregivers to experience a variety of emotions, with one being chronic sorrow. The purposes of this study were to examine the process of chronic sorrow in caregivers of school age children with SCD, identify the characteristics of chronic sorrow, and generate a substantive theory of chronic sorrow. The methodology used was grounded theory, and data were generated through two interview sessions, a demographic questionnaire, field notes, and memos. Data analyses were performed following the principles of grounded theory. Data suggested these caregivers move through three overlapping stages: learning about and incorporating SCD into their daily lives; experiencing the sorrow; and doing what one has to do and moving on. The diagnosis was the initial trigger to evoke feelings, including sorrow. As time progressed, other internal and external triggers began to evoke feelings of sorrow that eventually became chronic. A process of repatterning began as caregivers learned to live with the unpredictable consequences of SCD, which produced the feelings of chronic sorrow. Repatterning behaviors enabled caregivers to "do what you have to do and move on."
The ABNF journal : official journal of the Association of Black Nursing Faculty in Higher Education, Inc, 2009
Recent data indicate that Americans are gaining weight at an alarming rate. It is estimated that ... more Recent data indicate that Americans are gaining weight at an alarming rate. It is estimated that over 12 million American children ages 2-19 years are overweight, with African American (AA) children comprising 20% of this cohort. The problem of obesity appears to be more prominent in some southern states. According to a new report by the Trust for America's Health, Mississippi has the 1st highest rate of adult obesity and the 8th highest rate of overweight youth ages 10-17 nationwide. The Kids for Healthy Eating and Exercising (KHEE) club was a model developed in the North Midtown area of Jackson, Mississippi. The purpose of this project was to develop the first weight control program and model specifically designed for AA children in the North Midtown area of the city of Jackson. This program devised measures to effectively enhance the lifestyle changes of selected obese children representing the target population. Results of the pilot project revealed the following changes amo...
Introduction: The African American population bears a disproportionate burden of SIDS, a phenomen... more Introduction: The African American population bears a disproportionate burden of SIDS, a phenomenon noted throughout the world and shared by Mississippi infants. The purpose of this study was to assess the level of SIDS-related knowledge among African American women to identify challenges and weaknesses in methods for education and outreach. Method(s): Six focus groups were conducted among African American women in urban and rural communities in Mississippi. The benefit of focus group research is to gain insight into people’s shared understandings of everyday life experiences and the influences and impact of these emotions. Six focus groups were held (n=57) in two geographical areas of the state. The researcher directed the initial discussion and then participants led the remainder of the discussion based on their experiences and knowledge. Focus group sessions were audio recorded and transcribed for later analysis. Data were analyzed utilizing qualitative methodology to identify th...
Home Healthcare Now, 2018
Journal of Intensive and Critical Care Nursing, 2018
Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 2017
Enteral feeding tubes are used in pediatric patients to deliver nutrition, fluids or medications.... more Enteral feeding tubes are used in pediatric patients to deliver nutrition, fluids or medications. The literature related to short-term feeding tube (nasogastric [NG], hereafter known as NGT, or orogastric [OGT],) use in pediatric homecare patients is sparse. This descriptive study sought to gather baseline information about these children and how their feeding tubes are managed at home. Specifically, we sought to better understand how the tubes are placed and the method(s) used for tube placement verification. Two surveys were distributed: one to parents and one to homecare providers who have direct patient contact. Results: Responses were obtained from 144 parents and 66 homecare providers. Over half of the children were 12 months of age or younger and had a 6 Fr feeding tube. Over 75% (108) had an NGT for 1 year or less. Predominantly parents replaced the NGT but a few children self-inserted their tubes. Feeding tube placement was verified by auscultation (44%) or measurement of gastric pH (25%) in the parent's survey. Twenty-six percent of parents indicated they had misplaced an NGT at least once and 35 parents described symptoms of pulmonary misplacement. The homecare provider data indicated auscultation (39%) and pH measurement of gastric contents (28%) to verify NG tube placement location. Study results confirms a need for consistency of practice among health care professionals and in parent education for those children who require NGTs at home. It is troubling that auscultation is still widely used for NGT location confirmation despite practice alerts that warn against its use.
Nursing (Ed. española), 2016
Verificar la ubicación de la sonda nasogástrica en niños > Nos gustaría aclarar algunas cuestione... more Verificar la ubicación de la sonda nasogástrica en niños > Nos gustaría aclarar algunas cuestiones del reciente informe de la encuesta "20 preguntas: ¿práctica basada en la evidencia o vaca sagrada? (Marzo-Abril 2016, ed. esp.). El punto 5, en donde se afirma que el control del pH del aspirado gástrico es un método fiable para determinar la correcta ubicación de la sonda nasogástrica (SNG) para nutrición enteral, se identifica como "falso" por parte de los autores. Creemos que la respuesta correcta es "probablemente cierto", especialmente en el caso de los pacientes pediátricos 1. Participé en el proyecto "Nuevas oportunidades en la verificación de la ubicación de la sonda de nutrición enteral (NOVEL), financiado por A.S.P.E.N. La referencia citada sobre la nota de prensa que A.S.P.E.N. lanzó en 2014 es sobre un estudio de prevalencia reciente, con corte de 1 día, sobre el uso de las SNG cuya autoría es de nuestro grupo de trabajo 2. En este estudio observamos la amplia diversidad de métodos empleados para verificar la correcta ubicación de la SNG. En una revisión previa, que también se cita en las referencias, analizamos el uso de la técnica de control del pH en la población pediátrica y revisamos la evidencia existente que apoya este método de verificación de la ubicación de la sonda 3. Ninguna de estas dos referencias sugiere que el control del pH no sea una técnica fiable. Compartimos la afirmación de que la técnica más fiable para el control de la ubicación de la sonda es la verificación radiológica, pero no estamos de acuerdo en que este método es o debería ser el de elección en los pacientes pediátricos, por los riesgos asociados a la exposición radiológica y sus efectos acumulativos en la salud y el desarrollo de los niños que cuidamos. Nos gustaría compartir con nuestros lectores que, hasta el momento, en pacientes pediátricos, el control del pH gástrico es la mejor técnica para la verificación de la ubicación de la SNG si se combina con otras actividades, como la confirmación de la longitud de la sonda, y una adecuada valoración del estado del niño. Encontrará más información sobre el proyecto NOVEL en este link: www.nutritioncare.org/novel/
The ABNF journal : official journal of the Association of Black Nursing Faculty in Higher Education, Inc
Childhood obesity has become one of the most common health problems facing children in America. R... more Childhood obesity has become one of the most common health problems facing children in America. Results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey reveal that ethnic minority children in the United States are at particular risk for development of cardiovascular disease due to their disproportionate levels of obesity. In treating childhood obesity among ethnic minorities, practitioners need to be mindful of the cultural norms surrounding body size. Additional concerns that must be addressed include the effects of target marketing of unhealthy foods toward ethnic minorities and environmental deterrents to outside physical activities, to name a few. Strategies given to address the problem of childhood obesity among ethnic minorities include, increasing the child's physical activity, reducing television viewing and the adoption and maintenance of healthy lifestyle practices for the entire family.
Critical Care Nurse is the official peer-reviewed clinical journal of the American
Journal of Pediatric Nursing
Nutrition in Clinical Practice
The placement of a nasogastric tube (NGT) in a pediatric patient is a common practice that is gen... more The placement of a nasogastric tube (NGT) in a pediatric patient is a common practice that is generally perceived as a benign bedside procedure. There is potential risk for NGT misplacement with each insertion. A misplaced NGT compromises patient safety, increasing the risk for serious and even fatal complications. There is no standardized method for verification of the initial NGT placement or reverification assessment of NGT location prior to use. Measurement of the acidity or pH of the gastric aspirate is the most frequently used evidence-based method to verify NGT placement. The radiograph, when properly obtained and interpreted, is considered the gold standard to verify NGT location. However, the uncertainty regarding cumulative radiation exposure related to radiographs in pediatric patients is a concern. To minimize risk and improve patient safety, there is a need to identify best practice and to standardize care for initial and ongoing NGT location verification. This article provides consensus recommendations for best practice related to NGT location verification in pediatric patients. These consensus recommendations are not intended as absolute policy statements; instead, they are intended to supplement but not replace professional training and judgment. These consensus recommendations have been approved by the American Society for Parental and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) Board of Directors.
Issues in Comprehensive Pediatric Nursing, 2000
Chronic illness affects over 1 million children in the United States annually. One such illness p... more Chronic illness affects over 1 million children in the United States annually. One such illness prominent in the African-American population is sickle cell disease (SCD), which affects approximately 1 in 375 African Americans in the United States. This potentially life-threatening disease requires caregivers to carefully monitor and supervise children with SCD. Monitoring and caring for children with SCD places heavy burdens, demands, and responsibilities on these caregivers. The psychological stressors and unpredictable nature of the disease could cause caregivers to experience a variety of emotions, with one being chronic sorrow. The purposes of this study were to examine the process of chronic sorrow in caregivers of school age children with SCD, identify the characteristics of chronic sorrow, and generate a substantive theory of chronic sorrow. The methodology used was grounded theory, and data were generated through two interview sessions, a demographic questionnaire, field notes, and memos. Data analyses were performed following the principles of grounded theory. Data suggested these caregivers move through three overlapping stages: learning about and incorporating SCD into their daily lives; experiencing the sorrow; and doing what one has to do and moving on. The diagnosis was the initial trigger to evoke feelings, including sorrow. As time progressed, other internal and external triggers began to evoke feelings of sorrow that eventually became chronic. A process of repatterning began as caregivers learned to live with the unpredictable consequences of SCD, which produced the feelings of chronic sorrow. Repatterning behaviors enabled caregivers to "do what you have to do and move on."
Journal of Cultural Diversity, 2000
Childhood obesity has become one of the most common health problems facing children in America. R... more Childhood obesity has become one of the most common health problems facing children in America. Results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey reveal that ethnic minority children in the United States are at particular risk for development of cardiovascular disease due to their disproportionate levels of obesity. In treating childhood obesity among ethnic minorities, practitioners need to be mindful of the cultural norms surrounding body size. Additional concerns that must be addressed include the effects of target marketing of unhealthy foods toward ethnic minorities and environmental deterrents to outside physical activities, to name a few. Strategies given to address the problem of childhood obesity among ethnic minorities include, increasing the child's physical activity, reducing television viewing and the adoption and maintenance of healthy lifestyle practices for the entire family.
Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 2014
Issues in Comprehensive Pediatric Nursing, 2000
Chronic illness affects over 1 million children in the United States annually. One such illness p... more Chronic illness affects over 1 million children in the United States annually. One such illness prominent in the African-American population is sickle cell disease (SCD), which affects approximately 1 in 375 African Americans in the United States. This potentially life-threatening disease requires caregivers to carefully monitor and supervise children with SCD. Monitoring and caring for children with SCD places heavy burdens, demands, and responsibilities on these caregivers. The psychological stressors and unpredictable nature of the disease could cause caregivers to experience a variety of emotions, with one being chronic sorrow. The purposes of this study were to examine the process of chronic sorrow in caregivers of school age children with SCD, identify the characteristics of chronic sorrow, and generate a substantive theory of chronic sorrow. The methodology used was grounded theory, and data were generated through two interview sessions, a demographic questionnaire, field notes, and memos. Data analyses were performed following the principles of grounded theory. Data suggested these caregivers move through three overlapping stages: learning about and incorporating SCD into their daily lives; experiencing the sorrow; and doing what one has to do and moving on. The diagnosis was the initial trigger to evoke feelings, including sorrow. As time progressed, other internal and external triggers began to evoke feelings of sorrow that eventually became chronic. A process of repatterning began as caregivers learned to live with the unpredictable consequences of SCD, which produced the feelings of chronic sorrow. Repatterning behaviors enabled caregivers to "do what you have to do and move on."
The ABNF journal : official journal of the Association of Black Nursing Faculty in Higher Education, Inc, 2009
Recent data indicate that Americans are gaining weight at an alarming rate. It is estimated that ... more Recent data indicate that Americans are gaining weight at an alarming rate. It is estimated that over 12 million American children ages 2-19 years are overweight, with African American (AA) children comprising 20% of this cohort. The problem of obesity appears to be more prominent in some southern states. According to a new report by the Trust for America's Health, Mississippi has the 1st highest rate of adult obesity and the 8th highest rate of overweight youth ages 10-17 nationwide. The Kids for Healthy Eating and Exercising (KHEE) club was a model developed in the North Midtown area of Jackson, Mississippi. The purpose of this project was to develop the first weight control program and model specifically designed for AA children in the North Midtown area of the city of Jackson. This program devised measures to effectively enhance the lifestyle changes of selected obese children representing the target population. Results of the pilot project revealed the following changes amo...