Elizabeth Froh, PhD, RN

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Elizabeth Froh, PhD, RN, is a nurse scientist with the Center for Pediatric Nursing Research & Evidence-Based Practice at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Locations: Main Hospital
Appointments and Referrals: 1-800-TRY-CHOP (1-800-879-2467)

Background

Elizabeth Froh, PhD, RN, is a nurse scientist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Center for Pediatric Nursing Research & Evidence-Based Practice. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, and her master’s degree in nursing from The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. Her dissertation study, “Breastfeeding the infant with congenital diaphragmatic hernia,” was successfully defended, and Dr. Froh graduated with her doctorate of philosophy from the University of Pennsylvania in 2014.

Prior to this position, Froh was clinical supervisor of CHOP’s Lactation Team and Human Milk Management Center, a bedside nurse in the CHOP Newborn/Infant Intensive Care Unit (2008-2013) and in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Georgetown University Hospital (2006-2008). She has several publications focusing on lactation and human milk science, and she has spoken at many conferences and meetings.

As one of the Nurse Scientists in the Center, Froh continues her efforts to translate her research from human milk science into cutting-edge clinical practice and collaborates with others across the Department of Nursing in both research and evidence-based practice. 

Education and Training

Undergraduate Degree

BSN - University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA

Graduate Degree

PhD – University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
MSN - University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, PA

Titles and Academic Titles

Nurse Scientist

Adjunct Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania

Publications

Papers

2020

Lactation Outcomes Among Dyads Following Participation in a Model of Group Prenatal Care for Patients with Prenatally Diagnosed Fetal Anomalies. Froh EB, Schwarz J, Spatz DL. Breastfeed Med. 2020 Jun 24.doi: 10.1089/bfm.2020.0061. Online ahead of print

2019

Schwarz, J., Kugler, L., Farmer, M., Froh, E.B., Oser, M., Howell, L., & Molderhauer, J. (2019). Mama Care: A model of group prenatal care for patients with prenatally diagnosed fetal anomalies. Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health. 00: 1-15.

Spatz, D. L., & Froh, E.B. (2019). Human milk and breastfeeding outcomes in infants with myelomeningocele. Advances in Neonatal Care. 19(5): 376-382.

Spatz, D.L., Froh, E.B., Bartholomew, D., Edwards, T., Wild, Tracy, Hedrick, H., Nawab, U. (2019). Lactation experience of mothers and feeding outcomes of infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Breastfeeding Medicine. 14(5): 320-324.

Ferrarello, D., Froh, E.B., Hinson, T., & Spatz. D.L. (2019). Nurses’ views on pasteurized donor human milk for hypoglycemic infants. Maternal Child Nursing. 44(3): 157-163.

Froh, E.B., Frankenberger, W., Lebet, R., Chen-lim, M.L., & McCabe, M. (2019). Implementation of a centralized mechanism to enrich the quality of nursing research within a children’s hospital. Journal of Pediatric Nursing. [epub ahead of print].

2018

Froh, E.B., Cascino, A., Cerreta, S.K., Karsch, E.A., Kornberg, L.F., Lilley, J.E., Welch, L, & Spatz, D.L. (2018). Legislative efforts to promote and protect breastfeeding and the provision of human milk in the context of women returning to work during the first postpartum year. Breastfeeding Medicine. 13(7): 506-509.

Froh, E.B., Vanderpool, J., & Spatz, D.L. (2018). Best practices to limit contamination of donor milk in a milk bank. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing. 47(4): 547-555.

Spatz, D.L., Robinson, A., & Froh, E.B. (2018). Cost and use of pasteurized donor human milk at a children’s hospital. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing. 47(4): 583-588.

2017

Froh, E.B., Deatrick, J., Curley, M.Q., & Spatz, D.L. (2017). Mothers of infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia describe ‘breastfeeding’ in the neonatal intensive care unit: “As long as it’s my milk, I’m happy.” Journal of Human Lactation. 33(3): 524-532.

Spatz, D.L., Evans, A., & Froh, E.B. (2017). Creation of a regional human milk assembly: a model to influence practice and policy change in the NICU. Advances in Neonatal Care. 17(5): 417-423.

Hallowell, S.G., Froh, E.B., Spatz, D.L., & The Members of the Expert Panel on Breastfeeding of the American Academy of Nursing. (2017). Human milk and breastfeeding: an intervention to mitigate toxic stress. Nursing Outlook. 65(1): 58-67.

Abboud, S., Kim, S., Jacoby, S., Mooney-Doyle, K., Waite, T., Froh, E.B., Sefcik, J., Kim, H., Sowicz, T., Kelly, T., Kagan, S. (2017). Co-creation of a pedagogical space to support qualitative inquiry: An advanced qualitative collective. Nurse Education Today. 50: 8-11.

2016

Froh, E.B., Dahlmeier, K., & Spatz, D.L. (2016). NICU nurses and lactation-based support and care. Advances in Neonatal Care. 17(3): 203-208.

Froh, E.B., Spatz, D.L. (2016). Navigating return to work and breastfeeding in a hospital with a comprehensive employee lactation program. Journal of Human Lactation. 32(4): 689-694.

2015

Froh, E.B., Flynn-Roth, R., Barton, S., and Spatz, D.L. (2015). The voices of breastfeeding resource nurses. The Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing. 44(3): 419-425.

Spatz, D.L., Froh, E.B., Flynn-Roth, R., and Barton, S. (2015). Improving practice at the point of care through the optimization of the breastfeeding resource nurse model. The Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing. 44(3): 412-418

Froh, E.B., Deatrick, J., Curley, M.Q., & Spatz, D.L. (2015). Making meaning of pumping for mothers of infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing. 44(3): 439-449.

Spatz, D.L., Froh, E.B., Schwarz, J., Houng, K., Brewster, I., Myers, C., Prince, J., & Olkkola, M. (2015). Pump early-pump often: A continuous quality improvement project. Journal of Perinatal Education.

Martino, K., Froh, E.B., & Spatz, D.L. (2015). Breastfeeding outcomes of infants with surgical congenital anomalies. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing. 44(3): 450-457.

Spatz DL, Froh EB, Schwarz J, Houng K, Brewster I, Myers C, Prince J, Olkkola M. Pump early, pump often: A continuous quality improvement project. The Journal of Perinatal Education, 24(3), 160–170.

Froh, E.B., Spatz, D.L. (2015). Increasing access to evidence based lactation resources through an intranet portal. Journal of Pediatric Nursing. 31: 109-112.

Froh, E.B., Hallowell, S., & Spatz, D.L. (2015). The use of technologies to support human milk and breastfeeding. Journal of Pediatric Nursing. 30(3):521-523.

2014

Torowicz, D., Seelhorst, A., Froh, E.B., & Spatz, D.L. (2014). Human milk and breastfeeding outcomes in infants with congenital heart disease. Breastfeeding Medicine.10: 31-37.

Spatz, D.L., Froh, E.B., & Kim, G. (2014). Outcomes of a hospital based employee lactation program. Breastfeeding Medicine. 9(10): 510-514.

Froh, E.B. & Spatz, D.L. (2014). An ethical case for the provision of human milk in the NICU. Advances in Neonatal Care. 14(4): 269-273.

2013

Froh, E.B., Spatz, D.L., & the Members of the American Academy of Nursing Panel on Breastfeeding. (2013). American Academy of Nursing on Policy, A Call to Action: Ensuring Reasonable Break Time for Nursing Mothers. Nursing Outlook. 61: 117-119.

2012

Froh, E.B., & Spatz, D.L. (2012). Associated morbidities to congenital diaphragmatic hernia and a relationship to human milk. Advances in Neonatal Care. 12(4): 209-216.

Kim, J.H. & Froh, E.B. (2012). What nurses need to know regarding nutritional and immunobiological properties of human milk. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing. 41(1), 122-127.

Spatz, D.L., Raphael, L. & Froh, E.B. (2012). Breastfeeding the infant with congenital diaphragmatic hernia post extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Neonatal Network. 31(1), 31-38.

Books

Chapters

2014

Spatz, D. L. & Froh E.B. (2014). Lactivism and breastfeeding advocacy in the United States. Policy & Politics in Nursing and Health Care (7th Ed.). St. Louis: Elsevier Saunders.

Posters and Presentations

2019

Froh, E.B., & Spatz, D.L. “Timing of milk expression and volume of maternal milk supply among women post cesarean delivery”. Poster Presentation, November 2019; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. American Public Health Association 2019 Annual Conference.

Ferrarello, D., Hinson, T., Froh, E.B. & Spatz, D.L. “Nurses’ views on pasteurized donor human milk for hypoglycemic infants”. Poster Presentation, April 2019; London, England. 13th International Breastfeeding and Lactation Symposium.

Christie, M., & Froh, E.B. “Exploring parental/caregiver perception of community connectedness among youths ages 11 to 18 years”. Poster Presentation, May 2019; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute’s 2019 Research Poster Day and Scientific Symposium.

Spatz, D.L. & Froh, E.B. “Breastfeeding and Lactation for Surgical Infants”. Podium Presentation, June 2019; Atlanta, Georgia. Association for Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses 2019 Convention.

2018

Spatz, D.L., Froh, E.B., Bartholomew, D., Edwards, T., Wild, K., Nawab, U., & Hedrick, H. “Human milk and lactation in a cohort of infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia”. Poster Presentation, March 2018; Paris, France. 13th International Breastfeeding and Lactation Symposium.

Spatz, D.L., & Froh, E.B. “Early feeding patterns of infants with myelomeningocele care for in the neonatal intensive care unit”. Poster Presentation, March 2018; Paris, France. 13th International Breastfeeding and Lactation Symposium.

Froh, E.B., Hutchins, L., Roberts, K., & Frankenberger, W. “Experiences of burnout among pediatric inpatient nurse preceptors”. Poster Presentation, December 2018; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 7th Annual Penn Medicine Nursing Research Conference.

Spatz, D.L., Froh, E.B., Bartholomew, D., Edwards, T., Wild, K., Nawab, U., & Hedrick, H. “Human milk and lactation in a cohort of infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia”. Poster Presentation, May 2018; Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 6th Annual National Pediatric Nurse Scientist Collaborative Meeting.

Spatz, D.L., & Froh, E.B. “Early feeding patterns of infants with myelomeningocele care for in the neonatal intensive care unit”. Poster Presentation, May 2018; Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 6th Annual National Pediatric Nurse Scientist Collaborative Meeting.

2017

Froh E.B., Vanderpool, J., & Spatz, D.L. “Donor Human Milk Usage in a Children’s Hospital”. Poster Presentation, April 2017; Florence, Italy. 12th International Breastfeeding and Lactation Symposium.

Spatz, D.L., & Froh, E.B. “Lactation and Early Head Start”. Oral Presentation. February 2017; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia Early Head Start Program.

Awards and Honors

2018, American Academy of Nursing, Nursing Outlook Excellence in Practice Award
2014, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Dean’s Award (Graduation Award)
2014, Sigma Theta Tau, Xi Chapter, Leadership Award (Graduation Award)
2013, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Office of Nursing Research Student Research Grant
2013, Sigma Theta Tau, Xi Chapter Research Grant
2012, University of Pennsylvania, Graduate and Professional Student Assembly Research Student Travel Grant
2011, University of Pennsylvania, President Guttman Leadership Award
2011, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Teaching Assistant Award
2002-2006, Margaret M. Dick Quasi-Endowed Scholarship
2002-2006, University of Pittsburgh Scholastic Scholarship

Editorial and Academic Positions

Editorial Positions

2017-present, Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing
2014-present, Advances in Neonatal Care
2014-present, Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing
2014-present, Breastfeeding Medicine
2014-present, Journal of Human Lactation
2014-present, Journal of Perinatology

Academic and Institutional Committees

2018-present, Nurse Residency Program Advisory Board
2018-present, Nursing & Clinical Care Services Supporting Practice and Management Council
2016-present, Nursing Research & Evidence-Based Practice Review Committee
2015-present, Nursing & Clinical Care Services Scientific Review Committee

Leadership and Memberships

Memberships in Professional Organizations

2015-present, International Society for Researchers in Human Milk and Lactation
2013-present, Sigma Theta Tau International
2013-present, Sigma Theta Tau International, Xi Chapter
2010-present, American Academy of Nursing Expert Panel on Breastfeeding, Invited guest
2003-present, Sigma Alpha Lambda, National Leadership and Honors Association
2003-present, National Society of Collegiate Scholars