Month of the Military Child

Military-connected children (MCC) make tremendous sacrifices in support of a parent(s) military service. While “resilient” is the word used to describe most military-connected children, it is important that we recognize the stresses/stressors of military life in order to support, care for, and strengthen the military family. MCC are subjected to unique stressors not experienced by their civilian counterparts, and yet their physical, psychological, and behavioral healthcare needs have gone unrecognized outside of military healthcare settings. With the reorganization of the Department of Defense Military Health System, more MCC will receive care in the civilian sector by providers who typically lack the knowledge and comfort level to provide culturally competent care to this unique population. 

This presentation will provide guidance for utilization of the I Serve 2:  A Pocketcard for Healthcare Providers Caring for Military Children© in civilian clinical practice to better identify physical, psychological, and behavioral health risk factors/co-morbidities in MCC.

Learning Objectives: 

• Describe military culture, military family life, the deployment cycle, and the impact on military-connected children.
•  Identify factors affecting risk, resilience, and health-seeking behaviors in military-connected children.
• Construct approaches for healthcare providers to use the I Serve 2 strategy to create a supportive environment for military families.

Meet your hosts: 

Dr. Ali R. Tayyeb, Ph.D., RN, NPD-BC, PHN  is a United States Navy Veteran, Registered Nurse, Educator, artist, and creator, and host of the RN-Mentor podcast. Dr. Tayyeb is currently an adjunct associate professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Tayyeb’s work and research concentrates around improving access to care and benefits for veterans and advancing social networks to connect and advance nursing issues while facilitating nursing discourse centered around the theory of social contracts.

Dr. Alicia Gill Rossiter is a family and board-certified pediatric nurse practitioner and an Associate Professor at the University of South Florida College of Nursing. She currently serves as the Assistant Dean for Alumni and Community Engagement and Chief Officer of Military and Veteran Affairs. Dr. Rossiter served in the military, retiring in 2015 after 24 years of military service on Active Duty and in the Reserve. Her military experience has the been the impetus behind her research and scholarly work which includes women veterans and military sexual trauma, the effects of parental military service on military connected children, and transitioning needs of medics and corpsmen into the professional role of nursing. She recently co-authored her first book, Caring for Veterans and their Families: A Guide for Nurses and other Healthcare Professionals.

Dr. Catherine Ling is a nurse scientist, practicing Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), and certified nurse educator focusing on improving access to quality, primary care. Her scholarship focuses on improvement of culturally tailored care for military families. Her clinical practice includes active involvement in community focused interventions to improve wellness and address social determinants of health. As an educator, Dr Ling is also creating innovative, engaging strategies to prepare DNP students for advanced practice. She promotes nursing practice through her work in global practicum coordination.