Courage to Soar Pediatric Conference

Tiffany A. Mullen, MSN, RN, ACCNS-P, CCRN, serves a three-year term as a director on the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) board of directors from July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2025. As a clinical nurse specialist (CNS) at Children’s Mercy, Kansas City, Missouri, Mullen focuses on improving outcomes for patients, nurses and the organization. She has been a trailblazer as a CNS at Children’s Mercy and a fierce advocate for the pediatric CNS program at her alma mater. Much of her daily work centers on improving clinical outcomes and fostering a culture of safety. She has created and led multiple committees, including a collaborative with ICU nurses and members of the Heart Center, led many unit-based and hospital-wide CLABSI initiatives, created a PICU/CICU Safety Council, implemented a Family Satisfaction Survey, and currently leads the work to restructure the ICU Shared Governance Committees. She also led a small group to develop and implement a trauma ICU course, allowing the hospital’s nurses to learn from a curriculum specific to their patient population. Supporting bedside nurses is her passion! Her volunteer work with AACN includes serving on the AACN – AACN Certification Corporation Nominating Committee (2020), Moral Distress Work Group (2019), Scope and Standards Task Force (2018), CCNS Exam Review Committee (2017) and CCRN Item Writing Committee (2017). She has also been a member of the Kansas City Chapter since 2015, serving in leadership positions as secretary and president. Besides her work with AACN, she created a network of CNS peers who exchange emails weekly and meet virtually on a monthly basis. She is also a member of the Society of Critical Care Medicine, National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists and the Society of Pediatric Nurses. Among her many awards, Mullen received the Society of Pediatric Nurses’ Advanced Practice Nurse of the Year and Children’s Mercy Clinical Excellence Nurse of the Year, both in 2019. She and her husband are high-school sweethearts and love to play soccer with their three daughters. She has even gone scuba diving with sharks – and plans to never scuba dive again! Mullen earned a Master of Science in Nursing at University of Missouri, Columbia, and a Bachelor of General Studies in Psychology and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at The University of Kansas, Lawrence.

Michelle has been a respiratory therapist since June 2000. She started working in a Level III Neonatal ICU six months into her career. In 2005, Michelle obtained a Neonatal Pediatric Specialty certification and transferred to the Sacramento Regional Neonatal Respiratory Care Specialist. Michelle held this title for almost 17 years. In 2021 Michelle received her Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy from Boise State University. Michelle started teaching the neonatal/pediatric lecture and laboratory course at the American River Respiratory Care Program in 2017. Michelle has taught and created programs for various training centers and hospitals for the Neonatal Resuscitation Program and STABLE program for approximately 20 years. Michelle is currently working as the Respiratory Supervisor and Educator at Mercy General Hospital.

With nearly 29 years of dedicated service at UC Davis Medical Center, Aida has established herself as a highly skilled registered nurse with 22 years of nursing experience, including 13 years in Critical Care. In 2015, she transitioned to the operating room, where she obtained advanced certification (CNOR) in Operating Room nursing in 2017. Aida's commitment to excellence was recognized in April 2020 when she was promoted to Clinical Nurse 3 through the Career Ladder Program at UC Davis Health. She has extensive experience in training, precepting, and orienting both new RN graduates and seasoned nurses. As a subject matter expert and team leader, Aida specializes in Fetal Surgery, Pediatric General & Thoracic Surgery, and Pediatric Neurosurgery. Her proven success in complex surgical case management, along with her ability to foster team development and enhance communication dynamics, has earned her numerous accolades. Aida is a two-time recipient of the DAISY Team Award for her leadership role with the Fetal Surgery Team and her pivotal involvement in the separation of craniopagus twins in 2020. Aida has also showcased her expertise through the presentation of four posters at the AORN Global Surgical Expo and the ACS Quality and Safety Conferences. In addition to her clinical responsibilities, she serves as the vice president of the local AORN Capital 0515 chapter since March 2023, further exemplifying her commitment to advancing nursing practice and leadership in the surgical field.

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