Center for Nursing Excellence
Cook Children’s nurses at the 2025 Society of Pediatric Nurses conference
Welcome to the Center for Nursing Excellence
At Cook Children's Center for Nursing Excellence (CNE), we are dedicated to empowering pediatric nurses to achieve their highest potential because when nurses thrive, so do our patients. Our center is the heart of innovation, mentorship and professional growth across the Cook Children's Health Care System. Whether a nurse is seeking support for research, guidance for evidence-based practice or opportunities for professional development, we are here to help guide their journey.
Through conference scholarships, hands-on learning and expert mentorship, we foster an environment where nurses at every stage can lead, learn, and make a lasting difference. Explore our programs, connect with our team and discover how we are advancing nursing excellence together.
Meet our CNE team
Get to know the passionate staff and nurse leaders who make our center a hub of excellence.
Kaylan Branson
DNP, RN, CPN, CNL Director of Nursing Quality and Magnet
Malorie Brooks
DNP, RN, CPN, CHSE, EBP-C Director of EBP and Implementation Science
Julie Van Orne
PhD, RN, CPN, CNL Director of Nursing Research and Innovation
Ora Asheton
BSN, RN, CPN, CCRC, LSSYB Nursing Excellence and Well-being Manager
Aubrey Blackburn
MSN, RN, CPHQ, CSSBB Nursing Projects and Analytics Specialist
Mission statement
The mission of Cook Children's Center for Nursing Excellence is to support the structural empowerment of pediatric nurses at all levels across Cook Children's Health Care System to achieve exemplary nursing, patient and hospital-wide outcomes.
Professional development and support
- 12-month-long Nurse Excellence Fellowship
- Conference scholarships for nurses
- Texas Christian University Evidence-Based Practice Fellowship scholarship
- Mini-grants to support work being done within our shared governance councils
- Funding for nurse-led research, evidence-based practice and quality improvement projects
- Mentorship for research, EBP and quality improvement projects
- Abstract and manuscript writing assistance
- Survey creation and academic project support
- Guidance for professional development programs
Education and training
- Research, evidence-based practice, and quality improvement class series
- Toolkits for EBP projects, literature searching, article critique, and data analysis
- Workshops on designing posters, abstracts, and writing for publication
- Introduction to statistics and health data resources
Celebrating nurse scholarly work
Nurse Wellbeing
The Nursing Excellence and Well-being Manager helps guide nurse wellbeing efforts across the health care system, including:
- Support for designing and implementing well-being initiatives
- Well-being events and campaigns
- Resources, tools, and workshops to support nurse well-being
- Advocacy for system-level changes to foster a healthy work environment
Magnet® designation
For fifteen years, Cook Children's Medical Center has been Magnet-designated by the American Nursing Credentialing Center (ANCC), a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association.