Texas Children's Hospital Nurse Morgan Fischer Recognized as 2025 National Magnet Nurse of the Year for Transformational Leadership

HOUSTON, Oct. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Texas Children's Hospital is excited to announce Pavilion for Women Labor & Delivery nurse Morgan Fischer, BSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM, has been named a 2025 National Magnet Nurse of the Year for Transformational Leadership. The prestigious award honors those who have demonstrated remarkable leadership, innovation and commitment to improving care delivery and advancing nursing practice.

Fischer was recognized for advancing Texas Children's anti-human trafficking program with additional training that helps healthcare providers better identify and assist victims who are treated at the hospital.

"We are thrilled to celebrate Morgan receiving one of the highest honors in nursing excellence," said Jackie Ward, DNP, RN, NE-BC, System Chief Nurse Executive and Senior Vice President at Texas Children's. "She is a role model, a change agent and a true leader whose influence has made a lasting impact on our organization and the patients we are privileged to serve."

Fischer recently accepted the 2025 National Magnet Nurse of the Year for Transformational Leadership award during a ceremony at the Magnet & Pathway Conference™ hosted by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) in Atlanta. ANCC is part of the American Nurses Association, which is the largest organization for nurses in the United States, representing five million registered nurses. Fischer was one of five nurses to receive the prestigious award in 2025.

"I was honored to get such a prestigious award. I am thankful for the support I have received from my Texas Children's mentors, leaders and colleagues," said Fischer. "I am blessed to be in a unique position where my passion for helping vulnerable women and my nursing career in labor and delivery intersect. Having witnessed hope restored to countless patients over the years, I encourage other nurses to be a voice for vulnerable patients and an agent of change where you work. We nurses may be the only people they feel safe turning to for help."

During Fischer's acceptance speech, she highlighted the need for resources for victims of human trafficking. According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, Texas is the second highest state for human trafficking, with more than 1,300 cases of human trafficking identified in 2024.

Shortly after Fischer joined Texas Children's in 2021, she proposed forming a task force to further develop a standardized process for screening, recognizing, treating and supporting individuals being trafficked. Fischer also conducted a needs assessment to identify knowledge gaps to help staff recognize warning signs. Additionally, Fischer and her team improved workflow for identifying victims and referring them for further evaluation by social workers. 

"While being a relatively new clinical nurse in our Pavilion for Women's Labor & Delivery unit, Morgan has already differentiated herself as a courageous advocate for the detection and prevention of human trafficking," said Sharon Burks, MSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM, Assistant Clinical Director of Labor & Delivery at Texas Children's Pavilion for Women. "Morgan's unwavering leadership improved our understanding of a unique health and social issue that was subsequently addressed with education and other comprehensive interventions." 

About Texas Children's
Texas Children's, a nonprofit health care organization, is committed to creating a healthier future for children and women throughout the global community by leading in patient care, education and research. Consistently ranked as the best children's hospital in Texas and among the top in the nation, Texas Children's has garnered widespread recognition for its expertise and breakthroughs in pediatric and women's health. The system includes the Texas Children's Duncan NRI; the Feigin Tower for pediatric research; Texas Children's Pavilion for Women, a comprehensive obstetrics/gynecology facility focusing on high-risk births; Texas Children's Hospital West Campus, a community hospital in suburban West Houston; Texas Children's Hospital The Woodlands, the first hospital devoted to children's care for communities north of Houston and Texas Children's Hospital North Austin, the new state-of-the-art facility providing world-class pediatric and maternal care to Austin families. The organization also created Texas Children's Health Plan, the nation's first HMO focused on children; Texas Children's Pediatrics, the largest pediatric primary care network in the country; Texas Children's Urgent Care clinics that specialize in after-hours care tailored specifically for children; and a global health program that is channeling care to children and women all over the world. Texas Children's Hospital is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine. For more information, visit www.texaschildrens.org. 

Media Contact:
Texas Children's Public Affairs
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SOURCE Texas Children's Hospital