2025 Nursing Annual Report
Explore 2025 Nursing Annual Report:
Message from the Chief Nurse Executive
At UT Southwestern, excellence in nursing is an expectation we uphold every day. The depth of clinical expertise, the consistency in performance, and the trust placed in our teams across North Texas are unmistakable. This year reinforced what many of us experience daily: Our nurses are central to the success and reputation of this institution.
That expectation showed up in tangible ways. Our teams continued to deliver care at a level that positioned UT Southwestern as the No. 1 hospital in Dallas-Fort Worth for the ninth consecutive year, with 12 specialties ranked nationally. The same level of rigor was evident in Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center’s exemplary merit score during its National Cancer Institute designation renewal. These are significant recognitions, but what matters most is what they represent: evidence-based decisions made with precision and attention to the people we support each day.
Discipline at our level required sustained focus this year. Our Magnet redesignation process asked us to examine our practice environment with honesty and depth. In doing so, 79 studies surfaced from nurses across the system, each rooted in a shared desire to improve outcomes and elevate the way we approach our work. The momentum generated through this process reflected how deeply invested nurses are in our profession and this organization.
Growth within our clinical workforce tells a similar story, with more than 5,200 dedicated nurses and advanced practice providers now serving across our hospitals and clinics. Together, they contribute to a professional environment that nurses actively seek out, and with this scale comes responsibility in how we are organized. This year, we enhanced the Health System Nursing structure by welcoming Adesuwa Odubele, M.S.N., RN, as Clements University Hospital’s Chief Nursing Officer. In addition, Karah Sickler, D.N.P., M.H.A., AGACNP-BC, joined UT Southwestern as the inaugural Chief Advanced Practice Officer, and Emily Flahaven, M.S.N., RN, NI-BC, was promoted to the newly created role of Chief Nursing Informatics Officer. I am pleased to partner with these leaders in advancing clinical excellence at UT Southwestern.
This year reinforced what many of us experience daily: Our nurses are central to the success and reputation of this institution.
Others continue to take notice of what is happening here. In 2025, we welcomed 287 nurse residents and fellows through our accredited Practice Transitions Program. The Advanced Practice Provider Fellowship Program earned accreditation with distinction from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, strengthening preparation for advanced roles. And for the third consecutive year, we were recognized as a Best Workplace for Men in Nursing. These milestones support what we hear often and see daily: People want to work here.
UT Southwestern is committed to fostering growth and new opportunities within our campuses and across the broader community, highlighted by the upcoming launch of the Texas Behavioral Health Center. The new facility will broaden mental health access in our region and marks an important step forward for our health system. Our progress is further defined by advancement in nursing informatics and the strategic use of technology to enhance clinical practice. As we expand, our nurses will play a pivotal role in shaping how technology is integrated across all care environments. It is inspiring to see this work come to life, with nurses guiding the foundation of these innovations from the ground up.
As you read through this Nursing Annual Report, I hope you see yourself in these pages. You will find stories of meaningful work and collaboration. Above all, you will see a community grounded in purpose and shaped by the daily choices you make in every setting of care.
Susan Hernandez, D.N.P., M.B.A., RN
Vice President, Health System Chief Nurse Executive
2025 Nurse Executive Cabinet
From left: Adesuwa Odubele, M.S.N., RN; Susan Hernandez, D.N.P., M.B.A., RN; Sean Gilmore, M.H.A., FACHE; and Cristy Garza
Values in Practice
Nursing Philosophy
UT Southwestern is committed to providing quality nursing care through effective use of resources and the development of innovative programs in clinical practice, education, and research.
We value the worth, dignity, and autonomy of our patients and their families. We believe that each individual has unique physical, social, emotional, and spiritual needs that are served through personalized, compassionate care.
We encourage each nurse to care for his or her body, mind, and spirit as a critical element in achieving clinical excellence. Nurses at UT Southwestern are also encouraged to nurture and support one another in an environment that fosters teamwork and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Working collaboratively affords us the opportunity for common goal-setting through trust, mutual respect, and a commitment to open and honest communication in serving our patients.
Our Commitment to Our Patients and Each Other
- I will do my part to make the hospital environment a peaceful, quiet place dedicated to the healing of the body and spirit.
- I will anticipate the needs of patients and their families rather than waiting to be asked for assistance.
- I will own and resolve every problem I can or personally hand over the problem to someone who can resolve it.
- I will respect the confidentiality of patients, their families, and my colleagues through discrete conversation and attention to privacy.
- I will be responsible for keeping our work environments clean and safe.
- I will dress professionally, and I will speak and conduct myself in a manner that always keeps the focus on our patients.
