05/26/2026
We recently celebrated Traver Larson, RN, as a DAISY Award Honoree! Traver is a nurse in our post-surgery recovery area. He was nominated for the award by a patient's mother:
"Our Liam is a special needs, 15-year-old with Angelman Syndrome. he is nonverbal but also struggles with global communication deficits and significant cognitive challenges. By the time we arrived for his wisdom teeth removal surgery, he had already missed five weeks of school while we worked to find the cause of the sudden onset of severe behavioral difficulties. Pain and stress can make his reactions unpredictable and, at times, combative, and that, coupled with his extreme anxiety in medical environments, left us deeply concerned about how he might treat the staff.
On that day, Traver remained consistently patient, calm and respectful. What stood out most was the balance Traver struck in his communication. He never ignored Liam; he greeted him, spoke to him directly, and treated him as the patient at the center of his own care. At the same time, Traver thoughtfully and thoroughly directed the critical medical information to us, recognizing that Liam could not process or respond to those details. This approach allowed Liam to feel included and respected while ensuring we had the information we needed to support him.
Traver's professionalism, empathy and intuitive care stood out as truly exceptional because of Liam's extraordinary situation that day. Traver made an immeasurable difference for us and most importantly, for Liam."
Congratulations, Traver!
