Great 100 Nurse for 2025: Cameron “Cammie” Elise Larson, MSN, RN, CCRN, LSSGB
Full name with credentials: Cameron “Cammie” Elise Larson, MSN, RN, CCRN, LSSGB
Dept. where you work: Pediatric ICU (PICU)
Full title: Clinical Nurse Leader
Years at Cook Children’s: In June it’ll be 17 years, 16 as a nurse in the PICU
What does this honor mean to you? Some of the people I most respect in the nursing profession have received this award and to be named on this list and join in their ranks is an honor I do not take lightly. For a peer to take the time to write a nomination means a great deal, let alone a nomination that gets selected to receive an award. I have read a few winners’ nominations in the past and it takes a significant amount of thought and care that should be an honor in and of itself. It means that someone looked at what I see as just doing my job and felt it was deserving of recognition- and that others agreed.
What do you love most about working at Cook Children’s? I love that Cook Children’s has provided me a well-supported position to directly affect positive change. After 12 years of bedside nursing, I was able to step into a new role affording me time to work on improving processes and patient care practices while maintaining bedside skill. The relationships I had and have since formed have strengthened across the medical center to help break down barriers and make meaningful improvements. As rewarding as it is to know my impact can reach beyond my unit, my incredible PICU team is the unshakeable foundation on which everything I do is built. These people are the reason I come back to tackle the ever-present challenges and to whom I ultimately feel accountable.
What value means the most to you and why? (Collaboration, Safety, Kindness, Respect, Generosity and Imagination) A lesson I learned a little late- but not too late- into my nursing career is that you can be doing wonderful things for your patients, for your peers, for outcomes, etc., but if that “wonderfulness” is siloed, it’s a loss. Collaborating with providers, bedside nursing peers in different units, any relevant discipline in different departments within the hospital is necessary to reach the most cohesive, evidence-supported outcome. Collaboration means our patients and their families receive the most up-to-date care by staff who can trust their direction came from the subject matter experts who advocated for them in the process. It also means understanding. I have had the chance to witness how understanding other departments’, disciplines’, and units’ work and workflow can positively affect virtually every aspect of our interactions.
A highlight from Cammie's Nomination Letter:
How has this individual been a role model?
"This nurse is an exemplar and an invaluable resource for all staff in her unit – and the hospital! Her wealth of experience and welcoming, approachable demeanor make her the go-to person for guidance, support, and solutions. Whether the questions relate to nursing care, equipment, ideas, or innovation, this nurse is a steadfast problem solver and role model. What truly sets her apart is her unwavering commitment to improvement. She organized a novel program called Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) Safety Rounds, a multidisciplinary initiative to identify and address safety issues at the bedside proactively.
This evidence-based program has had a measurable impact on patient safety and quality of care, improving practices such as timely central line dressing changes, endotracheal tube safety, and appropriate pain medication coverage. Her dedication to sharing her knowledge is equally noteworthy. She presented her work on ICU safety rounds at the National Society of Pediatric Nurses Conference and internationally at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement Conference in England.
Beyond this, she is currently writing a manuscript on the positive outcomes of a project she co-led to reduce pediatric pressure injuries related to cervical collars. Her influence and expertise extend far beyond her own unit. She is an integral member of our hospital-wide Policy and Procedures Council, where she leads efforts to ensure patient care policies are evidence-based, practical, and realistic for bedside nursing. Her commitment to quality improvement, innovation, and mentorship resonates throughout the hospital, improving the care delivered to every child."