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Members of the Nursing Honor Guard of Midwestern Indiana in March 2024, standing vigil for PMH nurse Deborah Coble, who had over 20 years of service to the profession. |
The new program seeks to bring dignity and recognition to a nurse’s final farewell by acknowledging their lifelong commitment to caring for others.
Forming a Nursing Honor Guard has been a goal of Linda Webb, chief nursing officer at Pulaski Memorial, since 2016, when she first heard of the program at an Indiana Organization of Nursing Leadership board meeting. When Kasey Born was hired as Webb’s assistant, her background in funeral services provided the right opportunity to start the program locally.
A Meaningful Tribute
At memorial services, the honor guard wears traditional white uniforms and caps - symbols of the nursing profession’s storied history - and carries a ceremonial Nightingale lamp. During the service, members read the Nightingale Pledge, a solemn reflection that highlights the individual’s years of service, contributions to the profession, and impact on patients and colleagues.
“The Nursing Honor Guard is our way of saying ‘thank you’ one last time,” said Webb. “Nurses spend their lives comforting others. It’s only right that we stand in their honor when their time on Earth has come to an end.”
Since forming in late 2023, the Nursing Guard has honored more than a dozen fallen nurses by standing vigil at their visitations and providing a brief ceremony at their funeral and graveside services. At the end of each tribute, members of the guard extinguish the Nightingale lamp, signifying that the fallen nurse’s shift has ended. A final Roll Call and the Nurse’s Prayer are read aloud, and the Nightingale Nursing Lamp is presented to the honored nurse’s family.
While Nursing Honor Guards have existed in various parts of the country for years, more hospitals and nursing associations have recently embraced the tradition, inspired by a renewed focus on preserving the profession’s history and honoring those who served quietly but powerfully. The Nursing Honor Guard of Midwestern Indiana serves Pulaski, Starke and Fulton counties.
The group is always looking for more volunteers. If you know an RN or LPN who is interested in volunteering, please contact Linda Webb or Kasey Born at (574) 946-2165. Donations are also welcome to assist with sustaining the program. Money can be sent to PMH with ‘Nursing Honor Guard’ noted in the memo line.
