Now nurses have their own funeral honor guards, too: National coalition starts local chapter
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) – We’ve seen veterans honor other veterans at the time of their passing. We’ve seen police officers honor other police officers at their End of Watch. Firefighters commemorate fallen fellow firefighters at the appropriate time.
But there’s another group of people who are vital to a safe and healthy society who don’t always get the attention they deserve. But that is changing.
They are nurses, the medical professionals who are often the first and most attentive caregivers patients have in their most vulnerable moments. The ones who administer most of the hands-on physical care but many times also the emotional reassurance — in hospitals, emergency departments, doctors’ offices and clinics — in virtually every health care setting. But, besides family and personal friends, who mourns for them when a nurse’s time comes? Who recognizes their unique sacrifices?
Answer: the National Coalition of Nurses, a group of retired nurses who attend funerals, memorials and tributes to fellow nurses. A Bakersfield chapter is now up and running, honoring nurses at the time of their passing or approaching passing, at the request of family.
The tributes are similar to what many of us have seen for law enforcement, fire departments and the military — but with white roses instead of rifles.
Karen Coughenour is vice-chair of the local chapter, which was on hand to salute Adventist Health RN Robin Smith Monday at Greenlawn Southwest.
“We feel that every nurse at the time of their passing deserves a final tribute and an honor that demonstrates how we feel about them — the appreciation that we nurses feel for every nurse,” she said. “Our mission, our goal is to make sure that this is available to every nurse.”
There were many nurses in attendance at Robin Smith’s service Monday, including a few co-workers, some with daughter who showed up as Batman as a tribute to their Robin.
It’s an appropriate coincidence that the local chapter was formed not long after the pandemic took hold. A four-year event that forced nurses to work long, difficult hours, oftentimes isolating patients from family, occasionally trying to convince disbelieving loved ones about the legitimacy of a virus that has killed 1.1 million Americans. Nurses required special fortitude and teamwork during that time. But then, fortitude has always been part of the job description, and understanding has been a necessity in family members.
“Most of us know that during our nursing careers our families give almost as much as we do, and probably more sometimes,” Coughenour said. “We miss birthdays, we miss school functions, we miss holidays, we miss daytime. You know, nurses work any time, any day or night. We miss sleep. So, we do this because we believe our families are the ones who have sacrificed and need that touch, that healing touch from us.”
The honor guard nurses don’t always personally know the nurse they’re honoring, and that’s OK.
Three or four members of the Honor Guard actually knew Robin Smith. Cindy Archer was one of them.
“She was an amazing nurse, “Archer said. “She was just always willing to go above and beyond what needed to be done.”
Interested in learning more about the National Nurses Honor Guard Coalition? Email them at kcnhg2023@gmail.com.
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