Logan County native and second generation nurse encourages local participation in the Central Illinois Nurse Honor Guard

 

[March 27, 2024] 

Wednesday, March 27, eighteen current and former nurses gathered at Lincoln Memorial Hospital for an informational meeting about the Central Illinois Nurse Honor Guard.

Presenter Melanie Reynolds grew up in Logan County and has been a nurse for many years. Her mother, who was at the meeting, is a retired nurse. They have a combined 83 years of service. Reynolds’ daughter is also going into the nursing profession.

As Reynolds pointed out, nursing morale has declined over the years, especially with the challenges they faced during the pandemic. Reynolds became interested in the nurse honor guard because she saw the need to lift nurses up.

In November, Reynolds decided she wanted to start a Nurse Honor Guard in Lincoln because of the respect nurses deserve. She then reached out to the national [nurse honor guard] coalition to learn more about starting one in this area. There are no particular guidelines.

Reynolds started with the creation of the logo. Jay Bollinger, who works with Memorial Health System assisted her with the design.

The mission of the Central Illinois Nurse Honor Guard is “to recognize, honor, and remember fallen nurses who have dedicated their lives to caring for others. We are committed to serving them by paying tribute to their compassion for patients and unwavering dedication to the nursing profession.”

The Central Illinois Nurse Honor Guard covers a large service area that will include Logan, Menard and Sangamon Counties among others. Their brochure says, “the nurse honor guard is comprised of both active and retired registered nurses, as well as licensed practical nurses, who have dedicated their time to perform the services.”

The honor guard is made up of a group of volunteers who purchase a uniform. Reynold’s goal is to start during nurses’ week in May.

Many services are offered including a standard Nightingale tribute to fallen nurses, a living tribute for hospice patients before end of life and a standing guard-honor guard. Additionally, they provide pallbearers when needed and yearly memorial services.

The standard service for the nurse honor guard ceremony is usually about five minutes. It begins with the nurse’s prayer and recognition of nurses in attendance. That is followed by the entrance of the honor guard carrying a lit Nightingale lamp, which is symbolic.

For the nurse being honored, there is a recognition of their career. The Nightingale tribute is then recited, followed by a white rose being placed on the casket or urn as a symbol of the nurse’s dedication to the profession.

In the Nightingale tribute a triangle or bell is rung “for the roll call of the nurse, . . [and] the three unanswered calls to service” act as a symbol that “the nurse is officially released from their duties.”

The Nightingale lamp lit at the beginning of the service is “then extinguished and presented to the family for their keepsake.”

Central Illinois Nurses Guard includes various levels of membership. For example, Reynolds said some members mainly provide financial support to help with the group’s ongoing mission. This support helps with purchasing lamps and roses for services and marketing brochures and web related expenses.

Friendship and social members support fellow nurses in social media awareness and attend social outings.

Full active membership requires more personal investment and commitment to the honor guard. Reynolds said nurses can purchase the cape, white cap, white uniform, shoes and gloves worn at the ceremony from her. If nurses prefer to purchase a uniform on their own, the Bright Star Uniform Shop in Springfield offers a ten percent discount to members or employees of hospitals.

Active members are required to travel to service(s) in their chosen area. They must also be able to answer text messages or the BAND app messages promptly and attend a service practice before performing services. Reynolds said services can be somewhat tailored for the person they are honoring. There are usually about five members of the nurse honor guard at services.

Eventually, Reynolds hopes they can obtain 501C3 status.

The meetings include nurse honor guard practice and occasional business meetings about finances and other aspects.

Towards the end of her presentation, Reynolds showed a video from a recent nurse honor guard tribute. This tribute was done at a celebration of life for a nurse who had worked at Memorial Hospital for many years. The touching ceremony ended with a bagpiper playing Amazing Grace.

Currently, Reynolds said the group has 40 active members who plan to be involved in the honor guard. The Facebook group has over 500 nurses who follow the page that launched around Christmastime.

Those interested in the Central Illinois Nurse Honor Guard can reach out to Melanie Reynolds can email her at [e-mail]. She can also be contacted through the Central Illinois Nurse Honor Guard-Nurses Group Facebook page. Reynolds is sending brochures to area funeral homes.

A kickoff of the area Nurses Honor Guard is tentatively scheduled for May 5 in Springfield.

[Angela Reiners]

Related resource:
https://www.ana-illinois.org/nightingale_tribute/