The idea was based on a similar service to what the military, police, and firefighters perform for their fallen colleagues. Willette first met with colleagues who had a similar interest in 2013, but shortly after this gathering, Willette died unexpectedly. To honor her, her friends and colleagues moved forward and made her dream a reality. Today, many Nurse Honor Guards throughout the United States commemorate and pay tribute to nurses at the time of their passing by performing the Nightingale Tribute at their funeral or memorial service.
The Nurse Scholars Academy established the Nurse Honor Guard for Kaiser Permanente Northern California in the summer of 2022. The reception and growing number of requests for the honor guard have been inspirational, and the Nurse Honor Guard has participated in more than 10 services across Northern California to date. Although the honor guard started with just Kaiser Permanente Nurses, efforts to increase support and participation have now been extended to the Kaiser Foundations School of Nursing Alumni Association and further to any nurse who would like to volunteer.
Community Partnership
The Nurse Scholars Academy has recognized the critical need to support and promote the spirit of volunteerism and community service for Nurse Honor Guard services. We are excited to announce a partnership and transition of Nurse Honor Guard services to our community partner, the Nurse Honor Guard of Northern California. For more information, to request a service, or to volunteer for a Nurse Honor Guard, please visit https://nhgnorcal.org/
