Carol Bohling was at a family member’s service in Moline, Ill., when she saw a pamphlet at the funeral home.
It was about a nurse honor guard.
“I thought it was really nice,” the North Bend woman said. “As a retired nurse, I thought what a wonderful tribute it was to nurses. I brought the pamphlet home, put it in my file and didn’t think about it for about six months or so.”
Bohling was looking at a newspaper when an article about a nurse honor guard in Lincoln rekindled her interest.
“I thought that was something we need to do in our area,” she said. “We had lost several of our longtime employees at what is now (Methodist Fremont Health) that I had worked with.”
Bohling, who worked at the Fremont hospital for 33 years before retiring in 2010, called a friend and fellow nurse, Jan Ostransky, whom she thought might also be interested in an honor guard.
“Jan told me it was something we must do,” Bohling said.
The two then contacted Deb Zobel, who is the president of the Nebraska Nurse Honor Guard. From that conversation, a Fremont area chapter was formed. It is only the fourth one in the state.
The honor guard, comprised of volunteers, performs a brief ceremony at funerals or memorials for nurses. The free service includes reciting the Nightingale Tribute, placing a white rose on the casket or urn to signify the nurse’s devotion to the profession and presenting an extinguished nursing lamp to the family.
The Fremont area chapter includes nine active or former nurses. The group includes residents of Dodge, Mead, North Bend, Hooper and Fremont.
“We will serve the Fremont area,” Bohling said. “We’ll go in about a 30-mile radius of Fremont. We are thankful to get it started. We hope more chapters (in the state) get organized.”
The group wanted to start in the fall, but that was pushed back due to COVID-19. They will receive training Tuesday with an induction ceremony scheduled for 7:15 that night at First Lutheran Church in Fremont. The honor guard will be available for services beginning Wednesday.
The tribute service is available for retired or active registered nurses or licensed practical nurses.
“The funeral homes are aware of the availability of the Nebraska Nurse Honor Guard,” Bohling said. “The tribute service can be performed at the visitation or at the invitation of the clergy. Families that want this can relay it to the funeral director or pastor and they can get in touch with us.”
There is no cost for the service, but the group relies on donations. If interested in donating, go to: www.nebraskanursehonorguard.org.
Bohling said the Nebraska Nurse Honor Guard is a good way to honor someone who worked in the healthcare profession.
“The service is to remember the difference the nurse made in the lives of others,” she said.
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