meNurses Honor Guard

Nurses devote their lives to caring for others. In partnership with local funeral homes, the Capital Region Nurses Honor Guard provides a Final Tribute to honor the service, sacrifice, and compassion of fallen nurses.

During the tribute, nurses dressed in traditional white uniforms and caps stand vigil and perform a brief but powerful ceremony that includes a reading, the Nightingale lamp, a white rose presentation, and the Final Call to Duty.

This ceremony can be incorporated into the funeral or memorial service to recognize the nurse’s professional legacy and offer comfort to their family and loved ones.

About the Nurses Honor Guard:

The Capital Region Nurses Honor Guard is a group of dedicated nurse volunteers committed to honoring the lives, service, and legacy of nurses who have passed. We serve the counties of Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Columbia, and Greene, and collaborate closely with neighboring Honor Guard chapters throughout New York State. A full directory of Honor Guards can be found on the New York State Nurses Honor Guard website.

Our mission is to pay tribute to the unwavering compassion, strength, and commitment that nurses demonstrate throughout their careers. Each ceremony is a solemn, dignified expression of gratitude for a lifetime of caregiving.

The tribute may include:

• A reading in honor of the nurse’s life and profession
• The lighting of the Florence Nightingale lamp
• Presentation of a white rose symbolizing compassion
• The Final Call to Duty

This service is available for any licensed nurse, whether active or retired, and is offered at no cost to the family. To request a tribute, please notify the funeral home. To learn more about the organization, please email NurseHonorGuardCapRegion@gmail.com.