MercyOne Des Moines Hospice Nurse Honor Guard

MercyOne Des Moines Hospice Nurse Honor Guard Commemorates Nurses’ Lives Throughout Iowa

When a fellow nurse passed away, retired MercyOne nurse Deb Ivis wanted to do something special. She remembered an Honor Guard Program for nurses, which had been inactive for some time. Determined to honor their friend, Deb and a few nursing colleagues teamed up to rejuvenate the Nurse Honor Guard. Since then, it has grown and thrived through MercyOne Des Moines Home Care and Hospice.

This special program, similar to the Military Honor Guard, pays tribute to fallen nurses. The program volunteers honor the nurse's life and recognize their years of dedicated service and the hundreds of lives they touched.

To do this, the volunteers attend memorials and funerals and even perform living tributes for those nearing the end of their lives.  Dressed in traditional white uniforms, complete with caps and capes, the group performs a tribute ceremony.

Nurse Honor Guard Volunteers (from left to right): Ann Skutely, Ann McGonegle, Julie Schomer, Deb Ivis, Ann Lawson, Mary Schemmel

The Nurse Honor Guard carries a lit Nightingale lamp and offer a final "call to duty," calling the nurse's name three times and ringing a chime. When silence follows, they state, "We officially release you from your nursing duties."

Deb, a longtime nurse at MercyOne, explains her passion for the program, "We want to make sure we honor each other and recognize nurses for the incredible work we do, hoping that one day someone will do the Honor Guard for me at my funeral."

Now run by MercyOne Des Moines Home Care and Hospice in Iowa, the program is led by 90 volunteers, made up of mostly retired nurses.

The Honor Guard has conducted dozens of tributes, many for nurses from the MercyOne health system and others from outside the system.  Deb and other volunteers travel throughout Iowa to provide this special ceremony, offering comfort to grieving families.

MercyOne Des Moines Home Care and Hospice provides compassionate end-of-life care in the greater Des Moines region. As life's journey nears its end, our hospice care offers comfort, peace and improved quality of life. Our caring team supports patients and families through this final stage.

Volunteer & Donate

In addition to the Honor Guard program, our volunteers provide support and companionship to patients and their families. They work alongside the hospice team to enhance patients' quality of life through emotional support, companionship and assistance. 

If you’re interested in becoming a MercyOne Des Moines Hospice volunteer or wish to donate:

To support our agency in another state, please visit TrinityHealthAtHome.org. Join us in making a difference.