I know a few nurses. One I know very, very well. Nurses are caring and compassionate about their patients and they're dedicated to their profession.

I’m in Millcreek to experience a great example of that dedication. I’ve been invited by members of the Nurse Honor Guard Chapter of Erie County to a tribute ceremony they are conducting for Donna Griffin. Donna was a beloved and respected nurse from AHN-St. Vincent Hospital who died last December. We are at Our Lady of Peace Church. The ceremony is being conducted during a memorial service at the church.

Lucille Morrison is one of the nurses taking part in the tribute ceremony. She was one of 5 people who first got together early last year to form the Nurse Honor Guard Chapter of Erie County. Since that initial meeting, the number of nurses in the honor guard has grown to 35 members.

"Our nurses, we are full of compassion and that compassion never goes away,” says Lucille. “When we lose a colleague, that deeply affects us. So we want to honor them."

The ceremony is short, only a few minutes long. But, it is beautiful. The honor guard dresses in the Florence Nightingale tradition including a white uniform, and a cape. Each member holds a candle. The honor guard then recites all the wonderful attributes of a nurse. They declare that Donna met all those traits.

"When a calming, quiet presence was all that was needed, Donna was there,” recites the nurses in unison.

All nurses pray the Nightingale Prayer when they graduate from nursing school and begin their career. That same prayer is said by the honor guard as a nurse is honored at the end of his or her life. It's a touching scene.

"We release the fallen nurse from service,” says Janet Minzenberger, Communications Director for the local honor guard. “Our final words are basically, 'Rest in Peace. We've got it. We'll take it from here.’ And then we process out.”

The happy part of this story is that the families of nurses appreciate having the honor guard tribute conducted for their loved one. Donna's oldest sister, Helen Notaro, says the ceremony is a salute to Donna's longtime dedication.

"She was born when I was nine,” says Helen. “Beautiful child. Wanted to be a nurse from the time she was four."

The nurse honor guard will conduct a ceremony for any nurse with ties to Erie County, no matter how long that nurse has been deceased.. The only exception is that the ceremony must be held in Erie County. The honor guard has been busy. It conducted six ceremonies just last week.

For more information, go to the Facebook page for the Nurse Honor Guard of Erie County.