Meet Kathleen's Angels, the nurses who honor nurses

For nurses, caring for others is more than a profession; it is a calling, a calling that becomes part of who they are. At Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, that calling is honored even after a nurse's final day of service through Kathleen's Angels, the hospital's nursing honor guard.

Founded in 2017 by Katie Zechmeister, MSN, RN, arrhythmia and non-invasive nursing supervisor, Kathleen's Angels was created in memory of Katie's mother, Kathleen Zechmeister, CRNA, BSN, RN, who unexpectedly died on July 7, 2017, at the age of 63.

Kathleen devoted 44 years to nursing and inspired her daughter to pursue nursing as well. The two worked together at Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Pittsburgh for a few years, time Katie treasures and continues to hold dear.

A farewell unlike any other

When her mom died, Katie received an unexpected call from the Angels of Allegheny, a nursing honor guard that learned of her mother's passing. Katie had never heard of them or even a nursing honor guard before. The group asked if she would like them to honor her mother's dedication to nursing at her funeral service. Without really knowing what to expect, Katie agreed.

On the day of Kathleen's funeral, the Angels of Allegheny arrived dressed in traditional nursing attire: a white uniform, a nurse's cap, and blue cape. The honor guard surrounded her casket and conducted a special ceremony acknowledging Kathleen's decades of service. They retired her nursing license number, extinguished the flame on the Lamp of Learning, and presented the lamp to Katie. The lamp is a nod to Florence Nightingale, as she was known as the "Lady with the Lamp" because she made nighttime rounds caring for wounded soldiers.

"I couldn't imagine a better send off for a nurse," she said.

The tribute deeply moved her and her family, and Katie knew she wanted to bring that tradition to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.

Kathleen Zechmeister, the inspiration behind Kathleen's Angels, sits at a nursing station in a hospital in Pittsburgh.

Creating Kathleen's Angels

In 2018, less than a year after her mother's passing, Katie did just that. Sentara Norfolk General Hospital welcomed her idea of a nursing honor guard with open arms, and Kathleen's Angels was born.

The tradition was originally developed by the Kansas State Nurses Association and was later endorsed by the American Nurses Association. Modeled after military honor guards, the group's ceremonies offer a final farewell to registered nurses to recognize their dedication, compassion, and lifelong commitment to caring for others. The nurse's earthly duties are finished, and they may now rest.

Honoring a lifetime of compassion

Since the Sentara Norfolk General nursing honor guard began, Kathleen's Angels have honored 11 nurses, and Sentara Leigh Hospital was inspired to organize a guard as well.

"For me, no matter what, a person is always a nurse," Katie said. "It defines you."

Each ceremony carries an emotional weight as the Angels stand alongside families and colleagues at the most difficult of times. But providing a final expression of gratitude for nurses whose lives were defined by the selfless care of others is worth it for each member.

Kathleen's Angels is a volunteer group of 12 RNs, and the two most recent were inducted during a ceremony at Sentara Norfolk General in August. They are honored to donate their time to pay tribute to fellow nurses when called upon at the hospital, funeral homes, or churches.

A legacy that lives on

Much like the original guard, Kathleen's Angels wear traditional nurses' garb and conduct services with a similar framework and readings. And in every solemn procession, every prayer, every final "Call to Duty" and every Lamp of Learning placed into a family's hands, Kathleen's legacy continues.

Creating Kathleen's Angels has become part of Katie's own journey through grief. By helping families honor the nurses they love, she has found a way to continue honoring her mother's memory.

"I wish more people had gotten to know her," Katie said. "She lives on through me."