Honoring Legacy: The Spirit of Remembrance in Nursing
As autumn arrives and November unfolds, vibrant marigolds, flickering candles, and sugar skulls appear on altars throughout homes and plazas in Mexico and beyond. These symbols of Día de los Muertos—the Day of the Dead—reflect a tradition that embraces remembrance as a living act of love. Rather than mourning those who have passed, families and communities gather to honor them, sharing their stories, laughter, and favorite meals. It is a celebration that affirms life through memory.
In many ways, this cultural tradition mirrors the heart of nursing. As nurses and educators, we, too, hold space for remembrance—honoring the lives entrusted to our care, the mentors who shaped our practice, and the colleagues who walked beside us. Nursing, at its essence, is an act of presence: to bear witness to life, to provide comfort in dying, and to remember with dignity.
Offerings and an Honor Guard: Active Legacies of Remembrance
The Day of the Dead reminds us that remembrance is not passive reflection; it is a call to continue the legacy. Just as families place ofrendas, offerings, to celebrate their loved ones, we as a nursing community create our own ofrendas through teaching, mentoring, and advocacy. Every student who succeeds, every patient whose outcome improves, every innovation shared; these are our contributions to the profession we love.
An embodiment of that spirit in nursing is the Nurses Honor Guard. This dedicated group of nurses pays tribute to their colleagues who have passed, offering a dignified farewell that mirrors the respect they gave in life. Wearing traditional white uniforms, caps, and capes, they enter solemnly with a lit Nightingale lamp, read the Nightingale Tribute, and call the nurse’s name three times during the Roll Call of Nurses. After the final call, the soft chime of a triangle rings out, signifying the nurse’s official release from duty. It is a poignant reminder that a nurse’s service continues to echo long after their final shift ends.
The Nurses Honor Guard and Día de los Muertos share a common language of reverence, each transforming loss into legacy. Both honor those who came before us by ensuring their spirit remains part of a living, caring continuum. For nurses, remembrance means carrying forward the compassion, courage, and commitment of those who inspired us.
OADN’s Legacy: Advocacy for Expanding Opportunities
Associate degree nursing often serves as the foundation for a nurse’s professional journey. Community-based education, offered through community colleges, provides an accessible and affordable pathway into the nursing profession. The Organization for Associate Degree Nursing (OADN) proudly represents and advocates for more than 1,100 associate degree nursing programs nationwide, ensuring this vital entry point remains strong and supported.
In 2017, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 2118, authorizing select community colleges to voluntarily offer RN-to-BSN programs. This legislation opened the door for countless nurses to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) at a community college tuition rate. San Antonio College (SAC) launched its RN-to-BSN program in fall 2020, becoming the first local community college to offer a four-year nursing degree. Since its inception, enrollment has quadrupled, reflecting the program’s flexible curriculum and its commitment to meeting the evolving needs of today’s nursing workforce.
For me, and for many of us who serve in nursing education, these milestones represent far more than institutional progress—they embody a legacy of access, advocacy, and excellence that OADN has long championed. In celebrating these advancements, we honor the educators and clinicians who shaped our past, while uplifting those who are leading the future of associate degree nursing.
As we enter this season of reflection and renewal, may we take time to remember the nurses who blazed the trails we now walk. Let us honor our students and colleagues who bring new life and vision to the profession. And above all, let us continue to elevate nursing education by embracing change and strengthening our community, together.
This November, as the Organization for Associate Degree Nursing gathers for our sold-out national convention in Nashville, Elevating Nursing Education: Embracing Change, Strengthening Community, I am reminded of how powerfully connected we are through our shared mission. This convention is more than an event; it is a living altar of ideas, innovation, and shared purpose.
Dr. Daniel B. Flores, DNP, MSN/ED, BSN, RN
Associate Professor, San Antonio College
OADN Southwest Regional Director