Long Day’s Journey

Duration: 12:00

Year Published: 1963

Creator: Visiting Nurse Service of New York

Complete Record: A view of one day in the life of a public health nurse. Explains the role of the public health nurse in the community. Film is concerned with the Public Health Net and the problems of the chronically ill and aged. SHOTS: -- Female hands going through files in a box. -- Women in uniforms in office. These are nurses in dark (not white) uniforms. -- Older female answering phone. She is in front of ledger. -- No impediments against race, color, ability to pay. -- Medical bag packed. -- Nurse leaving government-looking building and walking down sidewalk. -- Home of Joshua Isaac Reed. Mr. Reed in hospital bed. His wife on the right. Nurse on left. Elderly couple. Joshua has had a stroke. -- Nurse shaves man. She is trying to teach Joshua’s wife how to shave her husband. She tries to teach man how to bathe himself. -- Nurse visits man and helps him bathe his feet. Man has severe rheumatoid arthritis. She helps him try to avert leg ulcers. Bathes him and oils skin. -- Leroy Baker suffers from cancer and mild heart condition. She gives Leroy an injection and visits with he and his wife. -- Nurse eats at a local cafeteria. Shots of her eating. -- Nurse sitting with older woman. She is rocking in a rocking chair. Woman is afraid and alone. -- Nurse is shown in CU and LS putting eye drops in woman’s eyes. -- She washes bedridden man. Man is 67 and forced to retire. Shortly thereafter, man suffered mild heart attack complicated by diabetes. -- MS nurse talking in phone booth. -- Visits two women from Ireland. They are 76. Helps one woman use walker. -- Another shot of nurse calling from street phone booth. This time some of the shops on the street are visible. -- Nurse exits phone booth and puts on her white gloves. This act is done in a particularly deliberate matter.