Nursing the Nation - Season 1

In episode one, we see some of the older patients on the nurses' books. We meet Shonna, a district nurse in Bath, whose patients include war veteran Mr Comm. He is registered blind and deaf, and so grateful for the nurses' visits that he is constantly buying them presents. Shonna says: "I feel honoured to look after Mr Comm. He fought in wars for our country, so I can live the life I have."

We also meet Karen, a nurse for over 30 years, who treats patients recovering from strokes. Karen explains: "One day people are living the high life and the next day they literally can't move." Karen is trying to help Audrey, an 82-year-old grandmother, learn to walk again, after a stroke left her paralysed down her left side. Audrey is determined to get back on her feet: "I know I'm 82, but I think I'm not old enough to go into a home."

In the second episode in the series, we get a glimpse of physiotherapy at home and cancer treatment away from hospital wards. In Yorkshire, District Nurse Gillian has been working in the local community for over 20 years. Today, she's been called to see a brand new patient, Christopher, who is juggling first-time fatherhood while recovering from a serious operation.

Five months ago Chris was rushed to hospital with severe stomach pains only for the surgeon to discover a cancerous tumour. Chris is undertaking a four month course of chemotherapy at home. Gillian says, "It's going to be a very tough few months. You always put yourself in that situation and think, how would I cope with it? He seems to be doing really, really well."

In the third episode in the series we are on the picturesque Devon coastline, where Senior District Nurse Ellie and her team look after an eclectic group of patients in their own homes. Ellie has been working in the district for 16 years and leads a team of 14 nurses who look after over 500 patients and visit up to 18 of them per nurse, per day.

Ellie visits Don, an 83 year old with motor neuron disease, who can only talk through a computer. He is one of approximately 5000 people in the UK with the disease. Don's wife says of Ellie and her team, "We'd miss them if they didn't come in, because they are like family and we love them a lot."

When Kay is on call she can expect the phone to ring at any time. In tonight's episode we follow her at 4am as she goes to the aid of expectant mum, Natalie, whose waters have broken. With the nearest hospital 15 miles away it is the job of Kay and her colleague Jane to help delivery the baby at home, but with Natalie's husband, children and extended members of their family present they can only hope everything remains calm.

In Somerset District Nurse Iona attends to the needs of the elderly in her area. 72 year old Richard is one of Iona's younger patients. He lives with his mum Doris, who at 102, is Iona's oldest patient. Despite that she enjoys putting Iona through her paces with her feisty spirit.

In the fifth episode in the series we're in rural Yorkshire with District Nurse Michelle. Michelle has lived and worked in the community for the past 10 years and works in a team that tries to help frail people avoid being taken into care.

Michelle has a new patient who needs her help: Wendy is an 86-year-old widow who keeps falling in her own home and badly hurting herself. Her most recent fall left her with sixteen stitches in her ear. Michelle starts to investigate the problem but persuading Wendy to co-operate with her advice proves to be an unexpected challenge. Together they need to find a way to keep Wendy independent and in her own home.

This week, we follow Lesley as she sees three of her 150 patients, including cancer patient Avril. Having left hospital eight months ago, Lesley visits Avril every fortnight to take her blood before she can undergo her regular chemotherapy treatment.

Lesley also takes a trip to see Doris and Dudley, childhood sweethearts who've been married over fifty years, but now spend most of their time in bed and prefer not to go downstairs.

The final episode in the series sees us in Devon, with District Matron Shiobhan who is determined to help dementia sufferers live happy, fulfilled lives at home. Shiobhan has been nursing for 25 years, specialising in cognitive impairment her job entails looking after 25 patients. She says, "People with dementia are written off, they're written off so quickly that ‘no, they can't cope at home, they surely can't cope at home'."

We join Shiobhan as she assesses 88 year-old retired nurse Louise who has been in hospital after having a fall at home. Shiobhan must determine if she is able to return home and then put a care plan in place to ensure she can cope independently. Louise has no immediate family to give her the support that she needs so Shiobhan has arranged a team of carers who will help keep her in her own home.