Special 2 DVD Set!

Loretta C. Ford, the mother of nurse practitioner education, and Mary Donnelly, an island public health nurse for nearly 60 years, are Nurse Legends. On local and global levels, Dr. Ford and Ms. Donnelly have met personal and professional challenges and persevered, transforming nursing practice, communities and patient lives.

Island Nurse is the story of Mary Donelly, the nurse and heart of Block Island, RI. Her stamina, courage, and 55 years of care lead Block Islanders to call her St. Mary. At 85, May D knows more than any other individual about what it means to live on a rural New England island, to be a public health nurse, Block Island’s History, and individuals’ stories about resilience and survival on Block Island.

The light-hearted story of the 90-year old public health nurse who invented and persisted against all odds in the development of the nurse practitioner role.