Last updated at 13:28, Friday, 18 June 2010

IT was lights, camera, action for Cumbria’s first-ever parish nurse, as a film crew followed her for the day.

A crew from BBC show Songs of Praise descended on Barrow on Wednesday.

It was there to film Ruth McDonald, parish nurse based at Emmanuel Community Church, for a special programme about nursing, marking 100 years since the death of Florence Nightingale.

Ms McDonald, who also works part-time as a clinical lead at Furness General Hospital, offers health advice to members of the community, runs a weekly drop-in clinic and set up the Barrow Parish Nurse Project – a team of helpers – last year.

She said: “Songs of Praise got in touch with the national project, who said they were co-ordinating a programme about nursing and in particular, Florence Nightingale.

“They were keen to link it with parish nurses to look at the work of a modern day Florence Nightingale.

“I was picked from 12 other people for them to follow me for a day and interview me.

“I showed them different parts of a day in the life of a parish nurse.

“They came on a home visit with me and came to an after-school club, where we did exercise with children and spoke to them about healthy eating.”

The role of a parish nurse includes providing information on healthcare topics, identifying needs and methods for self-help support groups and offering prayer and discussion to link faith and health.

Ms McDonald is the first and only parish nurse in Cumbria, but the national parish nursing project aims to bring more to the county.

Sian Salt, producer and director of Songs of Praise, said: “Ruth has a connection with Florence as, when she was 17 years old, Florence had a calling from God.

“In the same way, Ruth feels she has a calling to do the work of a parish nurse.

“The programme will also look at other forms of modern nursing, for instance, we’ve interviewed a military nurse down in Birmingham.”

The episode of Songs of Praise featuring Ms McDonald will be broadcast on BBC1 on July 25.

First published at 13:04, Friday, 18 June 2010
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk