Through support from the McKeen Fund, the Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies' Annual Lecture and Film Screening is free and open to the public.
On Tuesday, November 8, 2018 at 5 p.m., award winning filmmaker and photographer Carolyn Jones will screen her latest film, Defining Hope, at ¶¶Òô»ÆƬapp’s Quick Center for the Arts, to be followed by a panel discussion. The documentary, which follows the lives of eight patients with life-threatening illnesses, emphasizes the unwavering compassion, empathy, and dedication nurses embody daily throughout their careers. Referred to by The Hollywood Reporter as, “a clear-eyed and compassionate conversation starter," the groundbreaking movie exquisitely portrays the pivotal role of nurses in the American healthcare system and sets forth a thought-provoking dialogue regarding end-of-life care.
“Defining Hope beautifully highlights outstanding nursing care for individuals and families diagnosed with life-threatening illness. It shows the touching, human, family interactions that are often forgotten during the completion of daily tasks that are required of nurses,” stated associate professor of nursing Diana Mager, DNP, RN-BC. “The film instills the need to see the whole person, to promote quality -- if not quantity -- of life in a variety of care settings, and to reflect on providing the best possible care for patients, families, and the profession.”
Carolyn Jones, an established photographic ethnographer, uses the power of film and personal storytelling to examine issues of both global and national significance. Early in her career, she transitioned away from fashion photography to pursue the art of portraiture, intent upon using the power of photography to bring awareness to major issues.
Her successful venture into portraiture began with the release of her first book, Living Proof: Courage in the Face of AIDS. The book, which features over 70 different portraits of people all living with a diagnosis of either AIDS or HIV, was accompanied by shows in Tokyo, Berlin, and at the United Nations World AIDS Conference. In 2012, Jones published a book entitled The American Nurse, which received critical acclaim and was featured in publications such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and USA Today.The wide-reaching recognition of this book prompted Jones to make her first directorial debut with the release of a follow-up documentary film entitled, The American Nurse: Healing America. The film received national attention, aired in theaters across the country, and was an official selection of the 2015 American Film Showcase.
Her latest film, Defining Hope, was awarded Best Premiere-Documentary Feature at the Heartland Film Festival and aired on PBS stations nationwide in the spring of 2018. The movie serves as a continuation on Jones’ research regarding nurses in the American healthcare industry, and focuses on patients receiving end-of-life care in medical settings. The poignant documentary addresses questions such as how people embrace hope while facing death and how they ultimately redefine what makes life worth living.
Fairfield’s Kanarek Center for Palliative Care Nursing Education is one of the newer additions to the School of Nursing and Health Studies, and is already having a significant impact on educating all nursing students in how to provide compassionate, holistic, and high quality care for patients faced with life threatening conditions, and how to support their families. Nurses play a vital role in advocating and helping patients to complete care plans with the patients’ wishes in mind.
This documentary screening and lecture is free, open to the public, and made possible by sponsorship from The McKeen Fund, The Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies.
