'The Nurse' (RTÉ1 Thursday 10.15pm) is a gripping and intimate documentary series that follows the daily lives of six nurses, their patients and their communities. From Inishbofin Island to inner city Dublin, Castleknock to Coolock, Cavan to Clare, these community nurses work at the frontline of the Health Service.

Episode 3:

This compelling series continues to follow Public Health Nurses and their patients, this week in Dublin, Cavan and on Inishbofin Island.

In Coolock in Dublin, Nurse Helen Coyne is keeping a close eye on a 75-year-old widow who is struggling with her health but adamant about holding onto her independence; on Inishbofin Island, Nurse Mary Walsh is supervising the treatment and understanding of a genetic condition known as 'The Celtic Curse'; and John Carew, one of the country's few male Public Health Nurses, is helping one of his patients readjust to life at home after eight months in hospital.

Community and Public Health Nurses make almost 10,000 house calls every day in every corner of Ireland and this new series follows six of them as they go about their work, which includes caring for new mothers, patients recently discharged from hospital, people with a chronic illness or wounds needing attention and the elderly.

Community nurses are rarely in the limelight. This new series will give the public a rare insight into the work they do and the dedication and commitment they give to the job.

The six Public Health Nurses who participated in the series were Mary Walsh, Kathleen Gilheaney, John Carew, Sheila Clancy, Helen Coyne and Kirsten Priesler. The original idea for the series came from Mary O'Dowd from the Institute of Community Health Nursing.

Filming for The Nurse began in September 2010 and concluded last summer. The series has been made for RTE by GMarsh TV productions. Producer with GMarsh TV productions Mairead Tucker said: '' Most people in the general public are unaware of the amazing work done by Public Health Nurses. PHNs care for the community from cradle to grave. Every newborn baby in the country will be visited in its first week by a PHN; they care for the elderly and isolated in our community, tend to wound care, child health and everything in between. The nurses featured in the programme give a real insight into the Ireland of today. The patients have wonderful relationships with the Nurses and, through them, we get to meet lovely people who graciously tell their stories.''

Meet the Nurses:

Mary Walsh has been The Nurse on Inishbofin for the past 4 years. When on the island, she is on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: “The islanders are my patients and I’m The Nurse, and that’s just it. This is completely different to mainland nursing or hospital nursing: if there is an emergency here there is no hospital just around the corner. I’m on my own, relying on the boat or the helicopter to get my patients of the Island. They are my backup”.

Kathleen Gilheaney did her training in Armagh during the height of the Troubles. As a result, no wound will ever faze her. Kathleen has been the community Nurse in the border community of Swanlinbar in Cavan for 10 years: “Knocking on a door isn’t enough. If you don’t get a reply you still have to find out why. You see people as they really are, when they are at their most vulnerable. But we must always be aware that we are the visitor in the home and sometimes the only visitor they might have that day, or even that week”.

John Carew is one of the country’s few male nurses, and has to deal with people’s reactions to his chosen profession as well as a very heavy caseload. John is based in the leafy suburb of Castleknock in Dublin:  “A large proportion of our job is support, and being an advocate for the people we care for. We are the link between the various agencies, social workers, GPs, Physios, Carers… without us, patients might not know how to access these services”.

Helen Coyne has been community nursing in Coolock for the past 10 years, and it was the only job she ever wanted to do: “I can honestly say in all the years I've been a nurse, I've always wanted to go to work in the morning.  I love making a difference, and being able to make a difference”.

Also in Coolock is Kirsten Preisler, who has been a Public Health Nurse there for five years. A new mother herself, she is more than aware of the pressures of childcare and raising a family: “It's good to be able to relate to new mothers and say 'don't worry, it's normal'... I've been there as well, I've been through the sleepless nights”.

Sheila Clancy has been the Public Health Nurse in Kilkee, Co Clare for 10 years. She can make up to 15 house calls a day, seeing every ailment and every age.'' As a Public Health Nurse, you're visiting a home, a family and the network that goes with all of that. You get a unique insight into the supports that keep a community together.''