Ethics Thru Drama
Tricia's Story
I'm Not Earth Anymore
Created by Helen Emmott, RN, and Julie Russell, RN
A Take Ten, Inc., production by Linda Haskins

Part of the three-part Ethics Thru Drama series which is available on a single DVD! Tricia, a breast cancer patient and mother of three, confronts difficult moral and spiritual issues as she comes to grips with the fact that her illness is terminal. Worn out from pain and her seemingly endless rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, as well as the constant feeling of being a burden to her friends and family, she wants to stop. Yet she feels an obligation to her children to continue treatments that she doesn't believe will save her. She is a religious person, yet she struggles with how to respond to well-meaning friends who try to comfort her with stories of miraculous cures she no longer believes in. She questions her worthiness to receive care that others cannot afford.

Tricia's Story is one in a series of brief, one-character dramas created by bioethics educators Helen Emmott and Julie Russell, who are both experienced registered nurses. Performed by Russell, these evocative portraits offer nurses, physicians, social workers and other members of the healthcare team invaluable case material for use in thinking about these issues.

Every day in the life of a terminally-ill patient presents a host of complex issues for patients, families, and members of the healthcare team. As medical science and technology continue to evolve, discussions of the ethical aspects of end-of-life care become both more critical and more difficult. Learning to facilitate and participate in these processes is essential for all healthcare providers. The cases portrayed in these poignant monologues will stimulate hours of ethical discussion. Produced with support from ELNEC, the End of Life Nursing Education Consortium. Discussion Guide included.

18 minutes
© 2004
Purchase $129.00 DVD
Order No. QA-425

Reviews
"We teach and learn what it means to be healthcare professionals through cases, the sharing of clinical narratives or stories. The most powerful way of teaching and learning illness narratives is through drama, through actual performances of patients' stories." William G. Bartholome, pediatrician and bioethicist

"The tapes and acting are magnificent, and the student response was wonderful!" Dr. Lynda Shand, School of Nursing, College of New Rochelle

"Unforgettable! Russell's performance is inspiring, touching, and thought-provoking. The characterizations hit audience members right between the eyes." Beth Ingram, Vice President, Arkansas Hospital Association

Related Films
Claire's Story: Claire is a nurse but, she says, "I've learned some things since I was the patient." When the physician gave her the diagnosis of ovarian cancer, she understood the words, "but I couldn't hear anything he was saying." One in a series of brief, one-character dramas created by two nurse-educators.

Sheila's Story: Homeless, poor, and HIV positive, Sheila lacks the social supports, including insurance, that might help her face terminal illness with some kind of dignity. Yet she struggles to "celebrate who I am: a loudmouth and a caretaker." One in a series of brief, one-character dramas created by two nurse-educators.

Caring at the End of Life — with related study films: This three-part series deals with end-of-life care and decision making in the hospital, through profiles of several severely ill patients and the staff who deal with them.

Pioneers of Hospice
Making Every Moment Count: Addresses the complex issues surrounding palliative end-of-life care for children. Psychologist Leora Kuttner profiles five children with life threatening illness, and the families and health professionals who support them.

To Live Until I Die: Most Americans die in the hospital, often alone and in pain. These six terminally ill individuals are facing what lies ahead with anger, humor, insight, and honesty — determined to have a "good death."

More than a Failing Heart: Family members describe examples of the best of end-of-life care, and of the worst, and reveal how competent and compassionate physicians and nurses can change the end-of-life experience.

To rent or purchase this film, please visit the Icarus Films website

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