In recognition of National Nurses Week, East Tennessee State University (ETSU) has released the official trailer for Nurse: Empathy Heals, offering a first look at a powerful new documentary that explores the emotional realities of nursing in a post-pandemic healthcare system. At a time when the profession continues to face burnout, workforce strain, and ongoing frontline crises, the film brings urgent visibility to the human cost of caregiving and the power of empathy in supporting patients.
Directed by Tennessee-based filmmaker Chusy of Plan A Films, Nurse: Empathy Heals shares personal stories of nursing during the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters, as well as the everyday emotional realities of patient care — honoring the resilience, humanity and strength that define the profession. Through deeply personal stories, the film captures moments of doubt, faith, grief, joy, and fierce love, illuminating the lasting impact of caregiving.
At its core, the film looks at what it means to care for others in moments of uncertainty, pressure, and loss. In doing so, it reflects a broader reality beyond healthcare and the ways empathy is sustained, tested, and, at times, stretched beyond its limits.
"The healthcare workforce crisis is a call to better support the people who make care possible,” Alan Levine, CEO of Ballad Health and the film’s executive producer, said. “We must recognize the emotional weight nurses carry every day and the empathy that keeps them showing up for their patients and one another. Nurse: Empathy Heals tells those stories with honesty and bravery. Ballad Health is proud to support a film that reflects what we already know: nurses are the heart of the healthcare team, and their wellbeing has to be at the center of how we sustain this profession."
Nurse: Empathy Heals is part of the Nurse Narratives Initiative (NNI), a collaboration led by ETSU that brings together ETSU’s StoryCollab, College of Nursing, Tennessee Center for Nursing Advancement, and the ETSU Research Corporation, with support from Ballad Health. The initiative uses first-person storytelling to elevate empathy, strengthen resilience, and improve patient outcomes across the healthcare system.
The release of the trailer during National Nurses Week places the film within a broader moment of reflection on the present and future of the profession, drawing attention to the realities shaping how care is delivered today and the experiences that stay with those responsible for it, while offering a moment to recognize the people at the center of that care.
The documentary also reflects the broader work of the Nurse Narratives Initiative, which brings storytelling into nursing education and professional development through workshops, curriculum and community engagement, using real experiences to inform how care is understood and delivered.
“Empathy is at the center of ETSU’s educational philosophy, and it is a skill that can be developed and strengthened,” Dr. Dena Evans, Dean of the ETSU College of Nursing, said. “When paired with professional expertise, higher levels of empathy significantly elevate the quality of care while simultaneously benefiting the caregivers themselves.”
Following its trailer debut, Nurse: Empathy Heals will screen at select film festivals nationwide in advance of its digital streaming release this fall.
“Nurses show up every day, bringing a level of courage and compassion that is almost superhuman,” Dr. Jennifer Hitt, Executive Director of the Tennessee Center for Nursing Advancement at ETSU, said. “Through this film and the many other stories collected through the Nurse Narrative Initiative, we hope to not only advance empathy in the healthcare profession, but to honor and support our nurses by making their voices heard.”
Synopsis:
While people may think they know what nurses do, Nurse: Empathy Heals reveals the emotional challenges nurses face on a daily basis when caring for their patients. The documentary reveals nurses’ stories of compassion and empathy, the grief that doesn’t disappear, and the catharsis that comes from being heard. Through these personal stories, which reveal moments of doubt, faith, grief, joy, and fierce love, the film celebrates nurses as the heroes they truly are.
Watch the Trailer
Nurse: Empathy Heals Materials Here
Nurse: Empathy Heals is part of the Nurse Narratives Initiative of East Tennessee State University, including StoryCollab, the College of Nursing, the Tennessee Center for Nursing Advancement at ETSU, and the ETSU Research Corporation. The project was made possible through the generous support and partnership of Ballad Health. The initiative brings first-person stories to life to elevate and honor the nursing profession through storytelling, education, and advocacy while seeking to improve patient outcomes by cultivating empathy in healthcare.
Request a screening here
Media interview contacts:
Melissa Nipper: NIPPERM@etsu.edu
OJ Early: EARLYO@etsu.edu
