NURSE UNSEEN

Work in progress sneak preview

NURSE UNSEEN focuses on an overlooked facet of American healthcare: the Filipino nurse. As the film details, Filipino nurses became a dominating presence in the U.S. when President Marcos exported nurses to fulfill a wartime need and bring economic prosperity to the Philippines.

Josue fast forwards to COVID-19, when nurses were on the frontlines of the pandemic. Filipino nurses in particular were solidified as pillars of healthcare and foundations for their families, communities, and profession. The wave of AAPI hate that followed became another obstacle to overcome, as they witnessed heartbreaking casualties of patients and colleagues alike, while the nation tried to gain control over the pandemic.

Throughout NURSE UNSEEN, the heart, resiliency, and the unwavering sense of duty among Filipino nurses shines through, in their dedicated acts of caring in times of uncertainty and fear—even when faced with hate and discrimination. Throughout my own career as a Filipina nurse, and now nurse anesthetist, I would not have the level of skills and dedication to my profession had I not been taught by the many Filipino nurses who share the same qualities as those featured in this film. Though we only hear a few stories among the thousands of us, their voices represent us all. I am honored to be a part of this special group—an influential force in healthcare that deserves to be recognized in a bright, new light: a light that NURSE UNSEEN seeks to profoundly display to the world.

—Maryanne Bilbao DNP, CRNA

Underwritten by the Philippine Nurses Association of San Diego County, Inc.