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You are not alone

Whether you’re a nurse, midwife or student of the profession, your health matters. You don’t have to push through quietly just to be seen as strong. It’s okay to ask for help. It’s okay to make space for you.

We spend our days caring for others. We deserve to care for ourselves too.

Racism is bad for your health - call it out

In short:

Racism is bad for all of us. 

Let’s do everything we can to make sure our workplaces are inclusive and make others feel safe. Review your attitudes, do some training, become an ally, call racism out. 

Being exposed to racism is bad for both your mental and physical health. It exists in Australia despite our multicultural society being promoted as inclusive and accepting. 

Racism is when a person, people or institution from a dominant group use their power in ways - direct or indirect, intentional or unintentional - that harm a person or people from another cultural group.  

How widespread is racism? 

A 2024 survey of 3,289 NSW nurses, midwives, and AiN/care workers found: 

  • 70% believe racism exists in their workplace 
  • 64% of CALD and/or Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander workers had been a direct victim 
  • 88% received no support after an incident 
  • 73% did not report what happened 

These figures show little improvement since the NSWNMA's 2019 report, The Cultural Safety Gap. 

Recognising racism in all its forms

Racism, as experienced by people in healthcare workplaces, commonly includes racial bias and assumptions, stereotyping, microaggressions, gaslighting, social isolation, accent discrimination, heavier workloads, and blocked career progression. The perpetrator is most likely to be a colleague (68%), manager (43%), patient or resident (41%). Find out more from the NSWNMA Standing Together Against Racism Report, 2025. 

Our Code of Conduct states that we must:

  • understand how our own culture, values, attitudes, assumptions and beliefs influence our interactions with others
  • provide care that is free of bias and racism
  • challenge beliefs that are based on assumptions
  • support an inclusive environment for the safety and security of all
  • help create a positive, culturally safe work environment

Making our workplaces safe for everyone

More than 2 in 5 workers with a CALD and/or Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander background reported personal harm from workplace racism. This includes damage to mental health, family life, and finances. As a result, more than a quarter of them missed work, took sick leave, or resigned. 

Racism is a psychosocial hazard. Your employer has a legal obligation to identify and manage it. You can expect your workplace to: 

  • promote diversity and inclusion 
  • talk about racism and discrimination 
  • adopt practices that respect diversity, avoid bias, discrimination and racism 
  • offer cultural safety and diversity and inclusion training 
  • treat racism and discrimination as a workplace hazard. 

If you experience racism 

  • Document what happened – dates, what was said, witnesses 
  • Report it through your workplace incident system (racism is a WHS matter) 
  • Contact your union if you are a member  
  • Reach out for personal support – racism takes a toll. 

If you worry about repercussions for reporting someone, you're not alone – this is the most common barrier. The Australian Human Rights Commission offer external, confidential pathways. 

Do your bit – cultural safety at work

To raise awareness of cultural safety and prevent racism in your workplace you can:

  • join a cultural inclusion and safety group in your workplace
  • attend cultural safety training
  • talk to your manager about ways to make your workplace culturally safe
  • ask for support from the People and Culture/HR teams in your organisation

If you witness it 

You can help by checking in with the person privately, offering to be a witness if they report, or naming the behaviour if it's safe to do so. Bystander support makes a real difference – ask your employer to provide bystander education if it isn't already offered. 

Help stamp out racism in our workplaces 

The NSW Nurses and Midwives Association (NSWNMA) have formed a culturally and linguistically diverse nurses and midwives’ professional reference group. Members of the group use their lived experience to develop guidance for health and aged care workers on what to do if they experience racism, how to take bystander action and also how to navigate unacceptable workplace behaviours. Find out about participating in the NSWNMA CALD reference group. 

Is racism is affecting your health?

We embrace cultural safety and are here to support you.

Contact us

Get involved.

Download The Australian Human Rights Commission Workplace cultural diversity tool and use it to help make your workplace culturally safe.

Reference 

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