Dear Nurses and Midwives

The Nursing and Midwifery Council of NSW expresses our support, gratitude and admiration to all nurses and midwives across NSW who have contributed to the pandemic responses. The last two years have challenged us as professions, and you have responded with professionalism and provided exceptional care in unprecedented circumstances to the people of NSW.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (the Council) recognises we are working in challenging times which may have left many nurses and midwives feeling anxious and concerned by rapidly changing models of care, workloads and patient safety, and the uncertainty an evolving pandemic can bring. We encourage all nurses and midwives to continue to use your professional judgement to assess risk in your work in delivering safe care informed by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia’s (NMBA) professional standards and the codes of conduct documents that set out the values and principles for nursing and midwifery.

It is important to remember the NMBA’s regulatory guidance of the nursing and midwifery professions in Australia is designed to be flexible and to provide a framework for decision-making in a wide range of situations. The NMBA has developed a range of specific advice relevant to the COVID-19 pandemic, which can be found on their website.

The Council and NMBA together regulate the professions in NSW working closely with nurses and midwives, professional bodies and regulators, and through our work have closely observed the impact of the pandemic.

The health and wellbeing of nurses and midwives is central to practicing safely. The Council encourages you to maintain your health and wellbeing during these challenging times. Stay connected and seek help if needed. The Nursing and Midwifery Support Service is a 24/7 national support service providing confidential advice to practitioners. If you are feeling anxious or concerned, we encourage you to reach out and contact this service on 1800 667 877 or online at nmsupport.org.au

Yours sincerely,

Greg Rickard RN
President Nursing and Midwifery Council of NSW