September 16, 2026

Professional Day

Students & New Grads, lock in at Professional Day 2026!

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*Update 24/06/2026 – This event is now fully sold out.

Stepping into the world of nursing or midwifery can feel like a huge step forward. It’s exciting, it’s new, and it’s completely normal – even if it feels a bit overwhelming at times. 

Professional Day is your chance to get ahead, get some inspiration, and get connected before you’re deep in the trenches. 

More info here!

Get a taste of the real world (by people who have lived it!) 

Wondering what nursing or midwifery looks like in the real world, beyond the textbooks, exams, placements, and observations? This is your chance to hear it straight from people who have lived it. 

Professional Day 2026 will bring together leaders and innovators – and even the 2025 HESTA Nurse of the Year – to share stories, insights, and advice you won’t find in a lecture. 

Student pricing? Say no more! 

Let’s be honest – the student budget is real, and that’s why we’re offering Students / New Grads a genuinely great student rate: 

  • $90 early bird pricing (until 21 June) 
  • $110 full rate (from 21 June until 12 July) 

For a full day of speakers, great food, incredible insights, and networking with experienced, enthusiastic, and passionate nurses and midwives, it’s an absolute steal.  

Level up at Professional Day 2026 

Professional Day is so much more than a day of formalities – it’s your first real step into the wider nursing and midwifery community. It’s the start of feeling like you belong and getting a clearer picture of what your future career could look like.  

For nursing and midwifery students and New Grads, this is a rare opportunity to help you grow and learn before your career has even begun. 

Register to Professional Day 2026 here – early bird prices end 21 June!

Professional Day 2026: A Day for Career Growth, Connection, and CPD hours!

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NSW Nursing and Midwives Association’s annual Professional Day is one of the most anticipated events on the nursing and midwifery calendar.

Each year, it brings together an inspiring mix of speakers, from leaders to innovators and changemakers, ready to motivate the next wave of professionals seeking growth, direction, or a spark of inspiration. This year, it will be held on Monday 27 July at the Hyatt Regency, Sydney.

Here’s why you’ll want to register today. 

Nurses, midwives and carers champion change at 80th Annual Conference

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Nurses, midwives and carers have championed the need for systemic change in addressing deep-seated gender inequities in our highly feminised workforces at the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association’s (NSWNMA) 80th Annual Conference. 

More than 700 nurses, midwives and carers descended on the Australian Turf Club in Randwick, with the conference theme ‘Influence for Change’ exploring how nurses, midwives and carers are at the forefront of change in health. 

NSWNMA General Secretary, Shaye Candish, reflected on the past year and spoke of the union’s deliberate decision to raise awareness of the inherent gender bias that plagues our professions. 

“So much of the undervaluing that you experience today stems from the historical attitudes about what women’s work looks like and how it should be compensated,” said Ms Candish. 

“Our recent campaigning and industrial cases have demonstrated time after time that our occupations like others that are highly feminised, are subject to a set of conditions that entrench and reinforce the gender pay gap. 

“We need governments and employers to recognise this and take steps to actively address the issues to bring about pay equity.” 

Professor Rae Cooper from the University of Sydney’s Australian Centre for Gender Equality and Inclusion announced a first of its kind job control survey which is underway, aimed at better understanding nurses and midwives’ experiences and aspirations around shiftwork, rostering and flexibility. 

“This research will be fundamental towards shaping how governments and employers engage and maintain a growing workforce in a competitive environment, despite the projected shortages,” said Ms Candish. 

“We know the benefits that greater job control will bring, that is why we are fighting for enforceable clauses that assist members with striking the right work-life balance.” 

Nurses, midwives and carers heard from a range of inspiring speakers on Professional Day yesterday, who shared stories of struggle, strength, hardship and hope. 

“Nurses and midwives are at the forefront of ending Female Genital Mutilation, and to providing trauma-informed care. Thank you for what you do in your professions,” said human rights activist Khadija Gbla. 

Industry experts also delved into registered nurse prescribing, delivering dignity in healthcare, end-of-life care and the challenges facing maternity in NSW. 

“The report into the midwifery workforce carried out by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia highlighted the need for existing midwives to work extra hours if we want the workforce of the future,” said NSWNMA Assistant General Secretary Michael Whaites. 

“We have to look after midwives we have now, pay them better and give them better conditions, so we can make the transition to the gold standard which is midwifery led continuity of care models.” 

During the conference, motions to improve the working lives of nurses, midwives and carers, and to deliver safe, quality patient and resident care were debated. 

“Value nurses and midwives”: Nurses and midwives demand recognition, respect and reform

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Nurses and midwives have demanded recognition, respect and reform on day one of the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association’s (NSWNMA) 79th Annual Conference in Sydney, as they urge decision makers to value their worth.

More than 700 nurses and midwives have descended on the International Convention Centre in Darling Harbour, calling for an end to the inherent undervaluing their professions have experienced by successive governments for decades.

In welcoming attendees, NSWNMA General Secretary, Shaye Candish, said the conference theme this year was ‘Value Nurses and Midwives’ which aimed to highlight the deeply entrenched gender inequity in the state’s largest female workforce.

“Despite being the backbone of the healthcare system, nurses and midwives in all sectors and health settings face the same deep-seated undervaluing across their workforce,” said Ms Candish.

“Our contribution to the care economy is far-reaching – we have a presence across all settings in our health and aged care systems, strengthening our economy and keeping our communities well.

“We know this sentiment is reflected strongly by our patients, clients and consumers. They value us, we need decision makers to value us too.”

Professor of Gender, Work and Employment Relations at the University of Sydney Business School, Rae Cooper AO, addressed the long-held gender inequities and the need to value care work.

“We have a highly gendered labour market filled with inequalities. Fixing this isn’t just a women’s issue, it’s a union issue and it’s a government issue. We need highly engaged jobs that women want to stay in,” said Ms Cooper.

While Professor of Midwifery at Western Sydney University, Hannah Dahlen AM, championed the value of midwives and midwifery-led continuity of care, and highlighted the shortage of midwives globally.

“The world needs 900,000 more midwives. We need to see midwives valued and supported and we need to invest in women and invest in those who care for them,” said Ms Dahlen.

Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives (CATSINaM) CEO, Dr Ali Drummond, spoke of the importance of advocating for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nursing and midwifery workforce and educating people about cultural safety.

“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities have been living on hope for too long, our people need non-indigenous people to be courageous and hungry for change and committed to following us,” said Mr Drummond.

Housing advocates delved into the challenges and struggles nurses and midwives face in securing affordable housing close to work. Grassroots housing group Sydney YIMBY articulated how the city needs to rethink its approach to town planning and developments, which was warmly welcomed by nurses and midwives at the conference.

Nursing and midwifery migration and the role of unions was also explored by representatives from California and Fiji.

Fijian Nursing Association General Secretary Filomena Talawadua shone a light on the extreme challenges to retain Fijian nurses with many migrating to Australia, leaving the country with a shortfall of almost 1000 nurses.

“Nurses are the heartbeat of every nation. The exodus has completely depleted the systems in so many ways. What we continue to ask our government is, how long will you wait to declare a national crisis in our nation?” said Ms Talawadua.

“There’s something about us as nurses, we’re different. We continue to endure, we continue to persevere, we continue to give love until it hurts.”

Nurses and midwives use their voices for change

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Rebuilding the nursing and midwifery workforce and increasing sustainability throughout health systems has taken centre stage on day one of the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association’s (NSWNMA) 78th Annual Conference in Sydney.

Welcoming more than 700 nurses and midwives from across the state, NSWNMA General Secretary, Shaye Candish, said the conference theme ‘Stronger than ever – a voice for change’ acknowledged ongoing challenges facing the professions and the need for further collaboration to advocate for workplace improvements, adequate staffing, and best practice care models.

“As the cornerstone of our healthcare systems, nurses and midwives are often most comfortable working behind the scenes to get the job done. There’s been unprecedented activity over the past year, and we hope this will deliver systemic changes at the state and national level for our professions,” said Ms Candish.

Professor of Nursing at the University of Sydney, Mary Chiarella, championed the competencies of nurses and midwives and encouraged those present to continue using their voices for professional advancements.

“You are going to have to become even stronger, more passionate, more persuasive and persevere more if necessary – the evidence is already out there. We must continue the quest to have the excellence of nursing and midwifery acknowledge and legitimised by our governments,” Professor Chiarella reflected.

The growing opportunities and applications of artificial intelligence in healthcare, along with the progress of environmentally sustainable and climate resilient practices in health and aged care were also canvassed during the day.

Investment in the health workforce and the need to rebuild because of the pandemic was explored by Professor James Buchan from the University of Technology Sydney and University of Edinburgh.

“Vital and universal policy interventions to protect and support the nursing and midwifery workforce to rebuild includes adequate staffing levels, attractive pay and conditions, support for health and wellbeing, as well as participation in rebuilding strategies,” said Professor Buchan.

Long-term unionist, social justice and human rights activist, Craig Foster AM, discussed the importance of solidarity to affect change and achieve outcomes during a keynote address.

“We can lend our power across to other people, both within this environment, within your industry and in broader society, which is what I try to do. We will all have a range of power or social and political capital often that we don’t really recognise or realise how much of a voice we have and whether that’s just within your local team, or within your environment or hospital or industry or indeed outside,” Mr Foster said.

There were cheers from the crowd when news broke the Voice to Parliament referendum was confirmed for 14 October.

 

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