At ANE’s 2026 Diversity & Inclusion Workshop, Jessica Stenholm, biomedical laboratory scientist at Lovisenberg Diakonale Sykehus and member of NITO’s Ethical Board, shared how small, deliberate actions (rather than one‑off campaigns) have led to meaningful organisational change when addressing racism and harassment from patients.
Dignity and safety apply to everyone
Hospitals are designed to care for patients. Respect, professionalism and empathy are core values in healthcare. But as Jessica emphasised, those values must also apply to the people doing the work.
Lovisenberg has a large share of international employees. Many do not appear ethnically Norwegian or speak with an accent. While the hospital cannot prevent all discriminatory behaviour from patients, it can ensure that no employee stands alone when it happens.
Staff should never feel they have to keep quiet or accept harmful behaviour. They should know that colleagues, management and the organisation support them.
When silence becomes normal
For many employees, experiences of racism had become a quiet part of everyday working life. Comments questioning belonging, refusals of care or hostile attitudes were often normalised.
As Jessica described it, repeated exposure can weaken a person’s sense of rights. You stop seeing incidents as something worth raising. Shame and uncertainty replace confidence, and people begin carrying the burden alone.
This silence was reinforced by a strong “patient is always right” culture, common in healthcare. While well‑intentioned, it left HR and managers without clear tools for setting boundaries when patients crossed the line.
Naming the problem
A crucial turning point came when the issue was acknowledged for what it was: racism as a work environment challenge.
When Jessica became a safety representative, she gained both a platform and a responsibility to raise these issues with management. Real examples from everyday work helped move the discussion from individual experiences to organisational responsibility.
Acknowledging the problem made it possible to act.
Small steps that changed daily practice
Change did not come through a single policy or statement. It came through small, practical steps repeated over time:
- Staff developed simple, clear phrases to use when patients made discriminatory remarks or refused care. The wording had to feel natural to be used in real situations.
- Scenarios were practised through workshops and role play. Employees prepared responses, body language and tone. Colleagues also discussed how to support each other in difficult moments.
- Management made their support explicit. Employees were told clearly that the organisation would stand behind them, including in formal complaints or legal cases if necessary.
- Racism was recognised as a work environment risk. Guidelines, documentation routines and follow‑up procedures were introduced.
- Union representatives and safety representatives worked closely together and met with management as a joint forum.
Over time, this led to greater openness. Employees spoke more freely about their experiences, and many reported feeling safer and more supported at work.
Some managers initially worried that standing up for staff would lead patients to refuse treatment. In practice, this rarely happened. Clear communication often reduces conflict rather than escalating it.
From individual resilience to organisational responsibility
Jessica stressed that no amount of personal resilience can replace organisational responsibility. Racism and harassment affect both mental and physical health and can lead to long‑term consequences if left unaddressed.
For organisations asking where to begin, the answer is both simple and demanding: Acknowledge the issue, anchor responsibility at the top, work systematically and stay consistent.