Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation® Blog: Managing Implicit Bias With Mindfulness
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Being in the moment can change your thought patterns
Every human has implicit biases — unconscious feelings and associations we develop in response to our life experiences. These biases can shape how we interact with others, but they don’t have to. Practicing mindfulness is one way to reduce their impact.
“We initially develop unconscious biases as a way to protect ourselves,” says #healthynurse Mamie Williams, PhD, MPH, APRN, the senior director for nursing at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. “We are constantly inundated with information, and we have to quickly make decisions — especially in times of stress. Our minds develop patterns and biases to help us make those snap judgments.”
In a health care setting, where stress is the norm and quick reactions are required, it’s natural to rely on comfortable patterns of thinking. But those knee-jerk opinions can affect patient care and feed health inequities.
Fortunately, you can change those patterns when you are mindful of them.
“Becoming more mindful can center you and help you approach any situation more thoughtfully, without immediately falling back on instinct,” Dr. Williams says.
She shares how to use mindfulness to manage your implicit biases:
Identify Your Implicit Bias
Familiarizing yourself with your thought patterns makes it easier to notice when they appear.
“You have to be willing to look closely at your biases,” Dr. Williams says. “The oath you took as a practitioner cannot wash away what you learned your whole life. You still need to be open to identifying and addressing your natural thought tendencies.”
As a nurse, you learn to treat every patient — and to treat them the same. But every nurse encounters patients they find difficult, Dr. Williams says. Think about those experiences and ask yourself:
If you recently felt challenged by a patient, revisit that moment. Replay how you communicated with and cared for that patient to see how it could’ve gone differently.
Dr. Williams also suggests trying to be mindful of unconscious bias around you, whether displayed by a patient, a visitor, or a colleague.
“Watch how other people treat each other,” she says. “Witnessing implicit bias in your environment might help you recognize it in yourself. This awareness is also the first step toward addressing and reducing biases.”
Practice Mindfulness Outside of Work
Stress makes it challenging to stifle implicit bias in the moment. People rely on unconscious biases most when they are in high-stakes situations, which is health care all day, every day, says Dr. Williams.
Practicing mindfulness when you are not in stressful situations helps you build a habit. In time, mindfulness will come naturally, even during times of stress.
“Building up your mindfulness muscle allows you to step back and assess the situation without relying on unconscious stereotypes,” Dr. Williams says. “Being in the moment helps you better advocate for your patient.”
It’s critical to devote time to mindfulness practice every day. Try to be aware of your thoughts and actions. Dr. Williams recommends finding a soothing activity that allows you to disconnect from all the stimuli you deal with regularly. For some people, that might involve meditation, yoga, or walking in nature. Others may feel mindful when they are cooking, journaling, or praying. Nurse wellness programs like Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation® and employer-sponsored wellness programs can also guide your practice and help foster mindfulness.
Manage Unconscious Bias at Work
You cannot switch off your implicit bias overnight — it will take time and practice. “Just keep reminding yourself what you are doing each time you interact with a patient, their family members, or a colleague,” Dr. Williams says. “Remember that each interaction and patient is a new experience. The important thing is to actively work toward improvement and offer yourself grace in the process.”
If you find yourself acting with unconscious bias, take a deep breath and place yourself firmly in the moment. Reset your thoughts to the individual and the situation. Be present to what is right in front of you. Later, replay the encounter. Why was your initial reaction to that patient skewed or biased? What could you have done instead? Reframing the situation in your mind can help you form a different pattern and have a better interaction next time.
Talking about mindfulness with your colleagues can also be useful. “Tell them what you’re doing and why you’re doing it,” Dr. Williams says. “Help them understand how mindfulness is helping you. Talking about it with others may help cement the practice in your mind.”
Foster an Inclusive Community
Mindfulness will help you as an individual. However, to significantly impact patient care, Dr. Williams says we need the entire health care community to work toward managing implicit bias.
If you see a colleague acting with unconscious bias, think of it as a teachable and learnable moment. Reflect to see if it’s a bias you might also carry. Then, talk with them about it. Speaking up in the moment can help you handle similar situations in the future and shows support for the person involved.
“There used to be an initiative in health care where if you saw a fellow nurse go into a room and they hadn’t washed their hands, you were obligated to point it out to them. And they were to respond with, ‘Thank you,’” Dr. Williams says. “We need to get to a place where we are thankful when someone points out our biases and habits.”
If you notice widespread unconscious bias in your work environment, take your observations to leadership. The goal isn’t to call out a colleague or simply address an individual — but to affect change for all. Nurses can drive institutional change by speaking to leadership about the biases they observe. It's crucial to make leaders aware of the biases present in the environment so they can address and reduce them effectively.
“Managing unconscious bias needs to be a systemwide priority,” Dr. Williams says. “But as an individual, continue to focus on improvement, be mindful, and ensure that you advocate for patients. Your goal should be for every patient to receive appropriate treatment, so they can have optimal health outcomes.”
How do you manage your implicit bias? Share with us in our discussion below.
Not a member of Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation (HNHN) yet? Join today!
Join our monthly challenges at hnhn.org/challenges.
“We initially develop unconscious biases as a way to protect ourselves,” says #healthynurse Mamie Williams, PhD, MPH, APRN, the senior director for nursing at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. “We are constantly inundated with information, and we have to quickly make decisions — especially in times of stress. Our minds develop patterns and biases to help us make those snap judgments.”
In a health care setting, where stress is the norm and quick reactions are required, it’s natural to rely on comfortable patterns of thinking. But those knee-jerk opinions can affect patient care and feed health inequities.
Fortunately, you can change those patterns when you are mindful of them.
“Becoming more mindful can center you and help you approach any situation more thoughtfully, without immediately falling back on instinct,” Dr. Williams says.
She shares how to use mindfulness to manage your implicit biases:
Identify Your Implicit Bias
Familiarizing yourself with your thought patterns makes it easier to notice when they appear.
“You have to be willing to look closely at your biases,” Dr. Williams says. “The oath you took as a practitioner cannot wash away what you learned your whole life. You still need to be open to identifying and addressing your natural thought tendencies.”
As a nurse, you learn to treat every patient — and to treat them the same. But every nurse encounters patients they find difficult, Dr. Williams says. Think about those experiences and ask yourself:
- What is it about a patient that makes me not want to listen to them?
- What do I think of patients who need pain medicine?
- Why am I overly anxious with some patients?
- Why do I get annoyed by some patients’ requests?
- Why do I assume a patient won’t comply with my health care recommendations?
If you recently felt challenged by a patient, revisit that moment. Replay how you communicated with and cared for that patient to see how it could’ve gone differently.
Dr. Williams also suggests trying to be mindful of unconscious bias around you, whether displayed by a patient, a visitor, or a colleague.
“Watch how other people treat each other,” she says. “Witnessing implicit bias in your environment might help you recognize it in yourself. This awareness is also the first step toward addressing and reducing biases.”
Practice Mindfulness Outside of Work
Stress makes it challenging to stifle implicit bias in the moment. People rely on unconscious biases most when they are in high-stakes situations, which is health care all day, every day, says Dr. Williams.
Practicing mindfulness when you are not in stressful situations helps you build a habit. In time, mindfulness will come naturally, even during times of stress.
“Building up your mindfulness muscle allows you to step back and assess the situation without relying on unconscious stereotypes,” Dr. Williams says. “Being in the moment helps you better advocate for your patient.”
It’s critical to devote time to mindfulness practice every day. Try to be aware of your thoughts and actions. Dr. Williams recommends finding a soothing activity that allows you to disconnect from all the stimuli you deal with regularly. For some people, that might involve meditation, yoga, or walking in nature. Others may feel mindful when they are cooking, journaling, or praying. Nurse wellness programs like Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation® and employer-sponsored wellness programs can also guide your practice and help foster mindfulness.
Manage Unconscious Bias at Work
You cannot switch off your implicit bias overnight — it will take time and practice. “Just keep reminding yourself what you are doing each time you interact with a patient, their family members, or a colleague,” Dr. Williams says. “Remember that each interaction and patient is a new experience. The important thing is to actively work toward improvement and offer yourself grace in the process.”
If you find yourself acting with unconscious bias, take a deep breath and place yourself firmly in the moment. Reset your thoughts to the individual and the situation. Be present to what is right in front of you. Later, replay the encounter. Why was your initial reaction to that patient skewed or biased? What could you have done instead? Reframing the situation in your mind can help you form a different pattern and have a better interaction next time.
Talking about mindfulness with your colleagues can also be useful. “Tell them what you’re doing and why you’re doing it,” Dr. Williams says. “Help them understand how mindfulness is helping you. Talking about it with others may help cement the practice in your mind.”
Foster an Inclusive Community
Mindfulness will help you as an individual. However, to significantly impact patient care, Dr. Williams says we need the entire health care community to work toward managing implicit bias.
If you see a colleague acting with unconscious bias, think of it as a teachable and learnable moment. Reflect to see if it’s a bias you might also carry. Then, talk with them about it. Speaking up in the moment can help you handle similar situations in the future and shows support for the person involved.
“There used to be an initiative in health care where if you saw a fellow nurse go into a room and they hadn’t washed their hands, you were obligated to point it out to them. And they were to respond with, ‘Thank you,’” Dr. Williams says. “We need to get to a place where we are thankful when someone points out our biases and habits.”
If you notice widespread unconscious bias in your work environment, take your observations to leadership. The goal isn’t to call out a colleague or simply address an individual — but to affect change for all. Nurses can drive institutional change by speaking to leadership about the biases they observe. It's crucial to make leaders aware of the biases present in the environment so they can address and reduce them effectively.
“Managing unconscious bias needs to be a systemwide priority,” Dr. Williams says. “But as an individual, continue to focus on improvement, be mindful, and ensure that you advocate for patients. Your goal should be for every patient to receive appropriate treatment, so they can have optimal health outcomes.”
How do you manage your implicit bias? Share with us in our discussion below.
Not a member of Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation (HNHN) yet? Join today!
Join our monthly challenges at hnhn.org/challenges.
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04/29/2025 2:42pm CDT
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