Schwartz Rounds

Focus on emotional impact
Facilitated
Thoughts not solutions

The point of care foundation was set up in the UK to support Schwartz rounds
https://www.pointofcarefoundation.org.uk/our-work/schwartz-rounds/ The following is quoted from this site

“Schwartz Rounds provide a structured forum where all staff, clinical and non-clinical, come together regularly to discuss the emotional and social aspects of working in healthcare.”

Focus on emotional impact

“The underlying premise for Rounds is that the compassion shown by staff can make all the difference to a patient’s experience of care, but that in order to provide compassionate care staff must, in turn, feel supported in their work.”
“A Round can either be based on different accounts of a case, or can explore a particular theme such as ‘when things go wrong’ or ‘a patient I’ll never forget’. Experiences are shared from the perspective of the panel member – not the patient – and the emphasis is on the emotional impact.”

Facilitated

“The remainder of the hour features trained facilitators leading an open discussion. They do this by asking participants to share their thoughts and reflections on the stories. The facilitators will remind participants that Rounds are a confidential space, in which patient and staff identities are protected.”
“Rounds follow a standard model to ensure that they are replicable across settings.Rounds normally take place once a month for an hour at a time with catering provided before the Round.Once the Round starts, a panel, comprised of three staff, share their experiences for the first 15-20 minutes. On each panel, there should ideally be a mix of clinical and non-clinical staff with different levels of seniority.”

Thoughts not solutions

“The key skill is for the facilitators to steer the discussion in such a way that it remains reflective and does not become a space to solve problems.”

“In 1994 a health attorney called Ken Schwartz was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. During his treatment, he found that what mattered to him most as a patient were the simple acts of kindness from his caregivers, which he said made “the unbearable bearable.” Before his death, he left a legacy for the establishment of the Schwartz Center in Boston, to help to foster compassion in healthcare.”

“In 2009, Schwartz Rounds were brought to the UK by the Point of Care programme at The King’s Fund and continue to be implemented by The Point of Care Foundation.”

Source https://www.pointofcarefoundation.org.uk/our-work/schwartz-rounds/