Nurturing Compassion in Healthcare: The Vital Role of Schwartz Rounds®
An emphasis on technological advancements and operational efficiencies in healthcare can sometimes overshadow the emotional and social aspect of patient care. However, it’s these elements that lie at the heart of compassionate care. That’s why we’re proud to host the Schwartz Rounds®, a series of events designed to bring healthcare professionals together to reflect on the emotional and social challenges they face in their work.
What Are Schwartz Rounds?
Originally developed by the Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare, Schwartz Rounds offers a unique forum for healthcare workers from all disciplines to discuss the psychological and emotional aspects of patient care. Unlike traditional medical rounds, which focus on the clinical aspects of patient care, Schwartz Rounds centers on the human side of medicine. It provides a safe and confidential space for caregivers to share experiences, thoughts, and feelings on thought-provoking topics drawn from actual patient cases.
What Makes Schwartz Rounds Valuable?
The main goal of Schwartz Rounds is to understand the intrinsic challenges and rewards of providing care, not to solve problems or focus solely on clinical care. Evidence suggests that those who participate in Rounds feel less stressed and isolated, gaining increased insight and appreciation for their colleagues’ roles.
Participating in Schwartz Rounds can be a profound experience. Healthcare professionals can:
- Gain a deeper appreciation for the roles and contributions of colleagues across disciplines
- Improve interdisciplinary communication and teamwork
- Decrease feelings of isolation and stress
- Foster a supportive community focused on compassionate care
Schwartz Rounds and Mental Well-being
The benefits of Schwartz Rounds extend far beyond the individual. The impact of the Rounds has a ripple effect and positively touches the entire healthcare environment. Studies published in Academic Medicine have shown that caregivers who regularly attend Schwartz Rounds report significant improvements in teamwork, communication, and an increased readiness to respond to patients' and families' emotional needs.
Perhaps most important, these sessions remind healthcare professionals why they entered the field in the first place, reinvigorating their passion for caregiving.
Upcoming Schwartz Rounds at AMN Healthcare
We’re excited to continue this tradition of nurturing compassion in healthcare through the upcoming Schwartz Rounds:
- June 5th: The Impact of Unexpected Deaths in Young Patients
- August 7th: Confronting the Suicide of a Patient
- October 2nd: Coping with the Moral Distress of Health Inequity
- December 4th: The Impact of Unconscious Bias
Each session is carefully curated to address the pressing issues facing today's healthcare workers. Our Schwartz Rounds objectives are:
- To support healthcare teams in their emotional well-being through social sharing of feelings in the forum of Schwartz Rounds.
- To support the development of strong emotional intelligence in our healthcare professionals by engaging them in sharing the emotional and social aspects of their work.
- Developing empathy and understanding of others’ feelings and perspectives.
- Enhancing self-awareness of emotions and their impact on others and self.
- Building psychological safety in shared experiences.
How to Participate in Schwartz Rounds
Participation in Schwartz Rounds is an opportunity for healthcare professionals to engage in meaningful dialogue about the challenges and triumphs of patient care. For those interested in attending the upcoming rounds, use this link to register.
