Reflection for all healthcare staff: A national evaluation of Schwartz Rounds

ABSTRACT

The emotional toll of working in healthcare is widely recognised, but staff rarely have time to reflect on their experiences. Schwartz Rounds provide an opportunity for all staff in a healthcare organisation to meet regularly and reflect on the human connections made with patients and the emotional impact of their work. They are now running in over 200 organisations across the UK & Ireland. In the first evaluation of a national sample in the UK, we review feedback received from a large sample of 402 Schwartz Rounds in a total of 47 organisations, including acute and non-acute NHS trusts and hospices. Analyses were undertaken to explore self-reported experiences of the Rounds, and differences between the proportions of professional staff groups attending. The overall experience of Schwartz Rounds was very positive across all settings. In particular, staff reported that Rounds helped them to gain insight into the working lives of their colleagues. There were no differences between the responses of clinical and non-clinical staff, indicating that all staff value a reflective space regardless of background. Healthcare staff value an opportunity to reflect on the emotional impact of their work. In increasingly overstretched and hurried services, it is a priority to provide this.

KEYWORDS:

• Compassionate care
• staff wellbeing
• evaluation research
• interprofessional practice
• team culture
• Schwartz Rounds

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Dr Steven Muncer, University of Teesside, for help with the analysis

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Esther Flanagan

Esther Flanagan is a Senior Programme Manager at Nesta, leading a project that aims to meaningfully embed behavioural and social science into health systems. She continues to practice clinically, working with people living with chronic pain and sexual health difficulties. Previously, Esther led the delivery of the national Schwartz Round programme at The Point of Care Foundation.

Raymond Chadwick

Raymond Chadwick is a consultant clinical psychologist who has worked in the NHS and higher education. He is an Associate and Schwartz Round Mentor with the Point of Care Foundation.

Joanna Goodrich

Joanna Goodrich was Head of Evidence and Learning at the Point of Care Foundation until 2018 where she also led Schwartz Rounds and Co-Design programmes for ten years. Joanna is now a Point of Care Foundation Associate.

Christy Ford

Christy Ford is a clinical psychologist working in children and young people's services. She carried out the analysis of results for the study, which formed part of her doctoral thesis.

Rebecca Wickens

Rebecca Wickens was the Schwartz Rounds programme co-ordinator at The Point of Care Foundation from 2013-2016.