User:Pointofcarefdn/sandbox

Schwartz Center Rounds® (or Schwartz Rounds® in the UK) are meetings where staff from all disciplines across a health and care organisation come together to reflect on the emotional aspects of their work.

A Round can either be based on different accounts of one patient or an event, or a particular theme such as ‘when things go wrong’ or ‘memorable patients’. A small panel lead the discussion for 10-15 minutes. Trained facilitators then moderate 40minutes of group discussion after the audience is asked to share their thoughts, ask questions, offer similar experiences.

Research from studies in America and England show that staff who attend Schwartz Center Rounds:
 * feel they communicate better with their patients and colleagues
 * feel less isolated and more supported
 * feel better able to cope with the emotional pressures of their work
 * understand better how their colleagues think..

Origins
Rounds were developed by the Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare in Boston USA in 1994 following the experience of Kenneth Schwartz who was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer in his early 40s. During his 10-month ordeal, Ken came to realize that what matters most during an illness is the human connection between patients and their caregivers.

"In the months that followed, I was subjected to chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, and news of all kinds, most of it bad. It has been a harrowing experience for me and for my family. And yet, the ordeal has been punctuated by moments of exquisite compassion. I have been the recipient of an extraordinary array of human and humane responses to my plight. These acts of kindness - the simple human touch from my caregivers - have made the unbearable, bearable."

He founded the Schwartz Center in 1995 – just days before his death – to ensure that all patients receive compassionate and humane care. .

Schwartz Center Rounds now take place in more than 350 healthcare facilities in the US.

Schwartz Rounds in the UK
The Point of Care Foundation is the sole licensed provider of training and support to organisations wishing to run Schwartz Rounds in the UK.​ In 2013, the scheme was expanded in the UK thanks to a grant from the Department of Health. Over 80 hospitals and hospices are contracted to run Rounds in the UK.

Authorities such as NHS England, Care Quality Commission, Health Education England and NIHR recognise Schwartz Rounds as an indication of an organisation’s continued and sustained commitment to valuing and supporting staff.

The Royal Society of Medicine (2012) (PDF) �and Academic Medicine (2010) (PDF) have published papers examining the impact of Schwartz Rounds in the UK. Current research projects looking at Schwartz Rounds in the UK include:


 * Supporting NHS staff at work: Could Schwartz Centre Rounds hold the key to a happier, healthier workforce and enhance compassionate care? – two year evaluation of Schwartz Rounds led by the National Nursing Research Unit (NNRU) at King’s College London. Started in May 2014.
 * Implementing Schwartz Centre Rounds in community and mental health services: How can processes of group reflection support health and social care staff? Action research funded by the Department of Health.