Warning notification:Warning

Unfortunately, you are using an outdated browser. Please, upgrade your browser to improve your experience with HSE. The list of supported browsers:

  1. Chrome
  2. Edge
  3. FireFox
  4. Opera
  5. Safari

Sharing the learning from the Inaugural Schwartz Rounds Conference

Following the successful the Inaugural Schwartz Rounds Conference - Fostering Compassion and Connection we are delighted to share with you the key note speakers presentations from the main stage. The workshops were tailored to individual needs so we have not shared them in this forum.

We look forward to sharing the save the date for the 2019 conference with you in the near future.

Access the outline conference programme and read the bios of our esteemed speakers.

On Tuesday 20th February, the HSE launched the Inaugural Schwartz Rounds Conference - Fostering Compassion and Connection.

Schwartz Rounds are conversations with staff about the emotional impact of their work. They provide an evidenced based framework which has been proven to improve staff well-being and teamwork which ultimately has an impact on improved person-centred care.

Dr. Philip Crowley, National Director Quality Improvement Division, who has championed the development of Schwartz Rounds in Ireland said: “Schwartz Rounds offer healthcare staff essential time and space to reflect on the emotional impact of their work. We know from the evidence that given the nature of our work, there are higher levels of burnout in healthcare than other industries. I am delighted today to hear personal stories of how people have been influenced by participation in rounds - it tells me that our work is making a difference to those who are using and providing services.”

The Quality Improvement Division of the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the Point of Care Foundation are working in collaboration to introduce Schwartz Rounds in Ireland since 2015, with two pilot sites Blackrock Hospice and Galway University Hospital. Following preliminary results which demonstrated that 85% of staff felt they gained knowledge to help them better care for patients, 75% of staff felt more engaged in their work after rounds and 95 - 96% said they would be better able to work with colleagues after a Schwartz Round”, the Quality Improvement Division has been partnering with sites to expand the programme.

The conference’s esteemed speakers included Joanna Goodrich, Head of Evidence and Learning, The Point of Care Foundation, Dr. Jill Mayben, Professor of Nursing at the University of Surrey who led the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) study evaluation of Rounds in the UK and Barbara Wrenn, Consultant Psychologist who has written extensively on exploring the mechanisms by which the Rounds impact on staff experience and organisational culture. In addition to this, Dr. Gemma Moore and Dr. Vivienne Brady presented the preliminary data from the pilot of Schwartz Rounds in Ireland from the Trinity College Dublin evaluation in progress.

The conference was attended by staff who currently have a role as Schwartz Rounds Clinical Leads, Facilitators and Administrators and those who are new to Schwartz Rounds. Delegates had an opportunity to further develop their skills and knowledge or alternatively participate in a Schwartz Round facilitated by Prof Sean Dinneen and Irene Maguire from Saolta Hospital Group.

The contribution of the teams from both Blackrock Hospice and Saolta Group was acknowledged during the conference when they were presented with a certificate of acknowledgement for their contribution to furthering the spread of Schwartz Rounds in Ireland. The teams were instrumental in providing guidance and support to the additional 10 teams who have since received training and have led information days and welcomed interested staff to observe rounds locally.

In his welcome of delegates, Dr. Crowley highlighted the invaluable nature of Schwartz Rounds as an evidence based approach to improving quality through improving teamwork, sense of community and staff wellbeing. He noted that Schwartz Rounds have the potential to change the organisational culture exploring all facets of our work and most importantly supports staff as they continue to do their work safely and well.

Pictured above are the speakers for the Inaugural Schwartz Rounds Conference – Fostering Compassion and Connection
Pictured above are the speakers for the Inaugural Schwartz Rounds Conference – Fostering Compassion and Connection

Why are Schwartz Rounds important?

Schwartz Rounds have been shown to lead to: increased insight into the social and emotional aspects of patient care; increased confidence to deal with sensitive issues; beliefs in the importance of empathy and actual empathy with patients as people; openness to expressing thoughts, questions and feelings; decreased feelings of stress and isolation; improved team work and interdisciplinary communication; specific changes in departmental or organisation wide practices as a result of insights that have arisen from discussions in Rounds. Data from more than 5,000 respondents in 2015 showed that 85% of staff feel better able to care for patients after attending Schwartz Rounds. In 2013, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) commissioned King’s College London to undertake a major national evaluation of Rounds, which is due to published later this year. Researchers found that the well-being of staff who attended Rounds regularly significantly improved, with the proportion of those with psychological distress halving- down from 25% to 12%.

Photo of Noemi Palacios, Orla O’Reilly, Mary Lawless and Lisa Toland who provided invaluable support in the organisation of the inaugural conference
Photo of Noemi Palacios, Orla O’Reilly, Mary Lawless and Lisa Toland who provided invaluable support in the organisation of the inaugural conference