Developing a Compassionate Culture Within Pediatric Rehabilitation: Does the Schwartz Rounds™ Support Both Clinical and Nonclinical Hospital Workers in Managing Their Work Experiences?

Abstract

Schwartz Rounds™ offers an interprofessional forum for staff to openly engage in discussions about social-emotional aspects of care. We aimed to assess the perceived impact of Rounds in the health care context of pediatric rehabilitation, as well as a comparative analysis of how Rounds affected clinical versus nonclinical staff. Does effect on perceived outcomes was also investigated. Data were collected from 29 hospital staff (15 clinicians, 14 nonclinicians) who attended one, two, or three+ Rounds via semistructured interviews. Thematic analysis indicated impacts at the personal and social levels (e.g., reduced stress, increased level of approaching behaviors, normalizing and validating emotional experiences, and building bridges within the hospital). Data also revealed the novel finding of Rounds affecting professional knowledge and skills (e.g., interprofessional practice, reflective practice, clinical imagination). These findings elucidate how Schwartz Rounds™ is beneficial in a pediatric rehabilitation setting, albeit somewhat differentially for clinical and nonclinical staff.