Retrospective review of a Schwartz Rounds service for a veterinary team

Abstract

Schwartz Rounds are a multidisciplinary forum for human healthcare staff to process the emotional and social issues associated with delivering care. The aim is to care for the emotional needs of team members so that they in turn may attend to the emotional needs of their patients (clients). Aim: To run a pilot program at a large UK veterinary practice to assess the suitability and impact of Schwartz Rounds in this group. Method: Data analysis of feedback forms and attendance records from Schwartz Rounds in veterinary practice. Results: Over 90% of attendees found that the stories presented were: relevant to their daily work; would help them work better with colleagues; found the group discussion helpful; and had a better understanding of their work. Over 90% planned to attend again and recommend Schwartz Rounds to colleagues. Conclusions: The pilot provided sufficient quantitative evidence that Schwartz Rounds increase the wellbeing of practice teams to warrant further investigations.