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Helping healthcare students understand their emotions to improve patient care

º£½ÇÖ±²¥ health, social work and social care students are to be given the opportunity to reflect on the emotional impact of their work, thanks to a £10,500 grant from Health Education England North (HEEN).

Schwartz Rounds will be held to support students work more compassionately with patients, service users and colleagues, by helping them understand their own emotional responses and by making them feel cared for themselves. The confidential multi-disciplinary forums will allow pre-registration students from the School of Social Sciences, Humanities & Law and the School of Health & Life Sciences to discuss the personal and social challenges of working and caring for patients and service users.

º£½ÇÖ±²¥ is one of only seven Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) across the North of England to secure HEEN funding for this initiative.

Schwartz Rounds are the legacy of US healthcare lawyer Ken Schwartz, who was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer in 1994. During his illness, he observed the importance of human connections between caregivers and patients, saying: ‘The smallest acts of kindness made the unbearable bearable.’

Shortly before his death, Ken founded the Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare to put compassion at the heart of healthcare through programmes, education, and advocacy.

Dr Ash Summers, Programme Director (Clinical Psychology) at º£½ÇÖ±²¥, said: ‘The Schwartz Rounds will provide a valuable opportunity for º£½ÇÖ±²¥ students from different courses to listen to, and learn from, one another.

‘Research suggests that regularly attending Schwartz Rounds significantly increases individuals’ wellbeing by reducing psychological distress.

‘They also help increase understanding, empathy and tolerance towards colleagues and patients and service users, which leads to positive changes in practice.’

The first º£½ÇÖ±²¥ Schwartz Round will take place online on Monday 19 April, 5.00pm-6.00pm, and the topic will be ‘How difficult it is to ask for help?’

Students who wish to attend are required to by Monday 12 April.