How Schwartz rounds can be used to combat compassion fatigue
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How Schwartz rounds can be used to combat compassion fatigue

Alison Thompson Ward sister, Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust, London

Alison Thompson reflects on an initiative that helps to maintain staff wellbeing and quality of patient care

Hospice nurses were the first to have some of their experiences described as ‘compassion fatigue’ but this term can now be applied to all nursing staff in clinical environments. Compassion fatigue can suddenly render nurses unable to distinguish between their own emotions and those of their patients. This fatigue can result in staff becoming emotionally drained and therefore unable to provide high quality care. While nurses have to regain public trust in the wake of the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust inquiry, this article considers whether or not Schwartz rounds, an initiative introduced from the US, can help maintain the wellbeing of staff and so protect the quality of patient care.

Nursing Management. 20, 4, 16-20. doi: 10.7748/nm2013.07.20.4.16.e1102

Correspondence

a.thompson@rbht.nhs.uk

Conflict of interest

None declared

Peer review

This article has been subject to double blind peer review

Received: 22 April 2013

Accepted: 28 May 2013

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