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because compassionate care requires compassionate organisations
We believe high-quality, humanised health and care is compassionate towards patients and their families, and stems from compassion among staff. But humanising care often requires cultural change within organisations. Organisational culture affects relationships between staff and managers, and between staff and patients.
Our work helps to develop compassionate cultures within health and care organisations, benefitting staff and patients.
A note from us about using Schwartz Rounds in response to the recent riots.
As we move into the second year of our Schwartz Midlands project, Eryn and Laura reflect on its impact so far.
New research identifies key types of responses in Schwartz Rounds and explores how they help achieve connections and affiliation amongst staff.
Healthcare staff work in an environment where untreatable and terminal illness, disfigurement, suffering, and the pain of loss for patients and families can result in staff distancing themselves as a means of self-protection, which makes it more difficult to feel and show compassion
Professional training emphasises the importance of developing an ability to detach oneself from the patient’s distress and personal circumstances
Stress, and at its extreme, burnout, produces a lowered sense of personal effectiveness, emotional exhaustion, and depersonalisation of others which can limit compassion, and at its most extreme cause cruelty towards patients.
There is agreement that role modelling by colleagues is a powerful way of learning how to behave compassionately.
Staff who use reflective practice, such as Schwartz Rounds, find it easier to provide compassionate care