Student education
The reassurance that a Schwartz Round brings to us as healthcare professionals is invaluable , not only for our sense of being , but also for our mental health and wellbeing .”
Student education
Feature
The reassurance that a Schwartz Round brings to us as healthcare professionals is invaluable , not only for our sense of being , but also for our mental health and wellbeing .”
As a group , the occupational therapy apprentices reflected on several personal advantages of Schwartz Round attendance that supported their work in occupational therapy practice .
Lara Haley , on her experience of ‘ speaking out ’ by telling a story as a panellist , says : ‘ The rounds were a safe environment for me to be able to build my confidence and share thoughts that I may not feel able to in my service .
‘ I presented to an interprofessional audience , which supported me to reflect not only on my story , but also the stories of others . By building my confidence to speak out in this instance , it will enable me to find my voice as a professional and student .
‘ I felt the group facilitators supported and empowered me to share my experience . I would refer to the rounds as nurturing Ann Willcock ’ s theory of Doing , Being and Becoming , with respect to supporting a holistic journey from being an occupational therapy student to a qualified professional .’
Schwartz Rounds are available as a part of the student professional journey at Canterbury Christ Church University . Abi Philpot believes the rounds promote professional skill development .
She says : ‘ As professionals , it is vital to continue to develop . When looking into my own deficits , I am aware that public speaking and taking the initiative to contribute in a professional setting is something I struggle with immensely .’
She adds : ‘ Although I have reached a level where I am confident enough to speak in a small group setting , to successfully develop , I knew I needed to go to another level . In the Schwartz Round I was able to contribute in a setting that ’ s safe with no judgements .
‘ Initially there was silence , which in this setting I used to internalise what I heard and how it made me feel . I then felt I was able to contribute with my own reflection . The feedback and acknowledgment I got from this was positive , which gave me the confidence to contribute more .’
Abi concludes : ‘ Having confidence is so important for occupational therapy practice . If we as professionals sit in a comfort zone for too long , we run the risk of not adapting , learning and transforming .’
Actively ‘ doing ’ a difficult task in a supportive space allowed both students to begin to feel competent and proficient to try this again . While the act of speaking up supported ‘ belonging ’ for Lauren Hill , who discusses her experience of the multidisciplinary reflective space .
‘ Speaking as a participant in the Schwartz Round made me feel like I belonged and that it was safe for me to speak out about my unique experiences ,’ Lauren reflects . ‘ I also started to feel empathy for other healthcare professionals , which I didn ’ t feel I had previously . I see Schwartz Rounds as a way to reflect with others , as well as myself , and believe it to be a positive way to improve my reflective skills within my role .’
Schwartz Rounds are evidenced to reduce isolation and improve team working across professional groups ( Maben et al 2018 ) and Thomas Smith ’ s experience of belonging to a wider health team following the Schwartz Round resonates with this .
He says : ‘ Joining other professionals in Schwartz Rounds brings about a sense of unity and belonging , a team-building framework and a better understanding of other professions within healthcare . In this way , the burden we all face is shared . It ’ s knowing that we all have bad days ; this is the nature of healthcare and at times it demands a piece of us , our mind and our thoughts .’
Thomas adds : ‘ There are days that will drain us , provoke thoughts and reflections and play on our anxieties . The reassurance that a Schwartz Round brings to us as healthcare professionals is invaluable , not only for our sense of being , but also for our mental health and wellbeing .
‘ It ’ s useful to know that we , as healthcare professionals , are not alone and that others in the wider system are empathetic and understanding to the challenges , burdens and impact on self when working under the healthcare umbrella .’
Thomas could see the potential of the Schwartz Round supporting occupational therapy students to work in partnership with our colleagues , in line with the Health and Care Professions Council ’ s standards ( HCPC 2023 ).
Amy Mayhew felt the Schwartz Round reduced feelings of isolation and self-doubt and describing the impact of imposter syndrome in everyday practice said : ‘ I had never heard of it until I started university . I began to doubt my abilities and questioned if I was good enough to be on the course ; I felt the need to be perfect and thrive .’
Referencing a study by Holden et al ( 2021 ), which evidences the correlation between the social
24 OTnews April 2024