How does attendance at Schwartz Rounds affect veterinary professionals' experience in clinical practice?

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Occupational Health
• Psychology

Background:

• Schwartz Rounds offer a reflective forum for healthcare staff to discuss work's emotional challenges.
• Veterinary professionals face numerous challenges, necessitating evaluation of support interventions for team wellbeing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore veterinary professionals' experiences with Schwartz Rounds.
• To evaluate the impact of Schwartz Rounds on team wellbeing and workplace culture in veterinary clinical practice.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving interviews with ten veterinary professionals.
• Reflexive thematic analysis of interview transcripts to identify key themes.

Main Results:

• Three themes emerged: 'enabling compassion,' 'empowering vulnerability,' and 'enhancing organizational insight.'
• Attendees demonstrated self-compassion and compassion for others through shared experiences and active listening.
• Witnessing vulnerability in leaders humanized them, fostered team connection, and provided insight into colleagues' experiences.

Conclusions:

• Schwartz Rounds positively impact veterinary professionals' working conditions and workplace culture.
• Findings suggest improvements in shared understanding, colleague relationships, and workplace compassion.
• Further research should include non-clinical staff and explore impacts on patient care and client experience.