HR Pulse - Spring 2008 - (Page 18) An Emotional Outlet for Caregivers The Schwartz Center Rounds By Anne Coulter 18 HR Pulse Spring 2008 ©iStockphoto.com iven the relentless pressures of today’s health care system, it’s easy for caregivers to lose sight of what it means to provide “compassionate” care. And it is even easier for them to lose touch with their own deep emotions that are triggered by such demanding work. With no outlet for those feelings, stress can build to the point of burnout. The Schwartz Center (www.theschwartzcenter.org) was founded to provide just such an outlet. An independent nonprofit organization housed at Massachusetts General Hospital, the Center was born from the vision of health care attorney Ken Schwartz, who died from lung cancer at age 40 in 1995. His will established the creation of a center “to study the patient-caregiver relationship.” After his death, friends and family established G the Kenneth B. Schwartz Center as a means of strengthening that relationship, with an emphasis on making sure the human side of medicine is not lost. The Schwartz Center Rounds is a multidisciplinary forum where caregivers discuss tough emotional and social issues that emerge in the course of caring for patients. The Rounds currently take place at 129 sites in 26 states, where more than 27,000 clinicians participate by listening and sharing their thoughts and feelings. The sessions are held in a wide range of health care environments, from academic medical centers to community hospitals and nursing homes. A Different Breed of Rounds Traditionally, “Rounds” in most hospitals tend to focus on problem solving and making teaching points, often in the aftermath of situations http://www.theschwartzcenter.org
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