HR Pulse - Spring 2008 - (Page 22) >> AN EMOTIONAL OUTLET FOR CAREGIVERS which is why this approach makes so much sense. The Rounds can help us provide more compassionate care and take a more unified approach to improving that care.” MD Anderson’s Fisch also believes that Rounds can help create a more understanding workforce. “In my mind, the primary benefit is an increased awareness of your own emotions and a new appreciation for the challenges that come with being in this line of work. These discussions also make you more understanding of how others might react to difficult situations,” he explains. “One goal is to be a little kinder with oneself and with others and to be a little more truthful— to be willing to admit that this is tough work,” says Fisch. “The power of being able to say something out loud opens up possibilities.” n Anne Coulter is a freelance writer who lives in Evanston, Ill. Learn more about her at www.bigleap.com. Teamwork Among Caregivers Nearly all survey participants indicated that Rounds had improved teamwork, either by “some” or “a great deal.” In particular, respondents had a heightened appreciation of the roles and contributions of colleagues from disciplines other than their own. Extent to Which Teamwork Improved as a Result of Rounds Not at all Your appreciation of the roles and contributions of colleagues from disciplines other than your own Your appreciation of the roles and contributions of colleagues from your own discipline Your sense of belonging to a caregiver team Your cooperation/coordination with colleagues on behalf of patients 2% Only a little 5% Some 32% A great deal 61% 2% 9% 46% 43% 3% 3% 3% 3% 4% 9% 8% 7% 11% 9% 44% 47% 51% 44% 49% 44% 42% 39% 42% 39% 22 HR Pulse Spring 2008 Your communication with colleagues about non-clinical aspects of patient care Your willingness to offer support to or receive support from a colleague Your openness to expressing thoughts, questions, and feelings about patient care with colleagues Support for Caregivers Respondents rated how often they experienced different feelings about their work with patients, both before they began attending the Rounds and at the time of the survey. They perceived themselves to be significantly less stressed, better able to cope with non-clinical demands, and less overwhelmed by emotions since attending the Rounds. Responses were based on a five-point scale, from never (1) to very often (5). Feelings about Work with Patients Before and After Rounds How often you felt/feel: Nervous or stressed about your work with patients Confident about your ability to handle difficult non-clinical aspects of patient care Unable to cope with all the non-clinical patient demands of your work The emotional difficulties of your work were piling up so high that you could not overcome them Before 2.88 3.60 2.33 2.08 After 2.61 3.66 2.23 1.96 Institutional Changes In addition to the outcomes of the Rounds for individual caregivers, the Schwartz Center also was interested in determining to what extent the sessions influence department-level and/or hospital-wide practices and policies. About half (51 percent) of the survey respondents reported that institutional changes had taken place as a result of Rounds’ discussions. http://www.bigleap.com
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