Schwartz Center Rounds—A Time for Compassion and Sharing

Working in health care is both rewarding and challenging. Sometimes, being able to share the ups and downs with others can be just what the doctor ordered.

Schwartz Center Rounds give health care employees of all disciplines time to come together to openly and honestly discuss social and emotional issues that arise from caring for patients. You don't have to be a provider to participate and support your co-workers!

After listening to a panel of Carilion employees provide a brief presentation on a particular patient case or topic, physicians, nurses, social workers, pharmacists, psychologists, chaplains and other participating staff are invited to share their personal stories and perspectives on the case and broader related issues.

“When people share their stories it truly is about how a situation or case impacted them,” says Phyllis Whitehead, Ph.D., R.N., clinical ethicist and clinical nurse specialist, who organizes the rounds. “The clinicians who attend and participate have a platform that really fosters the compassion behind how we care for our patients.”

Why Schwartz Center Rounds

Schwartz Center Rounds is one of the programs offered by The Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare, a national non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening relationships between patients and caregivers and promoting compassionate, patient-centered care.

They first began at Carilion in 2013, in response to a need to improve communication and teamwork.

“When we come together from different disciplines and with varying perspectives, there’s a commonality that we’re all in this together,” says Dr. Whitehead. “You can really feel the power and passion that comes from people being able to share their stories and feelings, and I’m honored to be a part of that.”

An anonymous employee shared their experience at the most recent Schwartz Rounds that was focused on grief and loss:

“Wow! My feelings have been validated. It's ok to grieve. I lost a loved one unexpectedly last year and every day is a constant struggle. It’s the hardest thing I have ever experienced. I felt the speakers’ pain in telling their stories.”

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Schwartz Rounds were hosted on-site at CRMH. With the pivot to hosting Schwartz Rounds via Teams, the events are now accessible to employees across the system. “I am proud to share that the Rounds have grown since moving to Teams and have reached more and more staff over the last two years” says Dr. Whitehead.

Whether you’re interested in sharing, learning, promoting change or just being with others facing similar challenges, think about attending one of the next Schwartz Center Rounds. 

For more information about Schwartz Center Rounds and the upcoming topics, contact Phyllis Whitehead, Clinical Ethics, at pbwhitehead@carilionclinic.org.