Do Schwartz Rounds support senior leaders to reflect on their practice?

This article has been double-blind peer reviewed

In this article…

• Schwartz Rounds as a forum for reflective practice

• Senior leaders' experiences of Schwartz Rounds

• Understanding the complexity, responsibility and emotional labour of executive work

Key points

Schwartz Rounds provide a safe, reflective and non-hierarchical space for health service staff to process the emotional impact of their work

Executives, due to their role, experience Schwartz Rounds differently from other staff and report fewer benefits

In Schwartz Rounds the emotional labour of healthcare work is openly expressed, forcing participants to confront it

For executives, Schwartz Rounds can lead to feelings of powerlessness and that they are failing their staff

The context in which executives operate must change so that expressing uncertainty in the face of complex, risky and emotionally intense healthcare is seen as a normal aspect of leadership

Abstract Schwartz Rounds acknowledge and respond to the ‘emotional labour' of healthcare by giving staff a safe and reflective space in which to talk openly about the nature of their work and how it affects them. Reported benefits include improvements in staff wellbeing, increased empathy and compassion, and positive changes in practice. Schwartz Rounds are non-hierarchical and open to all health service staff - however, trust executives - by the nature of their role - may experience Schwartz Rounds differently from other staff. This article explores executives' experiences and perceptions of Schwartz Rounds, and what needs to happen to help executives benefit in the same way as other staff.