Talking helps nurses cope with trauma

With research showing Schwartz rounds improve psychological well-being, cancer nurses explain how they benefit from the forums

• Schwartz rounds help staff share emotional and psychological impact of their work
• Confidential sessions allow staff to talk about difficult experiences
• Panel members share their stories and facilitator guides discussion with audience

When clinical liaison nurse Charlene Jones was faced with a 22-year-old patient who refused potentially life-saving cancer treatment, she felt upset and angry.

‘I work with 16 to 25 year olds and am well-used to non-compliance,’ says Ms Jones, a Teenage Cancer Trust clinical liaison nurse at the Christie Hospital in Manchester.

‘But this was the first time I had experienced out-and-out refusal of treatment. It just seemed crazy and incredibly upsetting to know we could have helped. I felt