Rounding Rewind: Building a Resilient Workforce

The quarterly Schwartz Center Rounds provide a forum for staff across disciplines to come together and dig into what it’s really like to work at PAH. The most recent theme was “We Are Not Exempt: Creating a Resilient Workforce in Health Care” and focused on how crucial it is to build resilience so clinical and non-clinical staff alike can respond to stress without risking burnout.

“Health care professionals often bear witness to suffering, so believing you can work in this environment without emotional or psychological consequences is like believing you can walk through a storm without getting wet,” said Angel McCullough, MSN, MBA, NEA-BC, clinical director of Nursing and co-chair of the Schwartz Rounds steering committee. “Resilience is unique in that you build it by experiencing adversity and discovering your internal strength. It’s not measured by how well you avoid stress, but by how effectively you can overcome stressful times and bounce back.”

The interdisciplinary group of panelists — Jessica Jarmon, MSW, LCSW, Marialaina Scafidi, Anne Kinsey, BSN, RN, CMSRN, Colleen Karasinski, BSN, RN, and Victoria Grau, BSN, RN-BC — discussed their experiences with feeling like giving from an empty cup was “part of the job,” believing loved ones and colleagues were completely safe from community violence or the opioid epidemic, and realizing the importance of asking for help.

The discussion came to life as audience members shared their own reflections on resilience, and it offered a great opportunity to swap coping strategies and highlight resources for staff, such as the Care for the Care Providers program and the health system’s Employee Assistance Program.

“The goal isn’t to teach lessons didactically, but to foster conversations and connect staff with resources that can help them feel empowered and supported,” McCullough said. “Overall, the latest rounds proved an open, authentic conversation that was therapeutic, supportive, and meaningful for all.”