Poster Presentation Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting 2026

Schwartz rounds and staff compassion in a quaternary cancer centre: a prospective observational cohort study (143147)

Brendan McLucas 1 , Sarah Bishop Browne 2 3 , Gillian Heller 4 , Sarah Charlton Li 5 , Chris Milross 3 6
  1. Sydney Medical Program, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
  2. Supportive and Palliative Care, Chris O'Brien Lifehouse, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
  3. Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
  4. Sydney Clinical Trials Centre, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
  5. Research Program Manager, Chris O'Brien Lifehouse, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
  6. Director of Mission, Chris O'Brien Lifehouse, Camperdown, NSW, Australia

Aims: Staff delivering cancer care face sustained emotional demands, and erosion of compassion may affect workforce wellbeing and patient care. Schwartz Rounds are a structured reflective practice intervention, but whether attendance is associated with measurable change in staff compassion in cancer settings is unclear. We evaluated whether Schwartz Rounds attendance was associated with change in compassion at a quaternary cancer centre.

Methods: In a prospective observational cohort study at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, Sydney, clinical and non-clinical staff completed baseline and two-month follow-up surveys linked to up to three scheduled Schwartz Rounds. Planned accrual was up to 150 participant-survey opportunities. The primary outcome was compassion for others, measured using the Sussex-Oxford Compassion for Others Scale (SOCS-O). Change scores were compared between attendees and non-attendees using Wilcoxon rank-sum exact tests. Analysis of covariance modelled follow-up SOCS-O total score adjusted for baseline.

Results: Eighty-one participant-episodes from 78 unique participants were included; 62 attended Rounds and 19 did not. Mean age was 43.6 years (SD 11.1), and 59/76 (78%) were female. Paired SOCS-O data were available for 48 participant-episodes: 35 attendees and 13 non-attendees. Baseline SOCS-O totals were similar between attendees and non-attendees: mean 21.3 (SD 1.6) versus 21.3 (SD 2.1). At two months, compassion was maintained in attendees but declined in non-attendees: mean change +0.1 (SD 1.0) versus −0.6 (SD 0.9), p=0.043. The largest domain difference was tolerating uncomfortable feelings: 0.0 (SD 0.3) versus −0.3 (SD 0.3), p=0.032. In adjusted analysis, attendance was associated with higher follow-up SOCS-O total score: β=0.62, 95% CI −0.01 to 1.20; p=0.052.

Conclusions: Schwartz Rounds attendance was associated with maintenance of compassion over two months in a cancer care workforce. Findings are exploratory but support further evaluation of Rounds as part of organisational strategies for staff wellbeing and compassionate care.

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