The capacity and well-being in the U.S. health workforce has been under threat for years by an epidemic of burnout, and the COVID-19 pandemic only exacerbated these systems issue further. The New Jersey Emotional Well-Being Institute (NJ-NEW), a program of the New Jersey Collaborating Center for Nursing, initiated the Virtual Schwartz Rounds (VSR) forums in early 2020 to allow for nurses to openly discuss social and emotional issues they face in caring for patients and families.
Researchers at the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, the Rutgers School of Nursing, and NJ-NEW are examining VSR sessions to better understand and evaluate the program as a well-being intervention. As part of the study, VSR participants will be surveyed to evaluate equity in accessing the emotional support program and examine demographic characteristics of the participating nurses. The intention is to determine what types of nurses are accessing these programs and whether more organizations should offer similar programs and provide recommendations to improve well-being interventions.