SBAR Communication

According to the Joint Commission, the organization which accredits health care facilities, lack of effective communication is the leading cause of errors that injure patients. SBAR communication is a framework for communication that was developed by the military and is now being used by doctors and nurses to improve communication.

SBAR communication is pronounced S-Bar. The acronym stands for situation, background, assessment, and recommendation. Here is an example of how SBAR communication is used.

Situation - A registered nurse needs to call a physician to report a change or a problem. The nurse identifies the patient and reports what is currently happening.

Background - The nurse reports information such as diagnosis, vital signs, mental orientation, pain level, and physical assessment findings.

Assessment - This is the step where the nurse uses critical thinking skills. The nurse reports changes, more extensive data, and offers an analysis of the problem.

Recommendation - The nurse tells the physician what might be done to resolve the problem. The nurse might ask to increase pain medication or move the patient to another unit.

SBAR communication provides a framework that allows nurses to relay important information to physicians. The nurse clearly states what is happening and what might help the situation. The physician clearly understands what the nurse wants to do to help the patient.

The physician does not have to guess what the nurse wants ordered to help the patient. The nurse is not dumping the problem on the physician. The physician is given a clear picture of the event, before deciding what should be ordered to help the patient.