SBAR

Question 1

What are the 4 steps of SBAR?

Answer 1

• Situation
• Background
• Assessment
• Recommendation

Question 2

What does situation include?

Answer 2

• Identify yourself the location you are calling from
• Identify the patient by name and the reason for your report
• Describe your concern/hypothesis
• Firstly, describe the specific situation about which you are calling, including the patient’s name, consultant, patient location, resuscitation status.

Question 3

What does background include?

Answer 3

• Give the patient’s reason for admission and diagnosis
• Explain significant medical history
• Overview of the patient’s background including social history, medications, allergies, any previous hospital admissions or relevant
  correspondence with health care services
• Any relevant prior investigations

Question 4

What does assessment include?

Answer 4

• A-E Assessment
• NEWS 2 Score (if readings are abnormal, explaining those specific readings)
• Any immediate interventions you have completed within your limitations i.e. commenced oxygen therapy
• Any blood results or scan results
• You need to think critically when informing the doctor of your assessment of the situation. This means that you have considered what might be the underlying reason for your patient’s condition. E.g. the patient is indicating sepsis…

Question 5

What does recommendation include?

Answer 5

• Explain what you need - be specific about request and time frame
• Make suggestions
• Clarify expectations
• Finally, what is your recommendation? That is, what would you like to happen by the end of the conversation with the physician? Any order that is given on the phone needs to be repeated back to ensure
  accuracy.