What is SBAR in Nursing?
- SBAR is an easy-to-remember acronym that helps healthcare professionals communicate quickly, efficiently, and effectively.
- When nurses use SBAR, it leverages their experience, their skill, and their critical thinking ability to both assess and make recommendations.
- SBAR introduces structure and discipline to healthcare communications.
Quick, efficient, and clear communication from and between healthcare professionals is integral to treating and caring for patients. SBAR is an effective and easy-to-use communication tool that uses categories to convey patient status points.
The use of this standardized technique is particularly helpful for nurses, who can use it to organize their thoughts and break vital information into segments that describe a patient's:
- S - Situation
- B - Background
- A - Assessment
- R - Recommendation
Popular Online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Programs
GCU's College of Nursing and Health Care Professions has a nearly 35-year tradition of preparing students to fill evolving healthcare roles as highly qualified professionals.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
Earn a valuable nursing credential at Purdue Global’s School of Nursing. Expand your expertise and prepare to take on leadership and independent practice opportunities. Complete your courses online, on your schedule.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide, but certain programs have state restrictions. Check with Purdue for details.
Earn your nursing degree from one of the largest nursing education providers in the U.S. Walden University’s BSN, MSN, post-master’s APRN certificate, and DNP programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Get enhanced practicum support with our Practicum Pledge.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide, excluding CT, ND, NY and RI. Certain programs have additional state restrictions. Check with Walden for details.
As a pioneer in distance learning since 1985, Liberty University’s online nursing programs are designed to prepare practicing nurses to serve with integrity by teaching advanced skills from an ethical perspective. Liberty's programs are based on industry best practices and up-to-date research – so you can get the tools you need to stay on the cutting edge of nursing care and innovation.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
For more than 15 years, American Sentinel College of Nursing & Health Sciences at Post University has been educating registered nurses and healthcare professionals like you online. We offer a number of advanced online nursing degrees designed to give you the advanced education needed to achieve your personal and professional goals.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Natiowide except AZ, CA, DC, LA, NY, OR, TN, WA, PR
SBAR in nursing can provide you and those you collaborate with a concise and easily accessible summary of:
- What is happening with a patient
- What led up to the current situation
- Your professional assessment of the patient’s condition
- What you think should happen next
SBAR focuses on what is most relevant, eliminating extraneous detail. It is always helpful, particularly in emergent and high-stress situations where minimizing frustration and maximizing clarity is essential.
Nurses Helping Nurses: Why You Can Trust Nurse.org
As the leading educational website for nurses by nurses, Nurse.org is committed to editorial integrity and data-driven analysis.
✔ Content written by 80+ licensed, practicing nurses who are experts in their respective specialties. Learn more about our nurse contributors.
✔ Transparent, trusted data sources from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS), Payscale, ZipRecruiter and Glassdoor. Learn more about our data resources.
✔ Consistent article updates to ensure they are as relevant and accurate as possible, utilizing the latest data and information when it becomes available.
What Is SBAR Used For in Nursing?
SBAR is used to communicate information between healthcare professionals, i.e., from nurses to physicians or allied healthcare professionals. Healthcare workers can also use SBAR to relay information to patients or caregivers.
Nurses often use SBAR communication when transferring patients to other units, such as when a patient goes to a higher or lower level of care. For example, a nurse transferring a patient from the med-surg level to the ICU will use SBAR to convey the patient's status to the ICU team. Additionally, SBAR can help deliver concise and relevant information during a code event.
SBAR communication is broken down into defined categories that stress concise language. Every critical point is included simply and straightforwardly, which saves time, reduces the need for questions, and improves understanding.
SBAR is particularly effective for emergent situations but is also useful when:
- A patient is first being admitted
- When a patient is being transferred from one care unit or team to another
- When a new nursing shift arrives and needs to be apprised of a patient’s condition
- For updating the patient or their family members about their current status and care plan
What Does SBAR Stand For?
SBAR emphasizes observation, critical thinking, decision-making, and communication. The acronym stands for:
S - Situation
A brief description and summary of who the patient is and what is happening with them. It may include the patient’s name, age, room number, or care unit, as well as who you are and your role in the patient’s care.
B - Background
A concise synopsis of the patient’s history. This may include the date and time of admission, admitting diagnosis, lab and diagnostic test results, and status changes.
A - Assessment
Professional nursing opinion of what is happening.
R = Recommendation
Professional nursing recommendations for the next steps are based on your knowledge of the patient, your assessment of their status, and relevant subjective and objective data.
Popular Online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Programs
GCU's College of Nursing and Health Care Professions has a nearly 35-year tradition of preparing students to fill evolving healthcare roles as highly qualified professionals.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
Earn a valuable nursing credential at Purdue Global’s School of Nursing. Expand your expertise and prepare to take on leadership and independent practice opportunities. Complete your courses online, on your schedule.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide, but certain programs have state restrictions. Check with Purdue for details.
Earn your nursing degree from one of the largest nursing education providers in the U.S. Walden University’s BSN, MSN, post-master’s APRN certificate, and DNP programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Get enhanced practicum support with our Practicum Pledge.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide, excluding CT, ND, NY and RI. Certain programs have additional state restrictions. Check with Walden for details.
As a pioneer in distance learning since 1985, Liberty University’s online nursing programs are designed to prepare practicing nurses to serve with integrity by teaching advanced skills from an ethical perspective. Liberty's programs are based on industry best practices and up-to-date research – so you can get the tools you need to stay on the cutting edge of nursing care and innovation.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
For more than 15 years, American Sentinel College of Nursing & Health Sciences at Post University has been educating registered nurses and healthcare professionals like you online. We offer a number of advanced online nursing degrees designed to give you the advanced education needed to achieve your personal and professional goals.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Natiowide except AZ, CA, DC, LA, NY, OR, TN, WA, PR
How to Use SBAR for Communication
Many templates are available to guide you through using SBAR in nursing. However, committing the easy-to-remember organizational framework to memory will help you standardize its use for communicating about your patients.
SBAR helps you prioritize and organize what is most critical about each patient’s situation, regardless of whether you are explaining it in person, on the phone, or in writing. Its use ensures that the most vital information is relayed quickly so that appropriate action can be taken.
The most important things for you to remember when using SBAR are:
- Keep all points relevant
- Keep all points concise
- Eliminate unnecessary information
The information conveyed via SBAR is meant to be comprehensive but not overly detailed. It may invite additional questions that you should be prepared to answer. Still, even without those questions being asked, it should provide enough information for another healthcare professional to move forward.
It’s also important to note that the recommendations may include medical interventions (such as medication recommendations, radiology, or lab draws). Still, it is ultimately up to the medical provider to place orders for the patient and determine the next steps.
Nurses are often asked for their professional recommendations because they spend the most time with the patient and might be picking up on subtle cues from the patient.
SBAR Examples
Incorporating SBAR into your nursing practice may feel stilted at first. These examples will demonstrate how fluid, natural, and streamlined SBAR communication is in healthcare.
Example #1:
An emergency nurse uses the SBAR framework regarding a pediatric patient admitted with vomiting and abdominal pain
Here is how the nurse would quickly provide information to the pediatrician:
S (Situation): Dr. Smith, this is Lynne in the Emergency Department. Five-year-old Julia Baker was brought to the E.R. by her father two hours ago, complaining of abdominal pain and experiencing nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. I would like to update you on her condition and clarify orders.
B (Background): Julia’s father reports that complaints of abdominal pain started this morning, and she refused food. Since being admitted, her pain has gotten worse (now rated as an 8 out of 10) and is now radiating to the right lower quadrant. Oral fluids were ordered and her fever is 103.2 F orally.
A (Assessment): Julia looks pale, is febrile, and has been experiencing increased pain, vomiting, and diarrhea since her time of admission.
R (Recommendation): I believe that Julia should be given intravenous fluids and that an ultrasound should be considered to determine whether she has appendicitis.
Example #2:
An evening nurse uses SBAR to convey information to the morning shift nurse regarding a patient admitted from a nursing home.
S (Situation): Mr. Goldring is an 83-year-old male in room 212, admitted last night at 23:20. Arrived via ambulance from Woods Manor North Nursing Home where he reportedly fell out of bed.
B (Background): Mr. Goldring is diabetic and has mild dementia. His supporting documentation, including a DNR, has been entered into his chart. The family was notified of the fall by the nursing home, and I contacted his daughter with an update shortly after she was admitted. Expect family to arrive this morning to meet with physician.
A (Assessment): Diagnostic X-rays reveal hip fracture, physical examination shows bruising on thigh, skin intact. The patient reports mild pain, and morphine was administered at 01:00 by ER staff.
R (Recommendation): Physician consultation with surgeon scheduled for this morning. Continue monitoring for pain and follow up with a surgeon regarding the next steps.
History of SBAR
Though SBAR is a healthcare communication tool, its roots lie in the U.S. military.
Before Doug Bonacum joined Kaiser Permanente’s environmental health and safety department, he was a part of the U.S. Navy’s submarine force. While on active duty he used a communication technique he referred to as SBAR to succinctly describe and assess mission-critical information up and down throughout the hierarchy.
Years later when he joined Kaiser, he encountered,
- Physicians and nurses complaining about poor communications
- Physicians complaining about nurses rambling
- Nurses complaining that physicians were not following their recommendations
He recognized that the structured format that had proven successful for the military would also help both the receivers and transmitters of patient information and the patient.
Now Vice President of Safety Management at Kaiser Permanente, he points to the need for the healthcare hierarchy to be “flattened” in the interest of patient safety, and credits SBAR for accomplishing that goal.
*This website is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease.
