You’re finally on the floor for your first clinical rotation—congratulations! Now, you face a new challenge: communicating with nurses, attending physicians, and preceptors who are constantly busy. You have about 30 seconds to convey critical patient information before their attention moves elsewhere.
This is where SBAR comes in.
SBAR is a standardized, four-step communication framework used by healthcare teams worldwide. Mastering it shows your supervisors that you are organized, professional, and ready to prioritize patient safety.
What is SBAR and Why Do I Need It?
SBAR is an acronym that forces you to organize your thoughts logically, ensuring that no critical piece of information is missed when handing off a patient or calling a supervisor with a concern.
It moves from the immediate concern (Situation) to the suggested solution (Recommendation) in a clear, concise pathway.
The Four Components
| Step | Focus | Goal |
| Situation | What is the current problem? | Identify yourself, the patient, and the immediate concern in one or two sentences. |
| Background | What are the relevant facts? | Provide only the context needed to understand the situation (e.g., date of admission, key history, current medications). |
| Assessment | What do I think the problem is? | State your professional conclusion or observation based on the facts (e.g., “I believe the patient is septic” or “I am concerned about increasing pain”). |
| Recommendation | What do I need from you? | State exactly what action you need the receiver to take (e.g., “I need an order for pain medication” or “I recommend transferring the patient to the ICU”). |
How to Use SBAR in Action: A Student Example
As a student, you won’t always be giving a formal recommendation, but you will be presenting patient cases or escalating concerns. Use this example to structure your thought process:
Scenario: A patient you are observing suddenly has a significant drop in blood pressure.
S – Situation
“Hi Dr. Smith, this is [Your Name], the student working with Nurse Jones on the medical floor. I am calling about Mr. Doe in room 405. His systolic blood pressure has dropped from 120 to 88 over the last 30 minutes, and he reports feeling dizzy.”
Goal: Get their attention and state the immediate, critical change.
B – Background
“Mr. Doe is a 65-year-old male who was admitted two days ago for pneumonia. He is currently on IV antibiotics. His last set of vitals before the change were stable, and he has no known history of cardiac issues, but he did get a dose of his blood pressure medication an hour ago.”
Goal: Provide only the facts relevant to the blood pressure drop.
A – Assessment
“My assessment is that he is experiencing symptomatic hypotension, likely related to his last medication dose or possibly dehydration secondary to his infection. I am concerned that his perfusion is decreasing.”
Goal: State your interpretation, showing you understand the clinical implications.
R – Recommendation
“I need a clinical order, perhaps to hold his next scheduled blood pressure medication and to administer a 500 mL bolus of normal saline. Could you come to the room to evaluate him right now?”
Goal: Be explicit about the help you need and the next immediate steps.
3 Tips for Clinical Communication Confidence
Mastering SBAR isn’t just about the acronym; it’s about showing Resilience and Adaptability in a fast-paced environment.
- Prep Your SBAR Before You Call: Never call a preceptor without your SBAR written down on a notecard or in your notes. If they interrupt you (they will!), you can quickly return to the structure.
- Use Quantifiable Data: Instead of saying, “He seems sick,” say, “His respiratory rate is 24 breaths per minute.” Use numbers whenever possible, as this is the language of clinical care.
- Always End with a Specific Ask: Never leave a conversation open-ended. Even if your ‘Recommendation’ is just, “I wanted to inform you of the change; let me know if you’d like me to track his output,” it shows you have a plan.
Conclusion
SBAR is your secret weapon for making a positive first impression in any clinical setting. It immediately shows supervisors that you are a reliable communicator who respects their time and prioritizes patient safety. By learning to structure your thoughts using SBAR now, you are building the fundamental Interpersonal Skills required to become a trustworthy and essential part of any healthcare team.
Ready to put these communication skills into practice? Create an ICAM account today to connect with mentors who can walk you through complex clinical scenarios.
