Registered Nurse how-to
How to Call a Provider Using SBAR
Clear, concise communication gets patients the right care faster.
Clear, concise communication gets patients the right care faster. In short: before; situation; background, then complete the remaining steps below.
Step by step
Before calling, assess the patient, review the chart, recent labs, vital signs, medications and allergies.
Situation: “This is the RN caring for Mr. Diaz in room 412. I’m calling because his oxygen saturation dropped to 88% on 2 liters.”
Background: diagnosis, admission date, relevant history and current treatment.
Assessment: your findings and what you think is happening: “His lung sounds have new crackles; I’m concerned about fluid overload.”
Recommendation: what you need: “I’d like you to evaluate him; would you like a chest X-ray and a dose of furosemide?”
Read back the orders, carry them out and document the call and response.
Safety reminders for registered nurses
- Use barcode scanning and the rights of medication administration for every dose
- Follow standard and transmission-based precautions and wear appropriate PPE
- Use safe patient-handling equipment to prevent back injuries
- Speak up and escalate concerns through the chain of command
Key terms
NCLEX-RN · Nursing process (ADPIE) · Head-to-toe assessment · SBAR · Handoff report · Rapid response: see the full registered nurse glossary.