SBAR Tool: Situation-Background-Assessment-Recommendation

  1. S = Situation (a concise statement of the problem)
  2. B = Background (pertinent and brief information related to the situation)
  3. A = Assessment (analysis and considerations of options — what you found/think)

 

SBAR Examples

  • Situation: Mr. Jones is having increased dyspnea and complaining of chest pain on the left of chest. …
  • Situation: Mrs. Smith is a day case patient in hematology who is breathless and heart rate is at 130. …
  • Situation: Mr. Williams’s nurse is calling about the urine culture order. …
  • Situation: Mrs.

Communicating with SBAR. The SBAR (situation, background, assessment and recommendation) tool is provided below to aid in facilitating and strengthening communication between nurses and prescribers throughout the implementation of this quality improvement initiative.

Each component of SBAR—situation, background, assess- ment, recommendation—provides a format for which to present information in a specific, organized way. The first step of the SBAR tool is stating the situation.