SBAR in nursing: examples, a template, and how to call a provider

Quick answer: SBAR is a structured way to communicate critical information about a patient in four steps: S – Situation, B – Background, A – Assessment, R – Recommendation. The goal is that the person on the other end (usually a provider or the nurse taking over your patient) understands within a minute or two what is happening, why it matters and what you are asking for.

Communication failures put patients at risk. Calling a provider at 3 a.m. or giving report at the end of a long shift, it's easy to bury the one detail that matters. SBAR gives everyone the same "conversation skeleton" so that doesn't happen. Below you'll find each step, worked examples and the mistakes students make most often.

Where SBAR comes from

SBAR has its roots in military communication, where critical information has to be passed on quickly and clearly. It was adapted for health care at Kaiser Permanente, and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) publishes the SBAR tool crediting that source. In the US it is also part of TeamSTEPPS, the teamwork and communication program from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and it's taught in most nursing programs.

On the evidence side, a 2018 systematic review in BMJ Open found moderate evidence that using SBAR improves patient safety, with the clearest effect in communication over the telephone. SBAR isn't magic, but done well it makes communication noticeably more organized.

The four steps of SBAR

S – Situation

What is happening right now? Identify yourself and the patient, and state the problem in one sentence.

• "This is Sarah, the nurse on 4 West. I'm calling about Michael Brown in room 12. His shortness of breath has gotten worse over the last 30 minutes."

B – Background

What clinical context does the listener need to understand the problem? Give only what's relevant.

• Admitting diagnosis and date of admission
• Relevant history and allergies
• Recent relevant treatments and procedures
• Previous vital signs or lab results (for comparison)

A – Assessment

What did you find, and what do you think is going on? This is where you give current vital signs, focused assessment findings and how the patient looks overall. Nurses don't make a medical diagnosis, but you should state your concern clearly: "I think he is getting worse," or "I'm not sure what's going on, but he does not look stable."

R – Recommendation

What do you want, and by when? Make the request explicit:

• "I'd like you to come and see him within 15 minutes."
• "Would you consider ordering an ABG and a chest X-ray?"
• "At what values do you want me to call you back?"

End with a read-back: repeat any verbal or telephone order back to the provider to confirm it, then document it according to your facility's policy.

SBAR examples

These are fictional teaching cases. In real practice, values, thresholds and actions depend on the provider's orders and your facility's protocols.

Example 1: calling a provider about a deteriorating patient

• S: "This is Emily, the nurse on the surgical unit. I'm calling about James Miller in room 7. His blood pressure has dropped significantly in the last hour and his heart rate is up."
• B: "He's 68 and had a colon resection this morning. He has a history of hypertension. When he came back from surgery his blood pressure was around 130/80."
• A: "Right now his BP is 90/55, heart rate 118, respirations 22, temperature 37.2 °C (99 °F). He's pale and diaphoretic, and bloody output in his drain has increased over the last hour. I think he is getting worse."
• R: "I need you to see him now. Is there anything you want me to do before you get here? Would you consider a CBC?"

Example 2: reporting a fall

• S: "This is Chris, the nurse on neurology. I'm calling about Linda Davis in room 3. She fell on the way to the bathroom about 10 minutes ago."
• B: "She's 81 and here for rehab after a stroke. She is on an anticoagulant and was assessed as high fall risk."
• A: "She's alert and oriented; Glasgow Coma Scale is E4V5M6, the same as before the fall. She has a small hematoma on her forehead and I don't see any other injury. Vital signs are stable."
• R: "Because she's anticoagulated, I'd like you to evaluate her. Can you decide whether she needs imaging? And how often do you want neuro checks in the meantime?"

Example 3: shift report (handoff)

• S: "This is Robert Wilson in room 5. He's been stable today except for one thing: his urine output is down."
• B: "He was admitted three days ago with pneumonia and is on IV antibiotics. He has diabetes."
• A: "Vitals are within normal limits. Urine output over the last 4 hours is lower than on the previous shift. I notified the provider, kidney function labs were ordered, and results are pending."
• R: "Please follow up on the labs and monitor urine output hourly. The provider wants to be notified when the results are back."

SBAR template

A simple version you can keep on your clinical clipboard:

Before you call, have the chart, current vital signs, medication list and latest lab results in front of you.

Common mistakes

1. Saving the situation for the end. The provider should know why you're calling within the first 10 seconds.
2. A long background. Give the history that relates to the problem, not the whole chart.
3. Skipping the assessment. Be ready for "What do you think is going on?"; your observation has value.
4. A vague recommendation. Instead of "Maybe you could take a look," say what you want and the time frame.
5. Forgetting the read-back. Don't act on a verbal order until you've repeated and confirmed it; follow your facility's verbal order policy.

How to practice SBAR as a student

SBAR is easy to memorize for an exam; using it under stress in clinicals takes practice.

• Turn every case into SBAR. Rewrite each case from class or clinicals as a four-line SBAR note. You'll start sorting information into the right step automatically.
• Rehearse out loud. Have a classmate play the provider while you "call" them, then switch roles and ask each other: did I understand the problem in the first 10 seconds?
• Time yourself. Aim to finish a non-urgent call in about a minute. The part that runs long is usually the background.
• Prepare recommendation phrases. Most students get stuck on the R. Having lines ready, such as "I'd like you to see the patient" or "At what values should I call you back?", builds confidence.
• Ask your clinical instructor which format your facility uses (SBAR, ISBAR or another) and practice with that one.

Similar techniques

• ISBAR: adds an "Identify" step (introduce yourself and the patient) at the start; some facilities prefer it.
• I-PASS: another structured method developed specifically for handoffs.

Your facility decides which format to use. What matters as a student is building the habit of ordering information the same way every time.

For quick review, see the SBAR communication, handoff and nursing process glossary entries. SBAR also comes up in delegation and prioritization questions on the NCLEX; our 2026 NCLEX-RN test plan overview shows where communication fits.

Practice with Finito Nursing

You learn SBAR by saying it, not by reading it. Finito Nursing gives you step-by-step clinical cases where you assess and prioritize the patient, turns your lecture notes into flashcards and quizzes, and uses spaced repetition to bring each card back just before you'd forget it. Start free in your browser.

FAQ

What does SBAR stand for?

Situation, Background, Assessment and Recommendation.

Is SBAR only for calling a provider?

No. It's also used for nurse-to-nurse handoff, patient transfers, team huddles and communication with other health professionals.

Do I have to make a diagnosis in the assessment step?

No. You share your observations and clinical judgment; the medical diagnosis is the provider's responsibility. Saying clearly that you're not sure what's wrong but you're concerned is a valid assessment.

Is there evidence that SBAR works?

A 2018 systematic review found moderate evidence that SBAR improves patient safety, with the clearest effect in telephone communication.

What's the difference between SBAR and ISBAR?

ISBAR adds an "Identify" step at the beginning, where you introduce yourself and the patient. The logic is the same.

Sources

• Institute for Healthcare Improvement. SBAR Tool: Situation-Background-Assessment-Recommendation.
• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. TeamSTEPPS Tool: SBAR.
• Müller M, Jürgens J, Redaèlli M, Klingberg K, Hautz WE, Stock S. Impact of the communication and patient hand-off tool SBAR on patient safety: a systematic review. BMJ Open. 2018;8(8):e022202.
• Starmer AJ, Spector ND, Srivastava R, et al. Changes in medical errors after implementation of a handoff program. New England Journal of Medicine. 2014;371(19):1803–1812.