SITUATION
The bottom line. The immediate problem. The headline. (diagnosis, current condition, problem)
BACKGROUND
What do you know? A brief description of relevant history related to the condition and your perception of the urgency of action. (medical history, past tests or treatments)
ASSESSMENT
What is happening now? (current findings, needs, concerns)
RECOMMENDATION
What is next? Your suggestion about the action that should be taken to solve the problem, or your request for guidance on what action to take (recommendation or request for plan of care)
Here is an SBAR example:
An employee, Jane, from physical therapy sees an individual coming out of a stairwell on the fifth floor, wearing a hoodie and dark glasses without any kind of name badge. He ignores her when she asks if she can help him get somewhere. Jane calls Security using SBAR.
- Situation: “Hi. Is this Security? This is Jane from PT. I am calling about a suspicious looking person walking around the floor on 5 East.”
- Background: “I was between patients and walked by this person as he was coming out of a stairwell. I did not see any identification, and when I tried to talk to him, he did not respond.”
- Assessment: “I’m concerned that this is a potential safety risk to our patients or Associates; he actually seemed a bit scary.”
- Recommendation: “I think you should send a Security Officer up to investigate as soon as possible. He is somewhere on the fifth floor.”