SBAR for shift report

DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN · Jan 6, 2008

I don't know what SBAR is? We had sheets that we filled out for report with dx, test results, test ordered, IV info, consult info, etc etc but we still had to give a brief oral report to make sure everything was understood by the next nurse. It worked out well.

cajrio · Jan 6, 2008

We are suppose to use SBAR but have found that using our kardex is more efficient,when we use SBAR too much information is missed.

allnurses Guide · Jan 6, 2008

I used SBAR when I worked in the ER and had to call report to the nurse taking care of an admitted patient.

Not sure it would work with shift report. I like the kardex better.

steph

Mobeeb, RN · Jan 6, 2008

Thanks to the Joint Commission (donchya just luv em), we are using the SBAR format when sending our ED patients to the floor/unit. It is time consuming and the floor nurses don't read them, otherwise they wouldn't be calling back and asking questions that were addressed on the phoned report and on the SBAR form.

Some time, somewhere, someone fell thru the cracks and died at shift report and the joint has discerned that more mistakes are made during the "hand-off time" and at shift change. Ergo......more paper work for a busy understaffed emergency department. Go figure.

[EVIL]:lol_hitti[/EVIL]

trmr · Jan 6, 2008

oh boy SBAR, isn't it lovely? We all thought it sounded more thorough at the beginning but it hasn't turned out to be all it's cracked up to be. The information seems to be too scattered and actually, vague. I think using the Kardex is much more informative.

Rockhopper · Jan 6, 2008

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pagandeva2000, LPN · Jan 6, 2008

My hospital uses SBAR on med-surg, and they are complaining about it as well. Same reasons, not enough information, many nurses are just not bothering to use the form, anyway, complaints from one unit about the other, ya da, ya da... Some of the new things they make up cause more problems.

allnurses Guide · Jan 7, 2008

Thanks to the Joint Commission (donchya just luv em), we are using the SBAR format when sending our ED patients to the floor/unit. It is time consuming and the floor nurses don't read them, otherwise they wouldn't be calling back and asking questions that were addressed on the phoned report and on the SBAR form.
Some time, somewhere, someone fell thru the cracks and died at shift report and the joint has discerned that more mistakes are made during the "hand-off time" and at shift change. Ergo......more paper work for a busy understaffed emergency department. Go figure.
[evil]:lol_hitti[/evil]

This is exactly what I was talking about - fax the SBAR to the floor and wait 5 minutes for the nurse to read it (of course she is busy with her own patients and not standing there be the FAX). Then you call report too.

Talk about irritating when you have 4 (I'm in California) ER patients waiting for you.

steph

whipping girl in 07, RN · Jan 10, 2008

We've been using it for about a year. It's helpful if you fill in everything. We change it as things change and it's supposed to keep report going along faster because you don't have to write everything down. But some of the high points are not covered on our sheet, it's really a faxed report sheet to the floor but someone got the bright idea :idea: of using it in the unit for shift report. I mean, it doesn't even have a place to write vitals...I don't know who came up with this brilliant sheet of paper!

Same info as the carepath, so really just repeating work and writing it another place that's not part of the medical record.

SBAR stands for situation, background, assessment and recommendation. I've heard other things it stands for but they weren't very nice...

Good idea in theory...

Riseupandnurse · Jan 10, 2008

The only thing I like about SBAR is that it did somewhat get the oncoming shift up and moving. We were really in a rut; not unusual for them to sit in report for over an hour doing ????????????? But not everybody has their ducks in a row to remember everything pertinent to pass on without the Kardexes, and all it takes is one shift where nobody has time to catch up on information and .... I am very disappointed in SBAR.

hybridnurse · Feb 6, 2010

My hospital is pushing this on us as evidence based. I keep asking, but no one has any evidence. A bunch of papers, no evidence. How can you quantify such a thing as evidence based? What was the ultimate question researched on bedside report and how did they quantify it?