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Structured communication: improving patient safety with SBAR
1Grace Hospital, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. jdunsford@gmail.com
Abstract:
The Institute of Medicine (1999) has estimated that as many as 98,000 people die in U.S. hospitals each year due to preventable medical errors. The Joint Commission (2004) reports that 72 percent of root causes identified during the reviews of sentinel events related to infant death and injury during delivery are attributable to communication failures. As a result, the Joint Commission (2008) has identified effective communication as one of its National Patient Safety Goals. Communication tools like SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment and Recommendation) can help nurses focus communication to improve the effectiveness of information transfer. SBAR is especially important in urgent or high-acuity situations where clear and effective interpersonal communication is critical to patient outcomes.
Related Concept Videos
01:29SBAR I: Understanding the Concept
Standardized methods of communication have been developed to ensure that information is...
01:14SBAR II: Application of SBAR
SBAR Report from a Nurse to a Health Care Provider
S: "Hello, Dr. Smith. This is Jane, RN, from the Med Surg unit. I am calling to tell you about Ms. White in Room 210, who is experiencing increased pain and redness at her incision site. Her recent...
01:21Barriers to Effective Communication II
Cultural barriers:
Differences in values, beliefs, religion, knowledge, and tradition can significantly impact communication. Awareness of nonverbal cues is critical, especially when conversing with a patient from a different culture. What appears appropriate in one culture may be inappropriate in another.
Semantic barriers:
As a result of their tendency to use...
01:18Guidelines and Strategies for Safe Computer Charting
Maintain Confidentiality and Security:
01:26Types of Reports III: Telephone and Verbal Reports
Here's an overview of each type:
Telephone Orders
01:27Nursing Clinical Information System
A Nursing Clinical Information System (NCIS) is a specialized type of healthcare information system tailored to meet the unique needs of nursing practice. It incorporates the principles of nursing informatics to streamline information management and improve the quality of care delivery.
Critical attributes of NCIS include: