RN Nursing · Reporting and Handoff Communication · Practice question
A nurse needs to contact the physician about a postoperative client experiencing complications. The nurse plans to use the SBAR communication format. Which of the following represents the correct order and content for an SBAR report?
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"This is Sarah calling about a post-surgical infection. The client needs antibiotics right away. Can you come assess the patient immediately?"
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"Dr. Smith, this is Sarah calling about room 302. The client had surgery yesterday and now has a fever of 101.8°F, increased heart rate, and the incision looks red. I think there might be an infection."
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"Dr. Smith, this is Sarah, RN on 3 West about Mrs. Jones in room 302. She's a 65-year-old post-op day 1 from cholecystectomy. Currently has temp 101.8°F, HR 110, incision appears erythematous with purulent drainage. I'm concerned about possible surgical site infection. Would you like to order blood cultures and antibiotics?"
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"Dr. Smith, I'm worried about Mrs. Jones. She had surgery yesterday and doesn't look good. Her temperature is high and her incision looks infected. What should I do?"
Answer & explanation
Correct: "Dr. Smith, this is Sarah, RN on 3 West about Mrs. Jones in room 302. She's a 65-year-old post-op day 1 from cholecystectomy. Currently has temp 101.8°F, HR 110, incision appears erythematous with purulent drainage. I'm concerned about possible surgical site infection. Would you like to order blood cultures and antibiotics?"
SBAR stands for Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendation. A complete SBAR communication includes all four components delivered in a structured, professional manner. The third option demonstrates all four elements correctly: the Situation is clearly stated (Sarah, RN on 3 West, calling about Mrs. Jones in room 302); the Background provides relevant context (65-year-old, post-operative day 1 from cholecystectomy); the Assessment includes objective clinical findings (temperature 101.8°F, heart rate 110, erythematous incision with purulent drainage) and a clinical impression (possible surgical site infection); and the Recommendation is explicit (requesting blood cultures and antibiotics). The first option is incomplete — it jumps directly to a request without providing background or objective assessment data. The second option provides situation and some background and findings but lacks a formal assessment conclusion and a specific recommendation, making it incomplete. The fourth option conveys concern but lacks objective data, clinical assessment, and a clear recommendation, which forces the physician to extract information through questioning and increases the risk of miscommunication. Effective SBAR communication improves patient safety by standardizing information transfer, reducing reliance on memory, and ensuring the receiving provider has the information needed to make timely clinical decisions.
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