SBAR Form Template
Streamline Communication Within Your Healthcare Team
Miscommunication can jeopardize patient care and safety. Our SBAR form template helps healthcare professionals deliver clear and structured information, ensuring everyone is on the same page. With this tool, you can enhance patient handoffs, improve care coordination, and reduce errors, all while meeting compliance standards. It's a free, printable SBAR template you can customize according to your needs. Explore the live template and see how it can benefit your practice.
When to use this form
Use this structured handoff when you need to brief a clinician fast and clearly. Nurses use it to escalate a sudden change in condition, such as new chest pain or a rapid drop in blood pressure. It works for shift-to-shift updates, covering breaks, or handing a patient to another unit. Prehospital teams can align their radio report with your intake by pairing it with the EMS Field report form. Pharmacists and advanced practice clinicians can use it to request new therapies or clarify orders; if a prescription is needed, send the details alongside a Prescription request form. The outcome: fewer callbacks, faster orders, and a shared understanding of what to do next.
Must Ask SBAR Questions
- What is the current situation and why are you contacting now?
Stating the urgent problem and trigger (for example, new symptoms, vitals, or a safety concern) helps the receiver prioritize. It reduces back-and-forth and frames the next decisions.
- What background facts are relevant (diagnoses, allergies, code status, recent meds, and last vitals)?
These details prevent errors and avoid repeated chart digging. If med history is unclear, reference the Medication record form to confirm names, doses, and times.
- What is your assessment of the problem, including key findings and trends?
Your clinical impression and what has changed give context beyond raw data. Trends in pain, oxygenation, mental status, or labs guide risk and urgency.
- What do you recommend, and what orders or actions do you need now?
A clear ask (tests, meds, consults, disposition) speeds approvals. Adding a timeframe sets expectations and reduces delays.
- How can we reach you, and what immediate safety steps are in place?
Listing a callback number, role, and availability prevents missed responses. Noting safety measures (for example, monitoring, fall precautions, sepsis bundle started) shows stability and next risks.
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