SBAR & communications

SBAR is a useful tool for communication

To request advice or make recommendations
For significant or learning events
Teaching

2023 - Note SBAR has been updated to include 'Decision'. It has been renamed as SBARD.

SBARD communication tool

SBAR is an easy to use, structured form of communication that enables information to be transferred accurately between individuals.

Communication can be defined as ‘a two-way process of reaching mutual understanding, in which participants not only exchange information but also create and share meaning’.

SBAR helps to provide a structure for an interaction that helps both the giver of the information and the receiver of it. It helps the giver by ensuring they have formulated their thinking before trying to communicate it to someone else. The receiver knows what to expect and it helps to ensure the giver of information is not interrupted by the receiver with questions that will be answered later on in the conversation.

SBAR can be used in any setting but can be particularly effective in reducing the barrier to effective communication across different disciplines and between different levels of staff. When staff use the tool in a clinical setting, they make a recommendation that ensures the reason for the communication is clear. This is particularly important in situations where staff may be uncomfortable about making a recommendation, eg those who are inexperienced or who need to communicate with someone who is more senior than them.

The use of SBAR provides clarity to communication and prevents the unreliable process of ‘hinting and hoping’ that the other person understands.