This is my essay I did for my last year of my foundation degree course (apologies for spelling and grammer mistakes)
The positives and the negatives of using the SBAR tool
Introduction
Within this essay I am going to look at how the positive and the negative of using the SBAR tool
within the Emergency Department . The findings from this essay which will all be evidenced based I
will be concluding my essay with how it can I can improve my communication skills within my work
place.
According to Martin and Ciuzynski (2015), a large number of patients die every year in hospital and
healthcare environments as a result of poor documentation and communication between different
medical specialists. Industry standards and systems, help such as SBAR tool to improve the
communication. SBAR definition is situation, background, assessment, and recommendation (SBAR)
communication tool. If this is done well then, all our patients will be safer and the medical doctors
and nursing safer will be happier.
Sackett et al (1996) informs you that Evidenced based practice (EBP) is “the integration of clinical
expertise, patient values, and the best research evidence into the decision-making process for patient
care”. If you have these three then you can start to explore the evidenced based practice.
Williams (2017) WRITES that it is proof put together nursing practices with respect to basic
reasoning and demonstrated results. Likewise called EBP, it supplements what medically trained staff
realised in a learning environment and what they read in nursing journals. It additionally causes them
assess the most recent research and innovation and decide how to apply it in a genuine world, and
within the areas in which you work in.
To address the implied question in this essay I intend to use medical journals. By researching I intend
to find out what impact the SBAR tool has had on clinical communication. I intend to look at various
journals which I will find by using the specific medical search engines: CINAHL, MEDLINE,
PUBMED. I will make sure that all the information that I will look at will be that most up to date and
relevant to my work with an Emergency Department and a medical unit
Within the Emergency Department staff need make sure that all interactions and clinical decision
about our patients care are fully recorded in writing and this is done by using the SBAR tool which
every member of staff, who is qualified to make and follow up clinical decision must update. Within
my role as Assistant Practitioner I am able to make full use of the SBAR tool when I hand over any of
my patients to another team.
ACT Academy (2018) define that the SBAR is a communication tool and is a simple to use and ,
organise patients notes, that will enable better communication between clinical staff. O'Shaughnessy,
(2015) informs us that the SBAR was initially created by the United States Military for
correspondence on atomic submarines, however in 1990s it has been utilised in a wide range of
medical services settings, especially identifying with improving patient safety.
Novak (2012) states that there are various advantages to executing bedside handovers utilising a clear
communication tool, such as the SBAR tool. Novak (2012) also states that there has been finical
saving which originate from serious incidents, for example, falls and prescription mistakes, which can
happened during ward moves and ward handover. During these various handovers, this can become
side tracked by staff “catching up” about other than clinical issues. The SBAR tool is structure so this
should not happen if the handover is conducted well.
Bickhoff (2015) argues that the essential disadvantage to bedside handovers is the issue of keeping up
data protection inside an open setting. while different investigations found that patients were stressed
over the sharing of personal details, This was more pronounced in Emergency Departments, where
patients in the room had a higher percentage of hearing other patients personal . In my department we
have stopped bedside handover, because we had complaints from patients on exactly this matter. So as
a team we came up with a compromise, we have the first part in a private room where we discuss the
patient’s details, and then we would walk around only going through the drug charts and observation
sheets. As this new form of ward round takes place, the new nursing staff can introduce themselves to
the patients.
In an article by Eberhardt (2014) carried out study which looked into the benchmark information
included what number of handovers was archived what's more, what frames of mind the nursing staff
had about current handover methods. The group gathered standard information through looking at
audits and patient record when patients moved from one department to another like from an
emergency department to another ward during a 1-month time span. They found that the area,
substance, and event of the documentation were conflicting. A clinical note, about the patient was in
fluctuating styles, was composed archiving a patient handover 32% of the time. A comment of a
during the patient handover to the observational sheet (the NEWS chart within the NHS) within the
patient's medical record 42% of the time. SBAR arrangement was not utilised by any stretch of the
imagination, nor was there any sign of a nurse to nurse handover. They disseminated surveys with
respect to current practices and culture toward patient handovers to all medical-surgical or theatre
nursing staff and the reaction rate was 28% and 31%, separately. Whereas 81% of the medical-
surgical carefully knew of trusts approach to give handover report in SBAR design, 93% demonstrate
that they offered report to an nursing staff under 25% of the time, and 86% expressed that handover
was in SBAR design under 25% of the time. The results from the theatre nursing staff surveys
certified these discoveries.
Lee et al (2016) performed a qualitative study finding recognised four fundamental subjects that
explains the utility of SBAR as an interprofessional specialised instrument across over clinical and
non-clinical setting. Firstly, is the common language between staff and their departments, for example
different specialities have different shortened words they use, this should not be happening we should
all be talking the same language within health care. Secondly the effective association of information
to distinguish quick issues. Thirdly they found the help of collective group-based communication like
a handover should including shared basic leadership and compromise. Then lastly was Flexibility,
allowing use in various configurations, for example, face to face handovers , group presentation,
email correspondence and attaching the relevant documents. The way the team learnt from this study
is by involving the multi-disciplinary in activities that looked at the highlighted problems which they
thought they could improve on from the study which they performed. The one thing they found out
that the SBAR tool helped the staff who were not clinically trained to improve on their
communication skills as well and how this helped them improve in their roles. Since the SBAR
specialised communication tool becoming well known across the NHS, incorporating it into Doctors
and Nurses training. In my Foundation Degree course, we have had the SBAR tool/framework taught
to us twice within a our first year.
Martin, Ciuzynski (2015) performed a study within a Children's Emergency Department. The
information was gathered from 32 nurse and 2 nurse practitioners who used a structure
communication tool and pre questionnaires were taken and one on the use of the SBAR tool. The
study results showed 83% of patient experiences incorporated a joint assessment. A group handover
using the SBAR was directed 86%of the time. All trained nursing staff that has deemed competent to
handover verbalised patient's treatment designs in 89%of cases and 97%of cases, respectively.
Improved collaboration, communication, and nursing fulfilment scores were shown by those staff who
used the SBAR. I feel this represents my experiences, as I am someone who hands over to other
teams/ colleagues from wards. When I have completed my handover, I document in the notes that the
patient handover was completed and ward staff happy with verbal handover.
Kesten (2011) tells us that the undertaking assembles the proof toward improving communication
between medical staff which includes Nurses and doctors, which may eventually improve patient’s
results. Future research directed in an interdisciplinary setting utilising training for all clinical staff.
Teaching all staff within the hospital environment mainly clinical staff, as the uses of the SBAR tool,
this will help staff to improve their own communication at work and also at home.
Muller et al (2018) tells us that studies could be completed better. They end their article by outline,
numerous authors guarantee that SBAR improves patient’s outcomes. There is some proof of the
forcefulness of SBAR execution on patient result; however this proof is restricted to specific
conditions, for example, communication via telephone. Particularly high calibre studies are not
focusing on the shortcomings of the SBAR tool. Future studies are expected to further show the
advantage of SBAR as far as patient wellbeing what's more, continues raising the familiarity with
communication mistakes. SBAR may be a versatile tool that is reasonable for some human services
settings, specifically when clear and concise communication is required.
Eberhardt (2014) lastly informs us that patient’s handover stays one of the most significant parts of
patients care. Compelling and productive communication is intrinsic to any handover for ideal and
safe patient care. Utilising evidenced based practice, our association distinguished an issue and
executed an answer that built up reliable and contemporary communication methodology. The SBAR
as a transfer tool institutionalised the patient handover technique and expanded nursing adherence
and fulfilment with the new practice/documentation. We trust that the SBAR tool as a transfer
documentation proceeds to advance and improve communication throughout the hospital setting.
It has been difficult to find any negative of the use of the SBAR tool. I think this is because it does
benefit the patient and staff. Like Muller et al (2018) inform us that , the real impact of SBAR on
patient result is unclear. The wide selection of SBAR (or some other communication procedure)
without demonstrating the advantage may incomprehensibly limit enhancements on the grounds that
an issue probably illuminated will be less tended to. In this manner, the motivation behind this
efficient survey is to abridge the accessible proof for and assess the effect of the usage of SBAR in
clinical settings on patient wellbeing as estimated by the frequency of unfriendly occasions. The lack
of negative data show us that on the whole the SBAR works well within a clinical setting. I think this
is because it can be used in any setting within a hospital, but continued studies and training must be
used.
Conclusion
Currently there is no mandatory study day within my trust which all staff should go on to enhance
their collective knowledge of the SBAR tool. If there were, staff would most likely be better at using
the SBAR tool. I intend to feedback to my practice educator ti find out if we could include this into
documentation for all new starters into the Department
My experience from bedside handover is that it can take longer as relatives can keep asking
questions which could be answered at the end of the handover. Another problem is that patients
can hear other patients details and this is difficult as sometimes we have patients with very
confidential problems. It was agreed that patients with sensitive problems would be discussed
in a private room and then bedside handover for introducing the new team to the patients and going
through the documentation. This was a problem within two areas in the Emergency Department,
the clinical decision unit and the main emergency department. In the main Emergency Department
we have the main hand over in the Staff Room then go out to the main department to get handover
from the relevant nurses who full the SBAR tool with the way our documentation is laid out.
In my department we use many different handover for example over the phone, transfers to wards,
ambulance handovers, bedside handovers in our short stay ward and shift handover times. As a
department we knew that we had to improve after we had incidents regarding handovers. In 2017 we
introduced the SBAR tool into our safety booklet in the department and have reduced some
incidents as well. We even do this within our department when we take the patients to our Clinical
Decision Unit. Within my role as assistant practitioner, I am qualified to do all of these types of
handovers.
We as a department although we used the SBAR tool when handing over we found out that if there
was incident then there was no proof on what was said during that handover. In our Emergency
Department within our nursing documentation there is a SBAR form we must fill out when going to
the ward. Our Matron said this will help him if he has to follow up because it is all will be on the
SBAR form.
We also use a red SBAR form if we are communicating to other department over the phone when
we have a concern about a patient. This helps us as Nurses to make sure we have all the relevant
information to tell the other person at the end of the phone. I like this from because it has any
recommendations or when the doctor might come and review the patient.
This form and any other SBAR forms should always be kept within the medical notes, this is if there
is a concerns we call look back at the information. I would not say that we are the perfect with the
SBAR tool, over the last year I think in the Emergency Department have improved at using the SBAR
tool when we have to talk to doctors or other colleagues on the phone about patients. We could get
better when it comes to the writing of the SBAR forms. At the end of the day this is to ensure patient
safety
The last point is that Dunsford (2009) point’s out, that is preventable medical mistakes keep on
happening at disturbing rates, and communication failure are at the because of a significant number
of these episodes. Embracing an organized specialised framework, for example, SBAR can help
medical staff communicate in a clear and concise manner. The strategy can be actualised on any scale,
from individual to trust wide, and encourages the understanding of interdisciplinary language, that
will enable all staff across the trust to improve the understanding and communication, which will lead
to improving patient security and safety . This is why NHS England and staff must keep using the
SBAR tool as so far the evidence shows it does work.
Reference list
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