Using the SBAR Communication Technique - Research Paper Example

? Using the SBAR communication Technique Using the SBAR communication Technique The acronym SBAR stands for the crucial steps in the communication exchange. It seeks to present clear identification of the Situation, its Background and the speaker’s Assessment and Recommendations. The main purpose of introducing this shared protocol to nurses and physicians is to provide a set of terms and expectations for exchanging crucial patient information. A typical format used in training clinicians using the SBAR model is the demonstration of flawed communication scenarios. These scenarios depict interactions between physicians and nurses where either of the professionals has seemingly blown a situation out of proportion. For better implementation, it is always beneficial for the management to incorporate successfully any intricate interdisciplinary tensions that may be compromised during the implementation process. This will avoid having any representative from both sides defending their members in case they are depicted as poor communicators (Koppel & Gordon, 2012). It allows both representatives to view the situation as a teaching tool rather than the unfair depiction of a discipline. In addition to using this model in high-risk situations, several other areas may successfully utilize this in their communication. For instance, the senior leadership may use all kinds of reports. Therefore, increased use of this technique in an institution may inculcate it into the member’s response criteria. It also avoids the use of team decision-making processes since the required information may vary from one patient to the other (Sutton & Whittington, 2006). Thus, using SBAR helps to predict effectively the structure of communication between members and reduce errors through factual communication. The main objectives of the SBAR technique include; offering physicians and nurses a wide avenue to communicate and rapidly respond to issues based on correct information. Further, it delivers critical pieces of information about the patient to the physician in a concise and predictable manner (Sutton & Whittington, 2006). This helps to facilitate critical thinking from the person initiating the conversation since they will have to judge the situation, assess it and determine an appropriate action and/or solution to address it. Though the solution may not be right, the fact that the situation is clearly defined can be of considerable assistance to those who will respond (Boaro, Fancott, Baker, Velji & Andreoli, 2010). It also seeks to establish optimal patient-safety guidelines that may be grouped into two broad categories. First, they may include factors that have to do with the interrelationships of status, profession and long-standing cultural traditions of mutual tension. The other factors have to do with human capabilities and limitations in the face of a challenge, its duration, demand level, and the intensity where continual precise attention, rapid analysis and decision-making are required. These objectives work towards addressing realistically broad sources of risk to safety and invitation to error which are inherent in human enterprises (Leonard, Graham & Bonacum, 2004). By looking at the situation, the speaker or the one reporting the on goings should understand what is happening with the patient and how the patient is responding to the current medication. It provides an opening sentiment that helps to identify the patient's problem and location in the case of a nurse calling the physician to assess the situation. The background part looks at the previous conditions, any outstanding information that the patient has been medicated for and any other piece of information that may be of help in the treatment or diagnosis (Boaro, Fancott, Baker, Velji & Andreoli, 2010). The aspect of assessment deals with what the nurse believes to be the problem and how the patient is currently responding to the medication. It also provides a chance to rule out some of the probable conditions based on the symptoms exhibited by the patient. This ensures that the physician looks at the whole situation from a point where they can relate to both the patient and the nurse (Leonard, Graham & Bonacum, 2004). The physicians will ensure that the right diagnosis is properly arrived at based on their experience and other references. This leads to the recommendations where the nurse may ask for the doctor’s presence or ask for instructions on what actions to take in order to stabilize the patient’s condition (Koppel & Gordon, 2012). The outcome of using the SBAR technique is the increased collegiality, trust, shared and mutually intelligible communication as well as focus on a common goal within the institution. Thus, patient safety is maintained with errors reduced, and tensions watered down by increased mutual trust between physicians and nurses (Sutton & Whittington, 2006). This practice also results to clearer communication as it allocates roles and expounds on the importance of their functions. It ensures that both physicians and nurses may engage in pursuit of a valid safety concern without fear of reprisal. It also allows nurses to practice what may be referred to as assertive fellowship, raising concerns or questions when they perceive patient safety as being at risk or is compromised (Koppel & Gordon, 2012). Another area that is taken care of by using this technique is that of error detection and management. The stipulated roles and functions of every person outline what is necessary for each to handle a particular situation. The proper implementation of this technique has bore fruits in several sectors, and the health sector is known to ensure the benefits of healthcare trickle down to the patient through care, safety and willingness of physicians to collaborate with the nurses in treatment. For the clinical nurse specialist, whether a professional or a student will be significantly impacted in the running of the healthcare institution. As part of the team, the nurse is allowed to participate in the well-being of the patient as well as his/her safety while in the institution. This provides a concept of accountability and increased involvement in the general safety within the institution. As nurses, they are closer to the patient than the physicians may be. They are likely to notice any changes and thus, understanding the art of communication is imperative (Leonard, Graham & Bonacum, 2004). This implies that their actions must be spurred by the urgency of the situation as well as the role of protecting the patient’s health at all times. By learning ways and means of handling such situations, the CNS will, in more than one way, be able to prevent any errors or losses as a result of their incompetence. If introduced early enough, the students will have internalized the skills and use them to make relevant decisions when accorded the chance to operate in a healthcare environment. The synergy of this model is experienced mostly when the leadership elaborates the rules to be followed and how each query will be handled. Thus, dealing with errors in a non punitive manner increases cases of error reporting and creates some necessary conditions for post-error analysis and learning (Boaro, Fancott, Baker, Velji & Andreoli, 2010). It is also crucial to understand that the process has no definite formula. It involves a continual adaptation and modification of rules and situations to ensure the maximum effect is felt. In spite of the immense pressure in healthcare environments to encapsulate complex and nuanced non-quantitative information into an algorithmic cognitive style, the model can be emphatically used as a transfer model in all institutions (Koppel & Gordon, 2012). Thus, the training programs have to focus on the sets of skills and behaviors as witnessed in the institution of concern. It has to deal with issues in a way that everyone in the health center can role play in making the situation a reality (Boaro, Fancott, Baker, Velji & Andreoli, 2010). This will effectively introduce new employee orientations as part of initial training experiences while dealing with patient safety. It is also essential that students get trained at an early stage to ensure that each principle is applied. This will ensure that the needs of the healthcare sector are normalized in conjunction with already recognized professional skills (Sutton & Whittington, 2006). Therefore, the use of the SBAR technique needs to be initiated in the healthcare setting with every member of the institution taught on its importance and applicability. Every person can ensure the proper utilization of the skills detailed herein and thus ensure patient safety. Training skills can be initiated at the educational institutes to enable students to normalize these skills and relate them to others that encompass the profession. Patient safety and reduction of errors is a fundamental attribute that this model helps to eradicate as well as ensure that physicians and nurses can communicate adequately through the identified channels. Therefore, the leadership must install discipline in the institution by ensuring that all past tensions, quarrels or mistrust have been dealt with through the implementation of the communication model. References Boaro, N., Fancott, C., Baker, G.R., Velji, K., & Andreoli, A. (2010). Using SBAR to improve communication in interprofessional teams. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 24(10): 111-114. Koppel, R., & Gordon, S. (2012). First, do less harm: Confronting the inconvenient problems of patient safety. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. Leonard, M., Graham, S., & Bonacum, D. (2004). The human factor: The critical importance of effective teamwork and communication in providing safe care. Quality Safety in Health Care, 13, 85-90. Sutton, H. K., & Whittington, J. (2006). SBAR: A shared mental model for improving communication between clinicians. Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, 32: 167- 175. Read More