The Effectiveness of SBAR Communication in Improving the Completeness of Nurse Shift Reporting in Inpatient Wards
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62872/sxa5qq89Keywords:
SBAR communication, nurse shift reporting, patient safety, structured handover, report completeness, inpatient wardAbstract
This study aims to examine the effectiveness of SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) communication in improving the completeness of nurse shift reporting in inpatient wards. Communication errors during handovers are one of the leading causes of mismanagement and adverse patient outcomes in hospitals. The use of SBAR offers a standardized and structured framework that enhances the clarity, accuracy, and relevance of information exchanged between nurses. Employing a quantitative approach with a one-group pretest-posttest design, this research was conducted in a general inpatient ward of a referral hospital. Data were collected using structured observation checklists to assess the completeness of shift reports before and after SBAR implementation. The results showed a significant increase in report completeness across all four SBAR components following the intervention. SBAR not only improved the structure and quality of communication but also strengthened professional accountability and patient safety. Therefore, SBAR is recommended for formal integration into standard operating procedures for nursing shift handovers in clinical settings.
Downloads
References
Abbaszade, A., Assarroudi, A., Armat, M. R., Stewart, J. J., Rakhshani, M. H., Sefidi, N., & Sahebkar, M. (2021). Evaluation of the impact of handoff based on the SBAR technique on quality of nursing care. Journal of nursing care quality, 36(3), E38-E43.
Abd-Alsalam, T. F. (2024). The Impact of nursing bedside handover using (Situation-Background-Assessment-Recommendation) SBAR on nurses and patient satisfaction during daily change shift at Governmental hospitals in West Bank رسالة ماجستير (Doctoral dissertation, AAUP).
Alizadeh-Risani, A., Mohammadkhah, F., Pourhabib, A., Fotokian, Z., & Khatooni, M. (2024). Comparison of the SBAR method and modified handover model on handover quality and nurse perception in the emergency department: a quasi-experimental study. BMC nursing, 23(1), 585.
Anderson, L. H. (2024). Improving Nursing Communication Through Handoff Tool Education: A Staff Education Project (Doctoral dissertation, Walden University).
Bakr, M. M., Elsaiad, H. S. A. E. A., & Rashed, S. E. (2023). Effectiveness of SBAR Daily Shift Report Training program on quality of care among staff nurses. Menoufia Nursing Journal, 8(3), 45-64.
Chaica, V., Marques, R., & Pontífice-Sousa, P. (2024, February). ISBAR: A handover nursing strategy in emergency departments, scoping review. In Healthcare (Vol. 12, No. 3, p. 399). MDPI.
Dawood, S. B. (2021). Effectiveness of the Educational Program Concerning Nurse-Midwives SBAR Tool Communication on Maternal Health Documentation at Maternal wards in Baghdad Maternity Hospitals. Sch J App Med Sci, 6, 851-903.
Dung, N. T. (2021). Effectiveness of sbar communication tool on patient safety: an integrative review. Journal of Nursing Science, 4(01).
Ghasemi, A., Sadeghi, T., Jamali, J., Pourghaznein, T., & Behbodi Far, A. (2025). Effect of an educational program based on a standardized handoff communication model of I Pass Baton to nurses in the process of shift Handoff on patient safety culture: A quasi-experimental study. Journal of Nursing Reports in Clinical Practice, 3(5), 443-452.
Gheisari, F., Farzi, S., Tarrahi, M. J., & Momeni-Ghaleghasemi, T. (2024). The effect of clinical supervision model on nurses’ self-efficacy and communication skills in the handover process of medical and surgical wards: an experimental study. BMC nursing, 23(1), 672.
Ghonem, N. M. E. S., & El-Husany, W. A. (2023). SBAR shift report training program and its effect on nurses’ knowledge and practice and their perception of shift handoff communication. SAGE Open Nursing, 9, 23779608231159340.
Hada, A., & Coyer, F. (2021). Shift‐to‐shift nursing handover interventions associated with improved inpatient outcomes—Falls, pressure injuries and medication administration errors: An integrative review. Nursing & health sciences, 23(2), 337-351.
Irawati, R., Widodo, A., & Yulian, V. (2025). The Effective Communication using SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) of Patient Handover in Inpatient Installation. Jurnal Berita Ilmu Keperawatan, 18(1), 47-55.
Kemppainen, J. (2023). Use of the ISBAR-reporting Method among Nurses for Patient Handovers in the Emergency Department: A Literature Review.
Marashi, Z. (2024). Improving Bedside Shift Report Compliance to Impact Patient Outcomes.
Miller, D. (2021). I-PASS as a nursing communication tool. Pediatric Nursing, 47(1), 30-37.
Mohamed, S. A., Abdullah, S. M., Abo Elmagd, N. S., & Mohamed, A. S. (2023). In-service Training Program about Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation (SBAR) and Patient Safety. Assiut Scientific Nursing Journal, 11(35), 32-42.
Monti, M. C., Maiandi, S., Rossi, L., Villani, M., & Garofalo, C. (2022). Nurse Handover with SBAR method: a quasi-experimental study. Dissertation Nursing, 1(1), 3-11.
Nasiri, E., Lotfi, M., Mahdavinoor, S. M. M., & Rafiei, M. H. (2021). The impact of a structured handover checklist for intraoperative staff shift changes on effective communication, OR team satisfaction, and patient safety: a pilot study. Patient safety in surgery, 15, 1-9.
Onyemaobi-Agboli, A. (2021). Use of Standardized Handoff Communication Tool in Post-acute Rehabilitation Unit. Grand Canyon University.
Rose-Park, D. (2022). Educating Nurses on SBAR Tool Implementation for End-of-Shift Reporting (Doctoral dissertation, Walden University).
Smith, C. I. (2022). Shift Reporting: Educating Nurses on Effective Communication (Doctoral dissertation, Walden University).
Syukur, S. B., Syamsuddin, F., & Hunow, A. Y. (2023). Application of SBAR Communication in the Implementation of Nurse Weigh-in in the Inpatient Room of Dr. MM Dunda Limboto Hospital. PROMOTOR, 6(6), 663-672.
Toren, O., Lipschuetz, M., Lehmann, A., Regev, G., & Arad, D. (2022). Improving patient safety in general hospitals using structured handoffs: outcomes from a national project. Frontiers in Public Health, 10, 777678.
van Houte, A. G. (2024). SBAR in long-term care: a quality improvement initiative.
Westphal, M. S. (2023). Improving communication and patient outcomes with SBAR at a skilled nursing facility: a quality improvement project.
Wianti, A., & Koswara, R. (2021). Description of the Implementation of Sbar Communication. Asian Community Health Nursing Research, 9-9.
Yun, J., Lee, Y. J., Kang, K., & Park, J. (2023). Effectiveness of SBAR-based simulation programs for nursing students: a systematic review. BMC Medical Education, 23(1), 507.
Yun, J., Lee, Y. J., Kang, K., & Park, J. (2023). Effectiveness of SBAR-based simulation programs for nursing students: a systematic.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Tri Mulia Herawati, Siti Jubaidah (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
