Patient Handover/Patient

Endorsement
English V

Patient Handover/Clinical Handover/

Patient Endorsement
- Refers to the transfer of information from one
healthcare provider to another when:
- A patient has a change of location/venue of care
and/or
- When the care of responsibility for that patient
shifts from one provider to another.

Patient Endorsement using SBAR

Technique

Vocabulary
Patient
handover
Shift report
Diagnosed
Medical/health
history

Patients
Background
Clinical
impression
Assessment
Recommendation

Situation
Identify yourself and the site/unit you are calling from.
Identify the patient by name and the reason for your
report.
Describe your concern.
Firstly, describe the specific situation about which you
are calling, including patients name, consultant, patient
location, resuscitation status and vital signs.
This is Lou, a registered physical therapist on PT Ward. The
reason Im calling is that Mrs. Taylor in room 225 has become
suddenly short of breath, her oxygen saturation has dropped to
88 percent on room air, her respiration rate is 24 per minute,
her rate is 110 and her blood pressure is 85/50.

Background
Give the patients reason for admission.
Explain significant medical history.
Overview of the patients background:
Admitting diagnosis, date of admission, prior
procedures, current medications, allergies,
pertinent laboratory results and other relevant
diagnostic results.
Mrs. Taylor is a 69 year-old woman who was admitted from
home three days ago with a low back pain. She has been on
intravenous antibiotics and appeared, until now, to be doing
well. She is normally fit and well and independent.

Assessment
Vital signs
Clinical impression, concerns

Mrs. Taylors vital signs have been stable from

admission but deteriorated suddenly. She is also
complaining of chest pain and there appears to be
blood in her sputum. She has not been receiving any
venous thromboembolism prophylaxis.

Recommendation
Explain what you need-be specific about request and
time frame.
Make suggestions
Clarify expectations
Finally, what is your recommendation? That is, what
would you like to happen by the end of the
conversation with the physician?

Would you like me to get a stat CXR? And

ABGs? Start an IV? I would like you to come
immediately.

Practice this conversation in class

SPEAKING EXERCISE

Sample conversation
Scenario:
A patient is being transferred from PACU to
the surgical floor. There are still a few orders
that need to be followed for the postoperative period.

Sample conversation
Situation: Hello, this is Justin from the PACU
calling with report for Mrs. Smith. There are a
few orders we have not completed at this
time.
Background: Mrs. Smith had a osteotomy
today getting back to the PACU around 13.00.
She is recovering well and family will be
accompanying her to your floor.

Sample conversation
Assessment: Mrs. Smiths vital signs are stable.
Her drainage is appropriate. She is walking slowly
and we have her on 2L 02 per nasal cannula.
Shes scoring her pain 3/10 and has not received
any pain medications while in the PACU.
Recommendation: The surgeon ordered Mrs.
Smith to receive 20 meq of Potassium PO.
Because she is not fully awake yet, we were
unable to give her this medication. She will need
this dose while on your floor.