Strengthening SBAR-based handover through education and demonstration among inpatient ward nurses

Abstract

Patient safety in inpatient wards is influenced by the continuity of information during nurse shift changes. A preliminary study at a hospital in Denpasar found that the implementation of handoffs using the Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation (SBAR) communication protocol was not yet optimal; therefore, it is necessary to strengthen nurses' capacity to apply structured communication. This community service activity aims to optimize the implementation of SBAR-based handoffs through education and demonstrations for nurses in inpatient wards. The activity involved 20 nurses and was carried out through the following stages: preparation, pre-test, education, demonstration, discussion, and post-test. Education was provided through presentations and interactive discussions, while demonstrations were used to show the application of SBAR in the handover process. The evaluation was conducted by descriptively comparing the participants' knowledge levels before and after the activity. The pre-test results showed that 20.0% of nurses had good knowledge, 70.0% had adequate knowledge, and 10.0% had insufficient knowledge. After the activity, 75.0% of nurses had good knowledge, 25.0% had adequate knowledge, and none had insufficient knowledge. This activity strengthened the nurses' knowledge and provided practical experience in applying structured communication during handoffs. Continued support through regular supervision and observation is necessary to ensure that the use of SBAR becomes a consistent practice in support of patient safety.