Running a safe phone update and writing a brief SBAR.
English for Healthcare Professionals. Lesson 6.
This is your mid-course checkpoint, combining two skills you need on real shifts: a clear phone update and a short, structured written summary. You are calling a colleague (for example, a senior nurse, registrar, or on-call service) about a patient, and you have to be concise because the other person is busy.
You will practise how to open a clinical phone call, confirm who you are speaking to, and state the reason for the call early. You will then organise information into a simple SBAR-style structure, choosing what matters now versus what is background. After the call, you will write a short SBAR note that another professional could act on, including key times, observations and what you are asking for. The aim is to recycle core language from earlier lessons (identity checks, clarifying details, summarising, safety language) while increasing speed, structure and confidence.
1. Setting up the call: open fast and safely.
Today is a mid-course checkpoint, and it’s very realistic: you need to phone a colleague with a concise update, and then write a short SBAR note that another professional could act on. The pressure is that the person you’re calling is busy, so you must get to the point early, but you still need to sound calm and safe.
In this lesson, we’ll stay in one scenario on a ward. You’re the nurse in charge on Bay 3. You’re calling the on-call medical registrar about a patient whose observations have changed. Your job is to open the call clearly, check you’ve got the right person, and state the reason for the call within the first moments. Then you’ll organise what you say into SBAR: Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation. Finally, you’ll document the same information in a brief written SBAR.
As we go, keep listening for two things: clear signposting, and accurate times and numbers. Those are patient-safety details.
The situation (one consistent story for the whole lesson).
You’re on an acute medical ward. It’s 19:10 and you’re the nurse in charge for Bay 3. One patient has deteriorated over the last hour.
Patient: Priya Shah, 54, DOB 12/03/1971 (use this consistently today)
Reason for admission: community-acquired pneumonia
Current concern: increasing breathlessness and new low blood pressure
You need to phone the on-call registrar. The registrar is busy, so your opening has to do three jobs quickly:
Introduce yourself and where you’re calling from.
Check you’re speaking to the right person (and that it’s an OK moment).
State the purpose early (what this call is about, and why now).
A safe opening pattern you can rely on.
In real shifts, a simple pattern helps you sound confident and prevents rambling:
1) Identify yourself
“Hello, this is Samira Khan, the nurse in charge on Acute Med Ward, Bay 3.”
2) Check the person
“Am I speaking to the medical registrar on call?”
3) Permission + urgency (without drama)
“Is now a good time for a quick SBAR update?”
4) Purpose within the first moments
“I’m calling about Priya Shah, 54, with pneumonia. She’s become more breathless and her blood pressure has dropped.”
Tone tip: calm, specific, action-focused.
You don’t need lots of adjectives. In clinical calls, specific facts sound calm:
Better: “BP is 88 over 54 at 19:05.”
Worse: “Her blood pressure is really bad.”
Mini checklist (for you).
Before you call, have these written down:
patient identifiers (name, age, DOB, location)
the one-line problem (what changed?)
the key numbers + time
what you want (review now? within 30 minutes? advice?)
In the next blocks you’ll hear a model call, then build your own call and a written SBAR note using the same case.
Practice & Feedback
Write the first 3–5 lines of your phone call. Imagine the registrar answers and you have 10 seconds to sound professional and clear.
Include:
who you are and where you’re calling from;
a quick check that you’re speaking to the right person and that it’s OK to speak;
the reason for the call within the first moments.
Keep it calm and specific. You can use the patient details on the screen (Priya Shah, 54, pneumonia, now more breathless and BP dropped). Aim for 40–70 words. Write it as a spoken script (not an email).
Useful opening lines (reference).
“Hello, this is … calling from …”
“Am I speaking to …?”
“Is now a good time for a quick SBAR update?”
“I’m calling about a patient with …”
“I’m calling because there’s been a change in her observations.”
Patient details for today.
Priya Shah, 54 (DOB 12/03/1971)
Acute Med Ward, Bay 3
Pneumonia
Now more breathless; BP has dropped
2. Listen to a model SBAR call and catch key details.
Now we’ll train your ear for what matters on a busy phone call. You’re going to hear a short model call between a nurse and the on-call registrar about the same patient, Priya Shah. As you listen, don’t try to write every word. Instead, listen for the SBAR shape and the patient-safety details: times, numbers, and what the nurse is asking for.
In real life, the most common risk is that the call sounds fluent but the key facts are missing or unclear: when did the change happen, what are the current observations, and what action do you want from the other person. So, your job is to identify those details.
After the audio, you’ll write a short answer: the key observations, the time of deterioration, and the request. If you miss something, that’s fine. We’ll treat it like real shift listening: you capture the essentials and confirm anything uncertain.
Listening task: a realistic phone update.
In the listening, you will hear a nurse call the on-call registrar. It’s a quick SBAR update, not a long discussion.
As you listen, focus on three targets:
What changed and when?
Listen for a clear time phrase: “at about…”, “since…”, “in the last… minutes”.
Current observations (with units where relevant)
Blood pressure (BP)
Respiratory rate (RR)
Oxygen saturation (sats) and oxygen delivery (e.g., 2 litres via nasal cannula)
Temperature (temp)
The recommendation / request
What does the nurse want the registrar to do, and how quickly?
What good SBAR sounds like (so you know what to notice).
A strong SBAR call often includes:
Signposting words: “The situation is… The background is… My assessment is… I’d like…”
Cautious certainty: “I’m concerned because…”, “I’m worried this could be…”
Plan confirmation: “Can I just confirm the plan: you will…, and I will…”
A quick note-taking grid (optional).
You can jot notes like this while you listen:
S
B
A
R
main issue + time
relevant history
obs + what you think
what you want + timeframe
You’ll answer in writing below. Aim for accuracy over fancy language.
Practice & Feedback
Listen once for the overall meaning, then listen again to catch the key facts.
After listening, write 3 short bullet points:
Situation: what changed and when (include a time if you hear one).
Assessment: list two observations with numbers (for example BP, sats, RR, temp).
Recommendation: what is the nurse asking the registrar to do, and how quickly?
Keep your bullets short and factual. If you didn’t catch a number, write what you did hear and add “(not sure)” so we can practise safe clarification.
3. Make SBAR sound structured, not memorised.
You’ve just heard a solid model call. Now we’ll do the part that makes you faster on real shifts: noticing the language patterns that create structure. SBAR is not only the information; it’s also how you signal the sections so the listener can follow you easily.
In this block, I’ll show you a simple SBAR template that you can speak naturally. We’ll focus on two skills. First, signposting: short phrases like “The situation is…” and “My assessment is…” which buy you time and make your message easy to process. Second, recommendation language: asking for a review with a timeframe, and then confirming the plan.
You’ll also read a brief written SBAR note for the same call. Notice how the written version stays factual, includes times and units, and avoids emotional wording. After that, you’ll practise rewriting messy notes into clean SBAR lines.
SBAR on the phone: the language that keeps it safe.
When the listener is busy, your structure has to be obvious. SBAR works best when you say the headings in plain English.
Here are reliable spoken frames you can reuse:
S (Situation):
“I’m calling about Priya Shah, 54, admitted with pneumonia.”
“The situation is: over the last hour she’s become more breathless, and at 19:05 her BP dropped to 88 over 54.”
B (Background):
“Background: admitted yesterday, currently on antibiotics and fluids.”
“No known drug allergies documented.”
A (Assessment):
“My assessment is: RR 28, sats 90% on 2 litres via nasal cannula, temp 38.4.”
“I’m concerned because she looks more tired and her blood pressure is low.”
R (Recommendation):
“I’d like you to review within the next 30 minutes, please.”
“Can I just confirm the plan: you will…, and I will…?”
Writing SBAR: short, readable, actionable.
A written SBAR note is not an essay. It should allow another professional to act without hunting for missing facts.
Key writing conventions to copy:
Put times next to observations (e.g., “19:05 BP 88/54”).
Use consistent units: %, litres, minutes.
Use cautious certainty: “concerned”, “possible”, “deteriorating”.
Model written SBAR (same call, same facts).
S: Priya Shah (54, DOB 12/03/1971), AMW Bay 3. Admitted with pneumonia. Increased breathlessness over last hour. 19:05 BP dropped to 88/54.
B: Admitted yesterday. On IV antibiotics + IV fluids. NKDA documented.
A: 19:05 RR 28. Sats 90% on 2L O2 via nasal cannula. Temp 38.4. Appears more fatigued. Concern for clinical deterioration.
R: Spoke to Dr Patel (med reg) 19:10. Plan: reg to review within 30 mins. Increase O2 to maintain sats >94%. Repeat obs in 15 mins. Take VBG + lactate. Will update if any change.
In the activity, you’ll turn messy ward notes into clean SBAR sentences.
Practice & Feedback
Below you’ll see some messy notes like the kind you might scribble quickly.
Your task: rewrite them into four clear SBAR lines (S, B, A, R). Keep it concise but complete.
Rules:
Include at least one time and two numbers.
Use calm, professional wording (avoid dramatic language like “really bad”).
For the recommendation, include a clear request and a timeframe.
Aim for 70–110 words total. This is practice for writing and for speaking: if your SBAR is written clearly, your phone SBAR will usually be clearer too.
Messy notes to clean up.
Priya S, 54, pneumonia, Bay 3.
More SOB last hr.
19:05 BP 88/54, RR 28, sats 90% on 2L, T 38.4.
Looks tired, worried.
On abx + fluids. No allergies written.
Need reg to see soon.
Plan? maybe increase O2, repeat obs, do gas.
(Abx = antibiotics, SOB = shortness of breath, reg = registrar)
4. Clarify and confirm: numbers, targets and responsibilities.
Next we’ll practise a skill that protects patients and protects you: clarification. Even with good English, clinical calls can be unclear because of noise, speed, or assumptions. At B2 level, you can sound very professional by using short, respectful clarification questions.
Two common risk areas are: first, numbers and targets, such as oxygen targets or observation frequency. Second, responsibilities, meaning who will do what and by when. If you’re not sure, you don’t guess; you clarify.
In this block, you’ll see examples of calm clarification questions and plan-confirmation language. Then you’ll respond as if you are on the phone: you’ll ask for one clarification and then confirm the plan back to the registrar.
Your goal is to be brief and safe, not apologetic. “Can I just check…” is your friend in time-pressured communication.
Why clarification is a safety skill (not a language weakness).
On real shifts, people speak fast. Accents vary. Background noise happens. If you clarify, you reduce risk.
A good clarification question is:
short
specific
non-blaming
focused on an action or a number
Calm clarification frames you can reuse.
Here are several options. Notice how they sound polite but direct.
Checking a number / target
“Can I just check the target sats you’d like?”
“Just to confirm, are we aiming for sats above 94%?”
“When you say ‘increase oxygen’, would you like me to go to 4 litres now or titrate up as needed?”
Checking timing
“Just to confirm, you’d like repeat observations in 15 minutes, is that right?”
“Can you confirm the timeframe for review, please: within 30 minutes?”
Checking responsibility
“Would you like me to take the bloods now, or will you do that on review?”
“I can arrange the VBG. Is there anything else you want before you arrive?”
Plan confirmation: a final safety step.
A strong closing line sounds like this:
> “Can I just confirm the plan: you will review within 30 minutes, and I will increase oxygen as needed, repeat observations in 15 minutes, and take a VBG and lactate.”
This does two things:
It checks you both heard the same plan.
It creates clear documentation language.
Micro-scenario for practice.
Assume the registrar said: “Increase oxygen to keep sats above 94%, repeat obs in 15 minutes, and take a venous gas and lactate.”
Your job: ask one clarification question (choose something realistic) and then confirm the plan clearly.
Practice & Feedback
Write what you would say at the end of the phone call in two parts:
Part A (1 sentence): Ask one clarification question about either the oxygen plan, the target sats, the timing, or who should do which task.
Part B (1–2 sentences): Confirm the plan back using: “Can I just confirm the plan: you will…, and I will…”.
Keep it natural and concise, like a real call. Aim for 45–80 words total. Use the details from the model scenario (review within 30 minutes; repeat obs in 15; increase O2 to keep sats >94%; take VBG + lactate).
Plan details to use.
Review: within 30 minutes
Oxygen: increase as needed to keep sats >94%
Repeat observations: in 15 minutes
Tests: VBG and lactate
Useful frames.
“Can I just check…?”
“Just to confirm…”
“Can I just confirm the plan: you will…, and I will…”
5. Chat simulation: deliver the SBAR call under pressure.
Now you’re going to do a short simulation. Treat it like a mini OSCE station, but in chat form. I will play the registrar, and you will be the nurse calling with an SBAR update about Priya Shah.
Your target is not to be perfect. Your target is to be safe and structured: open the call, give situation and key observations with times, give brief background, state your assessment and concern, then make a clear recommendation with a timeframe. After that, you must confirm the plan.
Because it’s a simulation, I’ll challenge you slightly with one follow-up question, like “What are her obs now?” or “What do you want me to do?” This is exactly what happens in real calls.
Keep your messages short, like spoken turns. If you need to pause to organise yourself, use signposting: “The situation is…” That’s a professional strategy.
Chat-style phone call simulation (you = nurse, me = registrar).
You will write the call as a series of short chat turns. Imagine each turn is one breath on the phone.
Your goal: deliver a safe SBAR update that a busy registrar can act on.
Facts you must include (same case).
Use these core details during the chat:
Patient: Priya Shah, 54, DOB 12/03/1971
Location: Acute Med Ward, Bay 3
Condition: pneumonia
Change: more breathless over the last hour
Key observations at 19:05:
BP 88/54
RR 28
Sats 90% on 2L O2 via nasal cannula
Temp 38.4
Background: admitted yesterday, on IV antibiotics + IV fluids, NKDA documented
Your concern: clinical deterioration
Your request: review within 30 minutes
How to keep it natural in chat form.
You don’t need to type “S: … B: …” if that feels robotic. You can still use spoken signposting:
“The situation is…”
“In terms of background…”
“My assessment is…”
“What I’d like is…”
What ‘good’ looks like (mini rubric).
As you write, check yourself:
Purpose early (within your first turn or two)
Numbers + time are clear and correctly formatted
Clear request with timeframe
Plan confirmation at the end
In the activity below, start the call. I’ll answer as the registrar.
Practice & Feedback
Start a chat-style phone call. Write your first 2–3 turns as the nurse calling the registrar.
Then, after Clara (as the registrar) replies with a question, continue for 4–6 more turns to complete the SBAR and confirm the plan.
Practical tips:
Keep each turn short (1–2 sentences), like real phone turn-taking.
Include at least one time and two numbers.
Make a clear request: “I’d like you to review within the next 30 minutes, please.”
End with plan confirmation: “Can I just confirm the plan…?”
When you’re ready, write your opening line(s).
Quick reference during the simulation.
Opening:
“Hello, this is … calling from …”
“Is now a good time for a quick SBAR update?”
Key request:
“I’d like you to review within the next 30 minutes, please.”
Plan check:
“Can I just confirm the plan: you will…, and I will…?”
6. Write the SBAR note: brief, factual, actionable.
You’ve practised the spoken SBAR and the confirmation language. Now we’ll complete the checkpoint with the second skill: a brief written SBAR note. The written note is what another professional may rely on later, so clarity and formatting matter.
In a good SBAR note, the reader can quickly answer: who is the patient, what changed, what are the key observations and when, what you think is happening, and what the plan is, including who is responsible and what timeframe.
You don’t need long sentences. Short, accurate lines are best. Use times consistently, and keep units visible: percentage for sats, litres for oxygen, minutes for review and repeat observations.
In the task, you’ll write a complete SBAR summary of this case. Then you’ll check it against a simple rubric: structure, key facts, and an action-focused recommendation. Treat it like documentation you’d be happy to defend.
From phone to documentation: keep the same SBAR logic.
A useful trick is to write what you would say, but in a cleaner, more compact form.
Your note should be readable in under 20 seconds.
Documentation tips (B2-level, shift-ready).
1) Put time next to the observation
Instead of:
“BP low earlier.”
Write:
“19:05 BP 88/54.”
2) Be cautious but clear
Instead of diagnosing, describe and express concern:
