A Framework for Educator Storytelling: Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation, Review (SBARR)

Abstract

Background: Delivering content in an interactive manner presented a specific challenge in a medical-surgical course. Storytelling, using an SBARR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation, Review) format, emerged as a means to deliver content in an interactive and engaging manner.

Purpose: The purposes were to provide a framework for effective educator storytelling in the nursing classroom and after implementation of the framework, to gather student perceptions of the effectiveness of the SBARR framework.

Methods: A 2-stage qualitative methods approach using Bengtsson's method of thematic content analysis was chosen for the pilot study. Content analysis and a descriptive survey were used to gather student perceptions of the SBARR framework.

Results: Five themes emerged: stay engaged, retain material, comprehend concepts, relate theory to practice, and develop critical thinking.

Conclusions: Nurse educators seeking to improve effectiveness while capitalizing on their wealth of experience from clinical practice may benefit from the use of storytelling using the SBARR format.