Improving Nurse–Provider Communication Implementing a Standardized SR Paging Protocol Jennifer Moore, BSN, RN, MSN Student Faculty: Trish Gibbs, DNP, RN, CNE Content expert: Kaylee Fauvell, MSN-Ed, RN, CPN BACKGROUND INTERVENTIONS Interventions Effective communication between nurses and providers is essential; however, communication breakdown and a lack of standardization remain a persistent issue in the healthcare setting¹. Outdated, numeric paging systems remain widely used yet often omit critical clinical details and fail too clearly convey urgency². As a result, providers may need to initiate follow-up communication to obtain necessary information, contributing to delays in care delivery. These delays are especially consequential when patients are clinically deteriorating³. Key Points • Communication breakdowns are associated with patient safety events¹ • Numeric paging frequently fails to convey clinical urgency² • Providers often require follow-up contact to clarify incomplete messages • Resulting delays can negatively impact patient care³ • Structured communication strategies can enhance clarity and efficiency • • • • • • • • Completed a needs assessment to identify communication gaps Developed an SR education PowerPoint for staff Created a quick-reference SR tip sheet Designed a pre- and post-clinician survey Prepared unit-specific examples to support use of SR paging Collected and reviewed survey feedback to evaluate communication and workflow Analyzed results to identify areas for improvement Planned to share findings with unit leadership and staff to support continued use IMPACTS Impacts METHODS This project was guided by Lewin’s Change Theory to support implementation of a standardized communication process. As part of this project, Several deliverables were created to support staff education and use of the SR paging format. These included: • SR education PowerPoint • A quick-reference tip sheet • A pre- and post-clinician survey to evaluate communication and workflow. These tools were designed to fit into the unit workflow and support consistent use of the SR format. REFERENCES 1Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (2023). Patient safety primer: Communication and teamwork failures. https://psnet.ahrq.gov/primer/communication-and-teamwork-failures 2Kochis, M., Hayes, B., & Sullivan, K. (2025). Improving interprofessional communication through structured paging protocols. Journal of Nursing Care Quality, 40(2), 145–151. https://doi.org/10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000705 3Lazzari, C., & Rabottini, M. (2025). The use of Introduction, Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendation (ISBAR) handover in the COVID-19 pandemic and non-COVID clinical settings: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Health Services, 5, 1380948. https://doi.org/10.3389/frhs.2025.1380948 4Etemadifar, S., Sedighi, Z., et al. (2021). The effect of a Situation-Background-Assessment-Recommendation (SBAR)-based safety program on patient safety culture in intensive care unit nurses: A quasi-experimental study. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 11(3), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.5430/jnep.v11n3p1 5Lee, E., & Jun, J. (2024). The impact of nurse–physician communication on patient safety culture: A cross-sectional study. Journal of Nursing Management, 32(2), 101–112. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.13892 • • • • • • Clearer communica-on between nurses and providers² Faster provider response and reduced delays in care³ Less back-and-forth communica-on² Improved pa-ent safety and reduc-on in communica-on-related errors¹ More confidence when communica-ng pa-ent needs⁵ Communica-on breakdown contributes to a large por-on of pa-ent safety events¹ CONCLUSIONS Relevant picture, graph or data set goes here Communication remains a significant challenge in the hospital environment, creating increased safety risks, delays in care, and increased frustration for care providers. The use of a standardized, evidence-based, communication format can enhance clarity and improve mutual understanding between clinicians. Implementation of the SR paging format has the potential to improve nurses’ confidence in communicating patient needs, strengthen interprofessional collaboration, and contribute to a safer, more effective patient care environment.