VLE cheat sheet

Interprofessional Communication and Clinical Integration

• SBAR structure: Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation; each element is stated concisely and the recommendation is explicit.

• Closed-loop communication requires the receiver to repeat back the order or critical value; the sender confirms accuracy.

• Critical value reporting: notify the responsible caregiver within a defined time, document the value, the person notified, the time, and the read-back.

• Handoff tools (I-PASS: illness severity, patient summary, action list, situation awareness, synthesis by receiver) reduce omission errors at shift change.

• TeamSTEPPS core skills: communication, leadership, situation monitoring, and mutual support; speak-up culture is a patient safety mechanism.

• Discharge or care-transition summaries must include pending results, follow-up responsibility, and the contact for questions; missing pending results are a common error source.

• Interpreter services are required when the patient has limited English proficiency; family members should not be used as interpreters for clinical discussions.

• Conflict resolution in care teams: separate the person from the problem, identify the shared patient-centered goal, and escalate through the defined chain of command.