Free say-and-do preparation
ISBAR telephone rehearsal checklist.
A spoken preparation checklist for isbar handover. Use it to organise explanations and questions before your next rehearsal.
Last checked 2026-10-30 · NMBA exam information · RN Standards for Practice
How to use this checklist
Read the fictional task first. Work through each prompt out loud, using only the information supplied. Where a clinical detail is missing, say what you need to clarify rather than inventing it.
Identify yourself, location, receiver and patient.
“Hello, I am the RN on this ward. Can I confirm who I am speaking with?”
State the immediate situation and why you are calling.
“I am calling now because of this change in the patient’s condition.”
Give relevant background and measured assessment findings.
“The relevant background is… My current findings and concern are…”
Ask for an action and timeframe, read back the plan and document.
“Can you confirm the next action and timeframe? I will read back the plan.”
Check your explanation
- Identify yourself, your location and the patient before discussing the concern.
- Lead with why you are calling now; include relevant trends rather than a long history.
- Ask for an action and timeframe, confirm the plan and document responsibility.
Watch for these omissions
- Giving background before the urgent concern.
- Ending with “just letting you know” instead of a request.
- Assuming silence means the plan has been accepted.
Connect it to a scenario
Practise a telephone escalation, a shift handover or a transfer of care. Prepare a brief opening, relevant background, measured findings and an explicit request. Do not delay emergency assistance to finish a routine call.
Repeat with a different fictional situation to check that your explanation responds to the task rather than a memorised script. Review the current ACSQHC Communicating for Safety Standard and RN Standards for Practice alongside supervised skills training.