When should a nurse notify the healthcare provider on the NCLEX?

Notify the healthcare provider when assessment findings fall outside normal or expected parameters for the patient's condition, when the patient's status changes significantly, when a medication error occurs, when the patient is not responding to treatment, or when new critical lab values are obtained. Use the SBAR format: Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendation. On the NCLEX, if the question offers both "notify the provider" and a nursing intervention, perform the nursing intervention first if it addresses an immediate safety need.