A nurse is gathering data about a patient. The nurse determines that which of the following is subjective data?
a. The patient complains of excruciating, crushing chest pain.
b. The patient is short of breath and coughs up green sputum.
c. The patient has gained 1 lb within the past 24 hours.
d. The patient is experiencing sinus tachycardia and peripheral edema.
ANS: A
Subjective information is based on the patient's opinion. Some refer to subjective information as symptoms. This usually includes feelings of physical discomfort, anxiety, and mental stress that are more difficult to measure. The nurse cannot experience subjective symptoms. Objective information includes data that the nurse can verify; these are also known as signs. A physical assessment provides objective data. The terms check, observe, monitor, weigh, measure, and smell are cues that this may be objective data collection. Obtaining initial data, such as vital signs, height, and weight, is often assigned to the LPN/LVN. Objective information helps support or cast doubt on subjective information. The patient complaining of chest pain is the only option that is subjective. The remaining options are all examples of objective data.
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