A patient tells the nurse that he is very nervous, is nauseated, and feels hot. These types of data would be:
a. Objective.
b. Reflective.
c. Subjective.
d. Introspective.
A patient tells the nurse that he is very nervous, is nauseated, and feels hot. These types of data would be:
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Subjective.
Subjective data are what the person says about him or herself during history taking. Objective data are what the health professional observes by inspecting, percussing, palpating, and auscultating during the physical examination. The terms reflective and introspective are not used to describe data.
c. Subjective
The types of data provided by the patient, such as feeling very nervous, being nauseated, and feeling hot, are considered subjective data.
Subjective data refers to information that is based on the patient’s personal experiences, feelings, perceptions, or self-reported symptoms. These data cannot be directly observed or measured by others and are unique to the individual’s interpretation and expression.
In the given example, the statements about feeling nervous, nauseated, and hot are expressions of the patient’s internal state and subjective experiences. These data points are not directly observable or measurable by the nurse but are instead self-reported by the patient.
Objective data, on the other hand, refers to information that can be directly observed, measured, or quantified by others, such as vital signs, physical examination findings, or laboratory test results.
By distinguishing between subjective and objective data, nurses can better understand the patient’s overall condition and tailor their assessment and care accordingly, considering both the measurable objective data and the patient’s self-reported subjective experiences.