Objective and subjective

[naintraining]

Objective information is based on what a person sees, hears, touches, or smells.

subject of information is something a person cannot or did not observe

skin rash(obj)

rapid pulse (obj)

headaches (sub)

nausea (sub)

vomiting (obj)

swelling (obj)

cloudy urine (obj)

feeling sad (sub)

Red area on skin (obj)

fever (obj)

dizziness (sub)

wheezing (obj)

chest pains (sub)

toothache (sub)

coughing (obj)

fruity breath (obj)

itchy arm (sub)

do u think these answers are right? And do u think crying would be subjective or objective? That's the only one I'm having a promblem figuring out. I'm in school to become a CNA. Please help and please give your opinions and your higher learning.

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

Can you see if a person is crying? There is your answer.

[naintraining]

Yeah u can hypothetically speaking. I asked myself that a million times and it didn't make since to me until u asked it. Thanks

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

It's not hypothetical. You can actually see tears falling from the eyes, hear the sobs, you can OBSERVE someone crying in reality. You can document crying as an observation. Unlike a headache, you can document that a patient reports a headache, pain level, description of the location and intensity/description of the pain. You can document objective findings such as pupil reaction, facial expression/grimace, vital signs, observed activity which might be determined by the provider that the patient in fact is suffering from an acute headache. You cannot observe a headache but you can observe symptoms consistent with a headache. Does this make sense?

[mindofmidwifery, ADN]

Crying is objective. You can hear a person cry out and you can physically see tears.

[naintraining]

Thank you very much beachynures I do have a much better understanding.