Subjective/Objective Symptom

Nursing Students Student Assist

Published

I am trying to determine from the followings which one is subjective and which one is objective within the Physical Examination. I would appreciate your input.

Bleeding

Abdominal Pain

Fatigue

Diarrhea

Chest Pain

Depression

Feer

Nausea

Vomiting.

Chest and abdominal pain, fatigue and depression I say are subjective...you are going by what the patients tells you (even if there are signs, such as guarding, they can be faked or exaggerated, so you really are just going by what patient is saying). Diarrhea I say objective...you can "see" that they have it.

:)

Thank you for the reply! The other sources were saying that if you observe the patient in pain that is objective versus where the patient says that he/she is in pain which would be subjective. The same with fatigue: if the patient says she/he could only sleep 3 hours at night, comes yawning and is visibily tired, then you observe fatigue and that is objective too. There are so many angles to think this through and Bates does not have a clear chart to categorize objective and subjective, so everyone can come up with their own interpretations!!!

Specializes in Emergency, ICU.
Thank you for the reply! The other sources were saying that if you observe the patient in pain that is objective versus where the patient says that he/she is in pain which would be subjective. The same with fatigue: if the patient says she/he could only sleep 3 hours at night, comes yawning and is visibily tired, then you observe fatigue and that is objective too. There are so many angles to think this through and Bates does not have a clear chart to categorize objective and subjective, so everyone can come up with their own interpretations!!!

Well the thing is that you are only given 1 word to decide. For example bleeding: is it observed bleeding or the patient telling you they bled? Any of these can be either objective or subjective depending on the context. If they only gave you a list as you posted, then go with it at face value. Pain: can you see it? Sure! Do you generally see it or are you generally getting the patient's report of pain? For me pain is subjective. The objective observation would be: patient on stretcher in fetal position, clutching abdomen, with facial grimacing and moaning noted. That's my observation. Pain is the subjective report of the signs that are visible.

Hope that helped!

Yes, it helps thank you. Still, like mentioned it really depends on the context - usually what you observe is objective but again, there are other angles. I looked for a textbook or article that sheds more light like really categorizing these at their face values so that it is not so much room for interpretation and discussion and I have not found something like this anywhere. Therefore, I guess we go with what we believe is best instead of a much clearer direction.

Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

Bleeding - Objective

Abdominal pain - Objective

Fatigue - Objective

Pupil observation - Objective

Diarrhea - Subjective

Chest pain- Objective

Depression - Objective

Fever -Objective

Nausea - Subjective

Vomiting - Objective

Abdo pain is subjective. you cannot see the pain, the patient has to report it. Diarrhea is objective, you can see it. Chest pain is subjective, the patient has to report it. Depression is subjective, you cannot measure it.

Yes, it helps thank you. Still, like mentioned it really depends on the context - usually what you observe is objective but again, there are other angles. I looked for a textbook or article that sheds more light like really categorizing these at their face values so that it is not so much room for interpretation and discussion and I have not found something like this anywhere. Therefore, I guess we go with what we believe is best instead of a much clearer direction.

Unfortunately, it's not black and white......lots of grey areas due to differences in opinions based on the context and one's interpretation of it.

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Objective data is information that you can perceive using your owns senses. What you can see, hear, smell, feel, sometimes taste, and sometimes measure objective data.

Subjective data is information supplied to you by the subject, or patient. These are things that you cannot yourself perceive with your senses of sight, sound, smell, or touch. for example, pain. A patient tells you they have a pain in their leg. That is subjective data. It is based on the patient's statement. you cannot see, hear, smell, or feel the patient's pain. however, you can see a grimace on the face of someone in pain. The grimace on their face, the swollen gaping wound.... would be an objective observation

To quote an old Grntea response

GrnTea ‼ i wish i could put these in two columns, side by side, but i can't.

objective, regardless of who taught you anything, is defined thus:

)) not influenced by personal feelings, interpretations, or prejudice; based on facts; unbiased: an objective opinion

)) of or pertaining to something that can be known, or to something that is an object or a part of an object; existing independent of thought or an observer as part of reality.

so, "the patient states, 'i have quit smoking' " is objective, because he did, in fact, say that.

lab and diagnostics, vital signs and other examination findings are all objective. "pain on palpation" is objective.

"resp rate 26 and labored, insp and exp wheezing throughout, exacerbated on minimal exertion (bed-to-chair transfer)" is objective.

subjective:

)) existing in the mind; belonging to the thinking subject rather than to the object of thought ( opposed to objective).

)) pertaining to or characteristic of an individual; personal; individual: a subjective evaluation.

""i am so jittery since i quit smoking" is subjective, because he is reporting how he feels. he might not look jittery to you, but he says he feels that way.

"my belly is killing me," is subjective.

"i can't breathe, i can't get out of bed without gasping" is subjective.

Specializes in Emergency, ICU.

Bleeding

Abdominal Pain

Fatigue

Diarrhea

Chest Pain

Depression

Feer

Nausea

Vomiting.

And I just have to point out how this method of teaching annoys me to no end. It seems to be endemic in nursing education.

Here, the assignment is meant to teach a concept that is basic to physical assessment, yet the structure of it only serves to confuse the learner. A list of signs? No context? Why do it this way?

I am sure the answer key has these words classified as either O or S. But as we have talked about, many if not most of these could be either depending on the context. So the student is left to spend hours trying to discern what the professor WANTS as an answer rather than spending that time truly learning and internalizing the CONCEPTS that are being taught.

What a waste of time!

OP, fortunately I have a gift. I can look at an assignment and know what they are looking for. It has served me well in nursing education. So, since I am seeing your efforts to grasp this concept, I will give you my opinion on what the answers could be. Now, if you have more information to make this decision and you just made a list on this post to save time, then use the context to decide what the right answer is, of course.

Bleeding: O

Abdominal pain: S

Fatigue: S

Diarrhea: O (although really, most of the time people are reporting this not showing us, but still would go with O here)

Chest pain: S

Depression: S

Fever: O

Nausea: S

Vomiting: O

Thank you all for the reply! It is SOOOO incovenient to have to answer these in black and white without context. As mentioned, I have not found a clear categorization as such in any materials or articles. It really depends on the context. What threw me off is that in particular "chest pain" and "fatigue" in one academic sources was described as Objective which I thought to be subjective. But, I will keep in mind your suggestions. Thank you.

Thank you all again, and Edmia for trying to help.

Thank you all for the reply! It is SOOOO incovenient to have to answer these in black and white without context. As mentioned, I have not found a clear categorization as such in any materials or articles. It really depends on the context. What threw me off is that in particular "chest pain" and "fatigue" in one academic sources was described as Objective which I thought to be subjective. But, I will keep in mind your suggestions. Thank you.

Wrong, and don't get the idea that there is no rule.

There is, in fact, a very clear categorization, and Esme has pulled my old post on it out of the ozone for your reference (thanks, Esme-- I have copied it and cleaned it up for future use).

What there isn't is an unequivocal categorization for everything under the sun. Some things will meet both definitions. Be prepared to defend your decision either way, or both.

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Wrong, and don't get the idea that there is no rule.

There is, in fact, a very clear categorization, and Esme has pulled my old post on it out of the ozone for your reference (thanks, Esme-- I have copied it and cleaned it up for future use).

What there isn't is an unequivocal categorization for everything under the sun. Some things will meet both definitions. Be prepared to defend your decision either way, or both.

I kept trying to explain it and your was better....LOL
+ Add a Comment