Subjective/Objective Symptom

[exam1]

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.

[RunBabyRN]

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.

Exactly. Maybe the patient reports chest pain, but isn't exhibiting any visible symptoms. However, clutching chest, shortness of breath, observable behaviors make it objective. Bleeding, as someone else stated, could go either way. Pt c/o bright red or tarry stools, versus pt is oozing blood all over the bed. Fatigue, even with that, I would log the observations as objective but the conclusion of fatigue as subjective, personally. Pt states they have a hard time getting things done because they are exhausted, versus pt slumped in chair, having difficulty keeping eyes open, glassy eyes, trailing off when speaking, etc. I'm with you- lack of context sucks in this situation (which is why I often hate case studies, too!).

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

Exactly. Maybe the patient reports chest pain, but isn't exhibiting any visible symptoms. However, clutching chest, shortness of breath, observable behaviors make it objective. Bleeding, as someone else stated, could go either way. Pt c/o bright red or tarry stools, versus pt is oozing blood all over the bed. Fatigue, even with that, I would log the observations as objective but the conclusion of fatigue as subjective, personally. Pt states they have a hard time getting things done because they are exhausted, versus pt slumped in chair, having difficulty keeping eyes open, glassy eyes, trailing off when speaking, etc. I'm with you- lack of context sucks in this situation (which is why I often hate case studies, too!).

But see, that's what you see when you take care of, like, actual cases. That's precisely why they are like that. The faculty don't do that just to annoy the crap out of you.

Part of your education in this is not just learning to get the right check-box at exam time, it's to hone your awareness of the various shades of grey, various nuances of presentation, and your skill in discerning and documenting them so you will know what you're looking at, put together a plan of what to do, and be an effective nurse.

[RunBabyRN]

But see, that's what you see when you take care of, like, actual cases. That's precisely why they are like that. The faculty don't do that just to annoy the crap out of you.

Part of your education in this is not just learning to get the right check-box at exam time, it's to hone your awareness of the various shades of grey, various nuances of presentation, and your skill in discerning and documenting them so you will know what you're looking at, put together a plan of what to do, and be an effective nurse.

True, but as a nurse, you can assess, assess, assess (to a certain extent) to try to suss out more details. I realize that's not always the case, but it feels like case studies have so little info! Just my personal beef. :)

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

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).

I think you and Esme need to put all of this stuff in a book/ pdf for the rest of us. I have been on this site for 1 1/2 yrs and the information still keeps flowing from the "ozone".