is weeks gestation subjective or objective data?

[loveoutloud]

is weeks gestation subjective or objective data?

thanks!

[Pneumothorax, BSN, RN]

good question.

Depends if you go by what the patient tells you ( they could be off by a few weeks or not even know they are preg) or you could go by diagnostics (such as U/S) that u would see the results of.

[pecanpies]

Weeks gestation is often based on objective data, for example, biparietal diameter, femur length, or fundal height. If based on LMP, that would be subjective data. It all depends on exactly how it's being calculated.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

no, it's always objective. "subjective" is by definition subject to an individual's feeling or opinion about something. example, "i can't catch my breath" is subjective. "resp rate 24, shallow, insp and exp wheezing" are objective.

"i feel/think i'm pregnant" is subjective. lmp/us/etc. data are objective (weeks by date is different from developmental age, too).

[Babs0512]

I would have to agree w/ Grn tea - if it is charted that due date is...then weeks gestation would be objective. Esp w/ the US to back it up. Now, if the patient show up at your hospital, lets say she is from out of town, and you cannot verify DOC, you go by what she is telling you, and that is subjective. IMHO

[pecanpies]

Hmmm, I have to disagree about LMP being objective. It cannot be directly observed or measured, meaning that it by definition cannot be considered objective data. Information the patient gives us is subjective.

[pecanpies]

And, I'm certainly interested to hear opposing opinions! I'm just not seeing how LMP could be considered objective unless there is a way for the nurse or HCP to measure/observe it that I'm not thinking of.

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

So, if the patient takes their own temp that's subjective, and if we take it that's objective? Disagree.

[Babs0512]

not if the patient takes the temp in front of you and you can verify it - than it is objective. If, on the other hand she tells you she took her temp and it was 99.1 orally - that is subjective.

[anonymousstudent]

It's being based on LMP. Why would that be a subjective? If the patient couldn't remember or something, sure. But if they know the first date of their last period, that's pretty straight forward.

[grownuprosie]

It was my understanding that anything that follows the phrase, "Pt states..." or "Per pt..." is subjective. In my head anyway, LMP is one of those statements. There are lots of reasons why mom might get the date wrong. I am guilty of being approximate when i fill out that question on my health hx forms because i just don't keep track. I am sure i am not the only one. But, i am interested to see what others think about it.

Even if the information is numerical data, such as temp, I think it is still subjective. You cannot be sure that proper technique was used when getting the information. I have spoken to Moms while working front office at a peds clinic that believe the back of their hand is a precise thermometer. They will state their childs temp as 103, 102, 101, based on this.

[sirI, MSN, APRN, NP]

IMO, the words, "subjective" and "objective" are less-than-optimal when dealing with LMP, movement, enlarging belly, morning sickness, etc.

We should be using, "presumptive", probable" and and "positive". These relate to the signs of pregnancy and take out the objective/subjective part of the equation.

Presumptive: LMP/LNMP, amenorrhea, increased urination, breast changes

Probable: positive urine HCG, ballottment

Positive: FHR detected, fetal movements (as observed by the clinician)