Which of the following is the best example of objective data?

1. Career Development
2. Subjective vs. Objective Data in Nursing: Key Differences

By Indeed Editorial Team

Published May 21, 2022

Subjective and objective data are two important types of information that professionals use to inform organizational decisions, improve systems, and evaluate short- or long-term progress. In nursing, subjective and objective data are both essential for assessing a patient's health and success. As a nurse, you collect and use subjective and objective data daily, so it's important to understand the distinctions between them. In this article, we describe subjective vs. objective data and review their differences and similarities when used in healthcare.

Subjective vs. objective data in nursing

Nurses consider subjective vs. objective data when diagnosing and caring for patients. They gather information from various sources to find the cause of their patient's healthcare issue and plan a treatment accordingly. Subjective nursing data is information that depends on personal feelings, while objective nursing data is factual. Nurses can collect objective and subjective data from patients, family members, other doctors, and medical technicians to develop a holistic understanding of a patient's health. When learning about their patient's health, they consider the patient's mental state and social factors in addition to their symptoms.

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What is subjective data?

Subjective data is anecdotal information from opinions, perceptions, or experiences. Examples of subjective data in healthcare include a patient's pain level and their descriptions of symptoms. As a nurse, you can record subjective information by asking patients how they feel or what they notice about their own experiences. Subjective data has the following characteristics:

• It can describe how something looks.

• Different people may offer diverse data.

• The descriptions are qualitative.

• It allows free expression.

• Perceptions may change with context.

Here are some examples of subjective data in nursing:

Example 1

Larry has been coming into the same doctor's office for years, and Nurse Monica has seen him many times before. Larry informs Monica that he's been suffering from headaches, chills, and a sore throat for over a week now. Monica documents Larry's concerns and notes that he looks like he hasn't slept and seems nervous.

Example 2

Shailene's mother, Nancy, tells Nurse Geoff that Shailene hasn't been eating enough and cries a few times a day. Geoff does an initial check of the infant and notices nothing unusual. Shailene's husband, John, tells Geoff that Nancy is just a nervous first-time mother, and he thinks Shailene is perfectly healthy.

Example 3

Nurse Penelope informs the doctor that their patient, Alec, has a rash covering his neck and shoulders. The doctor asks Penelope if Alec's visit is due to the rash. She tells him that Alec's visit is for a physical examination, and he did not mention the rash. Furthermore, he seemed shy when she asked about it.

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What is objective data?

Objective data are facts that professionals gather through observation or measurement. These data are accurate regardless of the feelings or opinions of the person presenting or receiving the information. Examples of objective data in nursing include blood pressure and heart rate. Nurses gather objective data through formal assessments, diagnostic procedures, or observation. Objective data has the following characteristics:

• It involves quantitative or numerical details.

• It remains the same in all contexts and circumstances.

• Multiple measurements produce the same result.

• It allows for concrete information sharing.

Here are some examples of objective data in nursing:

Example 1

Aaron came to the hospital complaining of falling and injuring his wrist. Nurse Ted informs Aaron that they want to take an X-ray to decide how to heal it. The X-ray results confirm Aaron has a broken wrist. The doctor instructs Aaron to keep his wrist in a cast for nine weeks and then return to ensure it has healed properly.

Example 2

Nurse Tammy checks the patient, Joe's, medical history. She notices that he's had high blood pressure for years. Tammy measures his blood pressure using a blood pressure monitor, and it reads 160/100mmHG, which is high. She confirms the reading by checking it again. The second reading verifies the result.

Example 3

Nurse Ash takes the thermometer from the patient, Lucas', mouth and reads 39 degrees. This concerns Ash, so she re-checks Lucas' temperature and gets the same result. She asks the head nurse, Veronica, to check it as well. Veronica checks Lucas' temperature using a different thermometer, which also reads 39 degrees.

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Differences between subjective and objective data

There are considerable differences between subjective and objective data and how nurses use them. Understanding the differences in depth can help you discern when and how to use each data type. Some differences between the two types of data include:

Collection methods

Nurses collect subjective and objective data using different methods. As objective data is always factual, while subjective data includes opinions and various perspectives, they have distinct collection techniques. Nurses in healthcare settings collect subjective data using the following methods:

• Asking questions about symptoms and feelings: You can ask patients to rate their pain level on a scale of one to ten to learn how they feel their pain affects them.

• Conversing with patients and family members: Consider speaking with patients and their family members to uncover more information. A patient may express how their symptoms influence their ability to complete daily tasks, sharing their subjective opinion on the severity of their condition.

• Having patients complete intake forms and questionnaires: Providing patients with an intake or questionnaire form to fill out allows them to record their feelings about their health and experiences. Some patients may be more comfortable sharing this information in writing than discussing their problems in person.

Nurses in healthcare settings collect objective data using the following methods:

• Physical measurements: When you measure a patient's height, weight, heart rate, and blood pressure, you collect objective data about their body and how it functions.

• Observations: During an exam, the observations you make with your senses can include objective data. For example, if you see that a patient is shivering, you can document this as an objective observation.

• Diagnostic tests: Blood tests, MRIs, x-rays, and other diagnostic tests produce factual, objective data about a patient's health and diagnosis.

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Verification processes

Nurses and other healthcare professionals verify that both subjective and objective data are relevant and accurate when making decisions about their patients' health. To confirm subjective data, healthcare professionals may try to gather objective information about the issue or ask different people subjective questions. For example, if a patient complains of a sore throat, their nurse can conduct a throat examination to collect objective data about inflammation or redness. They may also ask questions to clarify the type of pain and how it affects them.

To confirm the accuracy of objective data, nurses may repeat diagnostic assessments, recalculate equations, compare test results to industry norms, or ask other healthcare professionals to interpret a patient's symptoms. It's also possible to pursue more complex tests to research abnormal objective information. For example, if a patient has unusually high blood pressure, you may measure their blood oxygen level, order an EKG, and schedule additional cardiovascular testing to learn more about their vital signs.

Ideal situations

There are ideal situations for nurses to use subjective vs. objective data. Subjective data can uncover general information about a patient's thoughts and feelings, while objective data is ideal for learning specific details and verifying situations. For example, you may gather subjective information during an initial consultation and then collect objective details during the following appointments.

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Reliability

One primary difference between subjective and objective data is reliability, or the ability to yield the same outcome every time. Since objective data is verifiable, it's more reliable and consistent in healthcare situations. For example, if a hospital wants to improve patient care, objective data, such as the wait time before a nurse arrives and the ratio of nursing staff to patients, are helpful indicators. Subjective information, such as nurse likeability or patients' perception of timeliness, is less reliable for making concrete improvements to the facility.

Similarities between subjective and objective data

Although subjective and objective data have many differences, there are some similarities, including:

Utility for decision-making

Nurses use subjective and objective data to make well-rounded decisions about a patient's treatment. For example, subjective and objective data give valuable insights into a patient's needs and experiences. This information can help nurses improve patients' care, increase the efficiency of patient-facing systems, and improve patients' satisfaction.

Nurses may consider both types of data when they ask patients to describe their symptoms while observing any physical signs of these symptoms. Combining both types of data is an effective method of making treatment decisions. For example, checking a patient's skin after they describe a rash helps a nurse choose medications and plan medical interventions.

Availability through multiple sources

Another similarity between subjective and objective data is the ability to gather both types of information from various sources. Patients may share subjective information about their symptoms by writing about their experiences, describing them verbally, or having family members or caretakers advocate for them. Nurses can collect objective information themselves or collaborate with other healthcare professionals to gain the details needed to make informed care decisions.