Timby's Introductory Medical-Surgical Nursing Thirteenth, North American Edition - Interviewing and Physical Assessment Related

Review Timby's Introductory Medical-Surgical Nursing Thirteenth, North American Edition - Interviewing and Physical Assessment related questions and content

The client arrives at the clinic reports 'coughing, a sore throat, and running a fever for 2 days.' What are these feelings of discomfort called?

  • A. Signs
  • B. Objective data
  • C. Symptoms
  • D. Clinical signs
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: When clients report nausea, pain, fear, bloating, or other feelings of discomfort, they are providing subjective data. These feelings of discomfort are classed as symptoms. Signs are objective data that are abnormal, and objective data is what the nurses obtain through observation, physical examination, and diagnostic testing. Clinical signs are the same as signs.