What best defines objective information in a patient assessment?

• A. What you detect during the exam, through labs, or test data
• B. What the patient tells you
• C. Chief complaint
• D. Subjective feelings

Answer: (A)

Objective information is data you can observe or measure directly, independent of what the patient says or feels. It comes from the physical exam, laboratory tests, imaging, and other diagnostic data, and it can be verified by repeat measurements. Examples include vital signs, physical findings like a heart murmur or rash, and lab values such as glucose or white blood cell count. This is different from subjective information, which includes what the patient reports or experiences—like pain, dizziness, or fatigue—and from the chief complaint, which is the reason the patient seeks care. So the best definition is what you detect during the exam or through labs or test data.