Define a subjective symptom.

• A. Something you CAN see or measure
• B. Something you CAN'T see or measure
• C. A lab result
• D. A medication side effect that is objective

Answer: (B)

Subjective symptoms are experiences that the patient feels and reports, such as pain, nausea, or fatigue. They cannot be seen or measured directly by others, which is why they’re classified as subjective. In contrast, objective data are observable or measurable by someone else, like a fever, swelling, a lab result, or a medication side effect that is observable. So defining a subjective symptom as something you can’t see or measure captures the idea that these are patient-reported experiences rather than observable findings.