26-1 EMS Protocol Practice Test

Subjective data are patient-reported symptoms and experiences, while objective data are measurable findings you can observe or obtain through examination and vital signs. In practice, if a patient says they have chest pain, dizziness, or nausea, that information is subjective. If you record a blood pressure, pulse, respirations, temperature, and observable signs like pallor, sweating, or abnormal lung sounds, those are objective. This distinction matters in EMS documentation because it separates what the patient feels from what you can verify through measurement and observation. Lab results fall under objective data, since they are test-derived measurements, and clinician impressions or rumors do not fit the defined data categories. Symptoms are subjective, whereas physical exam findings and vitals are objective.