Final answer:
Objective data that should be identified by nursing students includes respiratory rate, skin condition, urine output, and the status of a dressing. These are measurable, observable facts, unlike subjective data which relies on a patient's personal experiences and cannot be measured, such as self-reported pain level and functional limitations.
Step-by-step explanation:
When the nursing instructor reviews the steps of the nursing process with students, they should identify which data is considered objective. By definition, objective data is information that can be measured or observed by someone other than the patient, making it independent of personal feelings or opinions. In the context of nursing and patient assessments, this would typically include quantifiable measures such as vital signs, physical exam findings, and test results.
In the provided options, the objective data the students should select would include:
- A. Respiratory rate of 22/min with even, unlabored respirations
- D. Skin pink, warm, and dry
- E. Urine output of 300 mL/8hr
- F. Dressing clean, dry, and intact
On the other hand, the following options are examples of subjective data as they rely on the patient's personal experience and cannot be measured or observed by someone else:
- B. "I can only walk three blocks before my legs start to hurt."
- C. Pain level 3 on a scale of 0 to 10
Subjective data is typically documented as reported by the patient and includes information such as symptoms and personal experiences related to health and wellbeing.