Which item illustrates subjective data?

• A. Blood pressure 120/80
• B. Pain level reported by the patient as 6/10
• C. Temperature 98.6°F
• D. Oxygen saturation 97%

Answer: (B)

Subjective data are information that comes from the patient’s own report about how they feel or what they’re experiencing. The patient’s pain rating on a 0–10 scale is subjective because it reflects their personal perception and cannot be measured directly by a device. In contrast, the other items are objective data—numbers obtained through measurement or observation (blood pressure, temperature, oxygen saturation). Those values can be verified with instruments. So the example of subjective data is the patient’s self-reported pain level.