How many data sources are used in nursing assessment?

How many data sources are used in nursing assessment?

• A. Two: primary and secondary
• B. Four: patient, family, records, and labs
• C. One
• D. Three: primary, secondary, and tertiary

Answer: (A)

Data gathered in a nursing assessment comes from two types of sources: primary and secondary. The primary source is the patient, who provides firsthand information about symptoms, history, and current status. Secondary sources include other people or documents that supplement the patient’s information—such as family members, medical records, laboratory data, and notes from other health professionals. Although you can identify many individual sources, they are grouped into these two categories. The two-category framework is what this question is addressing.

Data gathered in a nursing assessment comes from two types of sources: primary and secondary. The primary source is the patient, who provides firsthand information about symptoms, history, and current status. Secondary sources include other people or documents that supplement the patient’s information—such as family members, medical records, laboratory data, and notes from other health professionals. Although you can identify many individual sources, they are grouped into these two categories. The two-category framework is what this question is addressing.