The nurse uses a thermometer to obtain the client's temperature when the forehead is warm. This action is called what?

The nurse uses a thermometer to obtain the client's temperature when the forehead is warm. This action is called what?

• A. Assessment
• B. Validation
• C. Evaluation
• D. Diagnosis

Answer: (B)

Verifying an observed symptom with an objective measurement. When the forehead feels warm, that’s a subjective cue suggesting fever. To confirm whether fever is present, the nurse uses a thermometer to obtain an actual temperature. This act of confirming the initial impression with an objective instrument is called validation. It turns a subjective finding into data you can trust by comparing it to a precise reading. This differs from a broad assessment (simply gathering data), evaluation (interpreting data to judge status or outcomes), or diagnosis (identifying a nursing diagnosis based on data). Here, the thermometer reading serves to confirm whether the suspected fever is real.

Verifying an observed symptom with an objective measurement. When the forehead feels warm, that’s a subjective cue suggesting fever. To confirm whether fever is present, the nurse uses a thermometer to obtain an actual temperature. This act of confirming the initial impression with an objective instrument is called validation. It turns a subjective finding into data you can trust by comparing it to a precise reading. This differs from a broad assessment (simply gathering data), evaluation (interpreting data to judge status or outcomes), or diagnosis (identifying a nursing diagnosis based on data). Here, the thermometer reading serves to confirm whether the suspected fever is real.