A focused assessment provides what type of information?

A focused assessment in nursing is primarily designed to gather specific, relevant information about a patient’s condition, concentrating on a particular problem or system. The information collected is termed "objective" because it is factual, measurable, and can be observed or tested directly during the assessment process. This includes vital signs, physical examination findings, laboratory results, and imaging studies, all of which contribute to an objective understanding of the patient's health status.

Subjective information, on the other hand, refers to what the patient reports about their feelings, symptoms, or experiences, which can introduce variability based on perception. Quantitative information could be seen as numerical data, but in the context of focused assessments, it is the objective findings that provide a clinical basis for decision-making. Comparative data, while valuable in certain assessment scenarios, does not fit the context of a focused assessment where the aim is not to compare but to evaluate specific aspects of the patient's condition. Thus, the information is firmly rooted in the objective realm, making it the most accurate descriptor of the data gathered during a focused assessment.