The OPQRST mnemonic is primarily used to guide what assessment focus?

• A. Pain assessment
• B. Respiratory status
• C. Mental status
• D. Blood glucose level

Answer: (A)

OPQRST is a structured way to assess pain. It guides you to ask about when the pain started, what provokes or relieves it, what the pain feels like, where it hurts and whether it radiates, how intense it is, and how the pain has changed over time. This approach helps you quickly characterize the patient’s pain, gauge its severity, and track response to treatment, which is why it’s used to focus the assessment on pain. It isn’t about respiratory status, mental status, or blood glucose, which are assessed with different focused questions and tools.