To assess the chief complaint of an adolescent, what is an effective approach?

• A. Ask the adolescent, 'Why did you come here today?'
• B. Ask only the parent
• C. Review the chart and proceed
• D. Ask the nurse first

Answer: (A)

Starting with the adolescent and asking them to describe why they came in is the best approach. When you invite the teen to share their own words, you capture their perspective directly, which is crucial because adolescents may have concerns they haven’t discussed with parents or caregivers. This open, adolescent-centered entry helps build trust, prompts them to describe the chief complaint in their own terms, and allows you to gather initial details—what happened, when it started, how it feels, how severe it is, and how it affects daily life. Once you have the teen’s account, you can supplement it with insights from the parent and information from the chart, but the teen’s report should guide the assessment first. Relying solely on the parent, or simply reviewing the chart and proceeding, risks missing important subjective data, and asking the nurse first, while useful in teamwork, does not establish the teen’s own voice at the outset.