History taking
OPQRST
Onset, Provocation, Quality, Region, Severity, Time
A six-part structure for describing pain or any symptom, so that a description is complete rather than impressionistic.
What each letter stands for
- 1 Onset — when it started and what was happening then.
- 2 Provocation or palliation — what makes it worse or better.
- 3 Quality — how it is described: sharp, dull, burning, cramping.
- 4 Region and radiation — where it is and where it travels.
- 5 Severity — a rating, usually on a 0–10 scale.
- 6 Time — how long it lasts and whether it comes and goes.
How it gets tested
Usually a matching item. The distinction worth holding is Quality (what it feels like) against Severity (how much of it there is) — those two are the pair most often swapped.
Related terms
Sitting the TEAS or the HESI A2? Find out what you actually know.
Free practice questions for every section of both exams, with an explanation after each answer. No account, no paywall.
Back to the full abbreviation list
Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or authorized by ATI (Assessment Technologies Institute), Elsevier, or any nursing program. TEAS® and HESI® are trademarks of their respective owners. Practice questions here are original study material, not the official exams.