<P> The mnemonic below refers to the information a physician should elicit before referring to the patient's "old charts" or "old carts". </P> <P> Onset Location Duration CHaracter (sharp, dull, etc .) Alleviating / Aggravating factors Radiation Temporal pattern (every morning, all day, etc .) Severity </P> <P> Variants on this mnemonic (more than one could be listed here) include OPQRST and LOCQSMAT </P> <P> Location Onset (when and mechanism of injury - if applicable) Chronology (better or worse since onset, episodic, variable, constant, etc .) Quality (sharp, dull, etc .) Severity (usually a pain rating) Modifying factors (what aggravates / reduces the symptoms - activities, postures, drugs, etc .) Additional symptoms (un / related or significant symptoms to the chief complaint) Treatment (has the patient seen another provider for this symptom?) </P>

Where do vitals go in a soap note