Hair, Skin, and Nails Flashcards
A nurse is assessing the skin of a patient with advanced kidney disease, what are some expected findings?
urea and ammonia salts may be found on the skin of patients with advanced kidney disease
A nurse is assessing a patient’s skin and finds that their skin is mottled blue and losing its color. How should the nurse assess this finding?
Cyanosis or pallor usually indicate abnormally low plasma oxygen. Pallor is especially seen in patients with anemia
A patient is assessing a patient’s skin temperature using the dorsal part of their hand. The nurse feels that the patient’s skin is cool to the tough. What can this be indicative of?
Lower skin temperature is indicative of hypothyroidism or decreased circulation
A nurse finds that there is a unilateral temperature difference while assessing their patient’s skin. What does this indicate if the patient’s skin is cooler (or warmer) on one side?
A difference in temperature unilaterally may indicate interruption in or lack of circulation on the cool side because of compression, immobilization, or elevation. If one side is warmer this indicates inflammation
What are some normal indications of diaphoresis in a patient?
diaphoresis occurs during exertion, fever, pain, and emotional stress
If a patient is sweating abnormally, this may indicate what metabolic disorder in the patient?
Hyperthyroidism
A nurse finds that their patient’s legs are very dry during their assessment, What abnormalities should the nurse anticipate?
Dry skin over the lower legs may be because of vascular insufficiency. Localized itching may indicate a skin allergy
When assessing a patient, a nurse notices that their skin is tenting whilst assessing for turgor, how should the nurse note this finding?
decreased turgor occurs when the patient is dehydrated or has lost large amounts of weight
What is the criteria for melanoma assessment?
ABCDE
Asymmetry, Border irregularity, color variegation, diameter greater than 6mm, evolving changes
A nurse is assessing a patient’s scalp and finds tiny, white, oval eggs all over their hair shafts. What is this an indication of?
pediculosis capitis is signaled by tiny, white, oval eggs that adhere to the hair shaft. Head lice usually cause intense itching
A nurse finds a skin lesion that is flat, has a non-palpable change in skin color and is smaller than 1cm with a circumscribed border, how should the nurse identify this lesion?
Macule
A nurse finds a skin lesion that is flat, has a non-palpable change in skin color and is larger than 1cm with an irregular border, how should the nurse identify this lesion?
Patch
a nurse finds an elevated, solid palpable mass with a circumscribed border and is smaller than 0.5cm, how should the nurse identify this lesion?
papule
a nurse finds a group of papules that form a lesion that is larger than 0.5cm, how should the nurse identify this lesion?
plaque
a nurse finds an elevated, solid, hard or soft palpable mass extending deeper into the dermis that is smaller than 2cm and has a circumscribed border. How should the nurse identify this finding?
Nodule
a nurse finds an elevated, solid, hard or soft palpable mass extending deeper into the dermis that is larger than 2 cm with an irregular border. How should the nurse identify this lesion?
Tumor
a nurse finds an elevated, fluid-filled, round or ovalshaped, palpable mass with thin, transluscnet walls and circumscribed borders that is smaller than 0.5cm. How should the nurse identify this finding?
vesicle
A nurse finds an elevated, fluid-filled, round or ovalshaped, palpable mass with thin, transluscent walls and circumscribed borders that is greater than 0.5cm. How should the nurse identify this finding?
Bulla
A nurse finds an elevated, pus-filled vesicle or bulla with a circumscribed border. How should the nurse identify this finding?
Pustule
A nurse finds an elevated, reddish area with an irregular border. How should they identify this finding?
Wheal
A nurse finds an elevated, encapsulated, fluid-filled semisolid mass originating in the subcutaneous tissue that is 1cm. How should they identify this finding?
Cyst
A nurse finds a lesion with a circular shape. How would they describe this finding?
Annular
A nurse finds that a patient’s lesions are connected and run together, How would they describe this finding?
Confluent
A nurse finds a patient with lesions that have concentric circles of color, how would they describe this finding?
Target
A nurse finds that a patient’s lesions are running along a nerve line. How would they report this finding?
zosteriform
A patient is found to have yellow-white greasy scales on their scalp and forehead. How should the nurse identify this finding?
seborrheic dermatitis
A nurse notices concavity and thinning of the nails. How would they identify this finding?
Koilonychia
A nurse finds an infection of the skin adjacent to the nail. How would they identify this?
Paronychia
