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
