Hygiene And Skin Integrity

Question 1

What is the function of the skin?

Answer 1

Waterproof

Almost Indestructible covering that has protective and adaptive properties

Question 2

How does the skin acts as a protector?

Answer 2

• Minimizes injury from physical, chemical, thermal and light waves sources
• Has a hard keratinized(protein) outer layer (it serves as an effective barrier to microorganisms)
• Produce sebum to lower pH level (being acidic makes it unsuitable for microorganisms)
• Prevents loss of water and electrolytes in body
• Sheds 1 LB/year to help removing harmful bacterials
• Perception: It is a vast sensory surface (touch, pain, temp, pressure)
• Temp regulation: allows heat dissipation (to keep you cool) through sweat glands and heat storage through subcutaneous insulation (to keep you hot)
• Wound repair: cell replacement of surface wounds
• Prod of vit D: UV lights convert into cholesterol into vit D (Responsible for enhancing intestinal absorption of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphate, and Zinc

Question 3

What are mucous membranes?

Answer 3

• A layer of cells that surrounds body organs and body orifices
• Those membranes can contain or secrete mucus, which is a thick fluid that protects the inside of the body from dirt and pathogens such as viruses and bacteria.

Question 4

What are situated the mucous membranes?

Answer 4

• In respiratory tract
• In mouth
• In urinary tract
• In gastrointestinal tract
• In vagina

Question 5

How does the mucous works in the respiratory tract?

Answer 5

• It traps the microorganisms

- Cilia (hair) in nose and lungs, traps and propels

Question 6

What does the mucous in the mouth do?

Answer 6

• The saliva washes away the residue

- It contains lysozyme which inhibits growth of microbacterias

Question 7

What does the mucous in the urinary tract do?

Answer 7

• Urine is acidic

- Flow of urine cleanses the urethra

Question 8

What does the mucous in the gastrointestinal do?

Answer 8

• It is very acidic
• It maintains appropriate levels of the normal flora in the intestinal tract
• It inhibits the proliferation of that microorganisms

Question 9

What does the mucous in the vagina do?

Answer 9

• pH is low (acidic)

- inhibits bacterial growth

Question 10

What do you need to be aware of when assessing for changes of skin and mucous membranes?

Answer 10

Cultural considerations; be aware of bio cultural differences

Question 11

What is melanin?

Answer 11

Makes various colours/skin tone and protects skin against harmful UV rays (a genetic advantage against skin cancer)

Question 12

Use ___________ when observing skin colour changes

Tips for assessing dark pigmented skin

Answer 12

Natural light

Question 13

Where are the areas light in colour?

Tips for accessing dark pigmented skin

Answer 13

Palm,lips, etc and they are easier to assess

Question 14

What is the best location to look for colour changes?

Tips for assessing dark pigmented skin

Answer 14

The conjunctiva of eyes because it is vascular and it will show signs of pallor

Question 15

Slera (white) of eyes will show _____

Tips for assessing dark pigmented skin

Answer 15

Jaundice (yellow)

Question 16

Can the family be useful when assessing the client?

Answer 16

Yes we can ask them about any colour changes

Question 17

__________ surfaces for __________(redness)

Answer 17

Palpate

Erythema

Question 18

What kind of normal variations to hyper pigmented skin do we need to be aware of?

Answer 18

Pigment on tongue
Mongolian spots (like bruises on babies)

Question 19

What are vitiligo and albinism?

Answer 19

Vitiligo is when you lose pigmentation in certain areas whether it’s naturally or stress
Albinism is when you have no pigmentation

Question 20

When assessing the skin you need to inspect and palpate for?

Answer 20

Colour, texture, thickness, skin turgor, temp and hydration

Question 21

What does pallor means?

Answer 21

White, there is no pink undertone

On dark skinned people it may look grey

Question 22

What does erythema means?

Answer 22

Redness, sunburn or inflammation,

very difficult on dark skinned people

Question 23

What does cyanosis means?

Answer 23

Blue, reduces hemoglobin in blood (indicates oxygen deficiency)
We can see it in nail beds, lips or mucous membranes

Question 24

What is jaundice?

Answer 24

Yellow, yellowish staining of skin, slera (it’s due to increased bike pigment).

Question 25

When accessing the temperature of the skin what can you feel?

Answer 25

When it’s normal, the skin should feel warm
When too hot: hyperthermia
When too cold/cool: hypothermia

Question 26

When assessing the skin what the moisture should be like?

Answer 26

Normal skin should feel dry to touch
Diaphoresis (excessive sweating) is heavy perspiring
Dehydration when skin is dry, flacks and cracked

Question 27

When assessing for the texture of the skin, normal skin should be __________, ____________, ___________, _______________.

Answer 27

Smooth, soft, firm, even surface

Question 28

When assessing the skin for turgor/mobility, what does the skin should feel like?

Answer 28

Moves easily when pitched

Returns immediately

Question 29

What you should look for in mucous membranes when assessing them?

Answer 29

Any lesions
Pain/discomfort 
Colors
⬆️or⬇️ secretions
Exéma (sweating)

Question 30

What is sensory? (When assessing the skin)

Answer 30

Ability to respond to touch, heat, cold, pain

Question 31

What makes hair healthy?

Answer 31

Growth, distribution, pattern

Shine, clean, untangled and scalp free of any lesions

Question 32

What are the causes of hair loss?

Answer 32

Alopecia
Chemotherapy
Hormonal changes
Improper hair care practices

Question 33

What you should look for when assessing the nails?

Answer 33

Inspect the condition of finger and toe nails
- skin around —> smooth no inflammation
- check for lesions, dryness, cracking, fungus, curvature, inflammation
Also note colour, shape, thickness, cleanliness

Question 34

When assessing for the overall hygiene, we’re looking for ___________, ___________, __________?

Answer 34

Smell, cleanliness, self care

Question 35

What are the 4 causes of skin changes?

Answer 35

Environmental factors, integrity of other components, learned behaviour/educated regarding health practices, age

Question 37

How can the environment be a factor to skin changes?

Answer 37

Internal —> ⬆️ body temp, ferveur, exercise, inflammation

External—> temp, extremes, ☀️ exposure, soap, piercing, injuries

Question 38

Explain how the integrity of other components is factor influencing skin changes.

Answer 38

Since body systems work together, when one has an issue the other ones are affected

Question 39

Proper hygiene practices, effective oral hygiene, eating a well balanced diet and protection of sunlight belong to what cause of skin changes?

Answer 39

Learned behaviour and educated regarding health practices

Question 40

How is the age affect the skin changes in adolescents?

Answer 40

Acne is developing

Question 41

How can we see skin changes in elderly people?

Answer 41

• Grey/thin hair
• Sagging/wrinkling/thinning skin
• ⬇️ in vascularity/nutrients
• Cell replacements (wound healing) slower
• Loss of subcutaneous fat layers
• ⬇️ level of mobility
• Lifetime environmental trauma to skin
• Social changes of ageing

Question 42

Why are elders at risk for alteration in skin integration?

Answer 42

• Aging process
• More sedentary(immobility)
• ⬇️ ressources, nutrition, blood/nutrients to tissue
• Lifetime exposure exposure to harmful influences (sun)
• Skin is drier -lesions allow microorganisms to enter the skin

Question 43

What influences hygiene practices in elders?

Answer 43

• ⬇️ mobility
• ⬇️ energy/stamina
• Lack of ressources (⬇️ income)
• ⬇️ vision/sensation
• Lack of privacy/Unfamiliar surroundings (Hospitalization/Institutionalized)

Question 44

How skin changes are present on babies?

Answer 44

Dehydration and rashes