NU 325 EXAM 2 QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS GRADED A+ 2026
1) Why is a skin assessment important? What general information about the body as a whole is
obtained through a skin assessment? Know important issues to ask when taking a history about
the skin. - ANS - You can gather clues about health problems through the skin.
- Information about body's circulation, nutrition & signs of systemic disease.
- Past history of skin disease, change in pigmentation/color, change in mole
size/shape/color/exnderness, dryness/moisture, pruritus, bruising, rash/lesion, hair loss, change
in nails, etc & Rx medications
Pallor - ANS - Extreme or unusual paleness; skin takes color of connective tissue (collagen);
common in anxiety or fear.
- Observe in mucous membranes, lips & nail beds
Erythema - ANS - Intense redness from excess blood from dilated superficial capillaries
- Expected with fever, local inflammation or emotional reactions in vascular flush areas
Cyanosis - ANS - Bluish discoloration of the skin resulting from poor circulation or inadequate
oxygenation of the blood.
- Best seen in lips, nose, cheeks, ears & oral mucous membranes.
- Most conditions causing this also cause decreased oxygenation of the brain
@COPYRIGHT 2026/2027 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED 1
, Jaundice - ANS - Yellowing of skin; indicates rising amounts of bilirubin in blood.
- First noted in junction of hard & soft palates in mouth and in sclera of eye
Technique used to effectively assess skin temperature: - ANS use backs of hand to palpate
person; skin should be warm and temperature should be bilaterally equal
Diaphoresis - ANS - profuse sweating (perspiration) - accompanies increased metabolic rate
- can indicate anxiety, pain or low BP
Dehydration - ANS - A serious reduction in the body's water content
- dry mucous membranes, lips, decreased skin turgor
How to assess for skin turgor - ANS - Infants: test mobility of skin over abdomen
- Adults: punch a large fold of skin on anterior of chest under clavicle
- Can be affected by dehydration, extreme weight loss and age
Why is an infant more susceptible to dehydration? - ANS - Higher body water content along
with higher metabolic rates
- They require greater volumes of water to maintain fluid equilibrium
- Skin is thin, smooth & elastic therefor much more permeable than an adult's
Papule - ANS - small (less than 1 cm in diameter), solid, raised lesion on surface of the skin
- something you can feel
- caused by superficial thickening of dermis
ex: mole, wart
@COPYRIGHT 2026/2027 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED 2
ANSWERS GRADED A+ 2026
1) Why is a skin assessment important? What general information about the body as a whole is
obtained through a skin assessment? Know important issues to ask when taking a history about
the skin. - ANS - You can gather clues about health problems through the skin.
- Information about body's circulation, nutrition & signs of systemic disease.
- Past history of skin disease, change in pigmentation/color, change in mole
size/shape/color/exnderness, dryness/moisture, pruritus, bruising, rash/lesion, hair loss, change
in nails, etc & Rx medications
Pallor - ANS - Extreme or unusual paleness; skin takes color of connective tissue (collagen);
common in anxiety or fear.
- Observe in mucous membranes, lips & nail beds
Erythema - ANS - Intense redness from excess blood from dilated superficial capillaries
- Expected with fever, local inflammation or emotional reactions in vascular flush areas
Cyanosis - ANS - Bluish discoloration of the skin resulting from poor circulation or inadequate
oxygenation of the blood.
- Best seen in lips, nose, cheeks, ears & oral mucous membranes.
- Most conditions causing this also cause decreased oxygenation of the brain
@COPYRIGHT 2026/2027 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED 1
, Jaundice - ANS - Yellowing of skin; indicates rising amounts of bilirubin in blood.
- First noted in junction of hard & soft palates in mouth and in sclera of eye
Technique used to effectively assess skin temperature: - ANS use backs of hand to palpate
person; skin should be warm and temperature should be bilaterally equal
Diaphoresis - ANS - profuse sweating (perspiration) - accompanies increased metabolic rate
- can indicate anxiety, pain or low BP
Dehydration - ANS - A serious reduction in the body's water content
- dry mucous membranes, lips, decreased skin turgor
How to assess for skin turgor - ANS - Infants: test mobility of skin over abdomen
- Adults: punch a large fold of skin on anterior of chest under clavicle
- Can be affected by dehydration, extreme weight loss and age
Why is an infant more susceptible to dehydration? - ANS - Higher body water content along
with higher metabolic rates
- They require greater volumes of water to maintain fluid equilibrium
- Skin is thin, smooth & elastic therefor much more permeable than an adult's
Papule - ANS - small (less than 1 cm in diameter), solid, raised lesion on surface of the skin
- something you can feel
- caused by superficial thickening of dermis
ex: mole, wart
@COPYRIGHT 2026/2027 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED 2
