Chapter 12: Skin, Hair, and Nails Jarvis:
Physical Examination & Health
Assessment, 7th Edition
The nurse notices that a patient has a solid, elevated, circumscribed lesion that is less
than 1 cm in diameter. When documenting this finding, the nurse reports this as a:
a.
Bulla.
b.
Wheal.
c.
Nodule.
d.
Papule. - ✔️✔️ANS: D
A papule is something one can feel, is solid, elevated, circumscribed, less than 1 cm in
diameter, and is due to superficial thickening in the epidermis. A bulla is larger than 1
cm, superficial, and thin walled. A wheal is superficial, raised, transient, erythematous,
and irregular in shape attributable to edema. A nodule is solid, elevated, hard or soft,
and larger than 1 cm.
During a skin assessment, the nurse notices that a Mexican-American patient has skin
that is yellowish-brown; however, the skin on the hard and soft palate is pink and the
patient's scleras are not yellow. From this finding, the nurse could probably rule out:
a.
Pallor
b.
Jaundice
c.
Cyanosis
d.
Iron deficiency - ✔️✔️ANS: B
Jaundice is exhibited by a yellow color, which indicates rising levels of bilirubin in the
blood. Jaundice is first noticed in the junction of the hard and soft palate in the mouth
and in the scleras.
The nurse educator is preparing an education module for the nursing staff on the dermis
layer of skin. Which of these statements would be included in the module? The dermis:
a.
Contains mostly fat cells.
b.
Consists mostly of keratin.
,c.
Is replaced every 4 weeks.
d.
Contains sensory receptors. - ✔️✔️ANS: D
The dermis consists mostly of collagen, has resilient elastic tissue that allows the skin to
stretch, and contains nerves, sensory receptors, blood vessels, and lymphatic vessels.
It is not replaced every 4 weeks.
The nurse is examining a patient who tells the nurse, "I sure sweat a lot, especially on
my face and feet but it doesn't have an odor." The nurse knows that this condition could
be related to:
a.
Eccrine glands.
b.
Apocrine glands.
c.
Disorder of the stratum corneum.
d.
Disorder of the stratum germinativum. - ✔️✔️ANS: A
The eccrine glands are coiled tubules that directly open onto the skin surface and
produce a dilute saline solution called sweat. Apocrine glands are primarily located in
the axillae, anogenital area, nipples, and naval area and mix with bacterial flora to
produce the characteristic musky body odor. The patient's statement is not related to
disorders of the stratum corneum or the stratum germinativum.
A newborn infant is in the clinic for a well-baby checkup. The nurse observes the infant
for the possibility of fluid loss because of which of these factors?
a.
Subcutaneous fat deposits are high in the newborn.
b.
Sebaceous glands are overproductive in the newborn.
c.
The newborn's skin is more permeable than that of the adult.
d.
The amount of vernix caseosa dramatically rises in the newborn. - ✔️✔️ANS: C
The newborn's skin is thin, smooth, and elastic and is relatively more permeable than
that of the adult; consequently, the infant is at greater risk for fluid loss. The
subcutaneous layer in the infant is inefficient, not thick, and the sebaceous glands are
present but decrease in size and production. Vernix caseosa is not produced after birth.
The nurse is bathing an 80-year-old man and notices that his skin is wrinkled, thin, lax,
and dry. This finding would be related to which factor in the older adult?
a.
Increased vascularity of the skin
b.
Increased numbers of sweat and sebaceous glands
, c.
An increase in elastin and a decrease in subcutaneous fat
d.
An increased loss of elastin and a decrease in subcutaneous fat - ✔️✔️ANS: D
An accumulation of factors place the aging person at risk for skin disease and
breakdown: the thinning of the skin, a decrease in vascularity and nutrients, the loss of
protective cushioning of the subcutaneous layer, a lifetime of environmental trauma to
skin, the social changes of aging, a increasingly sedentary lifestyle, and the chance of
immobility.
During the aging process, the hair can look gray or white and begin to feel thin and fine.
The nurse knows that this occurs because of a decrease in the number of functioning:
a.
Metrocytes.
b.
Fungacytes.
c.
Phagocytes.
d.
Melanocytes. - ✔️✔️ANS: D
In the aging hair matrix, the number of functioning melanocytes decreases; as a result,
the hair looks gray or white and feels thin and fine. The other options are not correct.
During an examination, the nurse finds that a patient has excessive dryness of the skin.
The best term to describe this condition is:
a.
Xerosis.
b.
Pruritus.
c.
Alopecia.
d.
Seborrhea. - ✔️✔️ANS: A
Xerosis is the term used to describe skin that is excessively dry. Pruritus refers to
itching, alopecia refers to hair loss, and seborrhea refers to oily skin.
A 22-year-old woman comes to the clinic because of severe sunburn and states, "I was
out in the sun for just a couple of minutes." The nurse begins a medication review with
her, paying special attention to which medication class?
a.
Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs for pain
b.
Tetracyclines for acne
c.
Proton pump inhibitors for heartburn
d.
Physical Examination & Health
Assessment, 7th Edition
The nurse notices that a patient has a solid, elevated, circumscribed lesion that is less
than 1 cm in diameter. When documenting this finding, the nurse reports this as a:
a.
Bulla.
b.
Wheal.
c.
Nodule.
d.
Papule. - ✔️✔️ANS: D
A papule is something one can feel, is solid, elevated, circumscribed, less than 1 cm in
diameter, and is due to superficial thickening in the epidermis. A bulla is larger than 1
cm, superficial, and thin walled. A wheal is superficial, raised, transient, erythematous,
and irregular in shape attributable to edema. A nodule is solid, elevated, hard or soft,
and larger than 1 cm.
During a skin assessment, the nurse notices that a Mexican-American patient has skin
that is yellowish-brown; however, the skin on the hard and soft palate is pink and the
patient's scleras are not yellow. From this finding, the nurse could probably rule out:
a.
Pallor
b.
Jaundice
c.
Cyanosis
d.
Iron deficiency - ✔️✔️ANS: B
Jaundice is exhibited by a yellow color, which indicates rising levels of bilirubin in the
blood. Jaundice is first noticed in the junction of the hard and soft palate in the mouth
and in the scleras.
The nurse educator is preparing an education module for the nursing staff on the dermis
layer of skin. Which of these statements would be included in the module? The dermis:
a.
Contains mostly fat cells.
b.
Consists mostly of keratin.
,c.
Is replaced every 4 weeks.
d.
Contains sensory receptors. - ✔️✔️ANS: D
The dermis consists mostly of collagen, has resilient elastic tissue that allows the skin to
stretch, and contains nerves, sensory receptors, blood vessels, and lymphatic vessels.
It is not replaced every 4 weeks.
The nurse is examining a patient who tells the nurse, "I sure sweat a lot, especially on
my face and feet but it doesn't have an odor." The nurse knows that this condition could
be related to:
a.
Eccrine glands.
b.
Apocrine glands.
c.
Disorder of the stratum corneum.
d.
Disorder of the stratum germinativum. - ✔️✔️ANS: A
The eccrine glands are coiled tubules that directly open onto the skin surface and
produce a dilute saline solution called sweat. Apocrine glands are primarily located in
the axillae, anogenital area, nipples, and naval area and mix with bacterial flora to
produce the characteristic musky body odor. The patient's statement is not related to
disorders of the stratum corneum or the stratum germinativum.
A newborn infant is in the clinic for a well-baby checkup. The nurse observes the infant
for the possibility of fluid loss because of which of these factors?
a.
Subcutaneous fat deposits are high in the newborn.
b.
Sebaceous glands are overproductive in the newborn.
c.
The newborn's skin is more permeable than that of the adult.
d.
The amount of vernix caseosa dramatically rises in the newborn. - ✔️✔️ANS: C
The newborn's skin is thin, smooth, and elastic and is relatively more permeable than
that of the adult; consequently, the infant is at greater risk for fluid loss. The
subcutaneous layer in the infant is inefficient, not thick, and the sebaceous glands are
present but decrease in size and production. Vernix caseosa is not produced after birth.
The nurse is bathing an 80-year-old man and notices that his skin is wrinkled, thin, lax,
and dry. This finding would be related to which factor in the older adult?
a.
Increased vascularity of the skin
b.
Increased numbers of sweat and sebaceous glands
, c.
An increase in elastin and a decrease in subcutaneous fat
d.
An increased loss of elastin and a decrease in subcutaneous fat - ✔️✔️ANS: D
An accumulation of factors place the aging person at risk for skin disease and
breakdown: the thinning of the skin, a decrease in vascularity and nutrients, the loss of
protective cushioning of the subcutaneous layer, a lifetime of environmental trauma to
skin, the social changes of aging, a increasingly sedentary lifestyle, and the chance of
immobility.
During the aging process, the hair can look gray or white and begin to feel thin and fine.
The nurse knows that this occurs because of a decrease in the number of functioning:
a.
Metrocytes.
b.
Fungacytes.
c.
Phagocytes.
d.
Melanocytes. - ✔️✔️ANS: D
In the aging hair matrix, the number of functioning melanocytes decreases; as a result,
the hair looks gray or white and feels thin and fine. The other options are not correct.
During an examination, the nurse finds that a patient has excessive dryness of the skin.
The best term to describe this condition is:
a.
Xerosis.
b.
Pruritus.
c.
Alopecia.
d.
Seborrhea. - ✔️✔️ANS: A
Xerosis is the term used to describe skin that is excessively dry. Pruritus refers to
itching, alopecia refers to hair loss, and seborrhea refers to oily skin.
A 22-year-old woman comes to the clinic because of severe sunburn and states, "I was
out in the sun for just a couple of minutes." The nurse begins a medication review with
her, paying special attention to which medication class?
a.
Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs for pain
b.
Tetracyclines for acne
c.
Proton pump inhibitors for heartburn
d.
