Question 1

A newborn infant has been brought to the clinic for a well-baby check.For which of the following reasons of fluid loss does the nurse observe the infant?

Accepted Answer

The newborn's skin is thin,smooth,and elastic,and is relatively more permeable than that of the adult,so the infant is at greater risk for fluid loss.

Question 2

A 22-year-old woman comes to the clinic because of severe sunburn and says,"I was just out in the sun for a couple of minutes." The nurse will assess the patient for the use of which one of the following medications that is known to cause an increase in sunlight sensitivity and may produce a burn response?

Accepted Answer

Medications that may increase sunlight sensitivity and produce a burn response include sulphonamides,thiazide diuretics,oral hypoglycemic agents,and tetracycline.

Question 3

An Inuit person from the Yukon who is visiting Toronto has come to the clinic during the hottest part of the day in July.It so happens that the clinic's air conditioning is not functioning,so the temperature inside the clinic is very high.Which of the following statements about sweating tendencies in the Inuit is true?

Accepted Answer

Inuit people have made an interesting environmental adaptation whereby they sweat less on their trunks and extremities than do people of European descent,but more on their faces.

Question 4

A patient is especially worried about an area of skin on her feet that has turned white.The health care provider has diagnosed her condition as vitiligo.The nurse explains to her that vitiligo is:

Accepted Answer

Vitiligo is the complete absence of the melanin pigment and causes patchy areas of white or light skin on the face,neck,hands,feet,body folds,and around orifices.The depigmented skin is,however,normal in all other respects.

Question 5

During the examination,the patient tells the nurse,"I sure sweat a lot,especially on my face and feet,but it doesn't have an odour." The nurse knows that this could be related to:

Accepted Answer

The eccrine glands are coiled tubules that open directly onto the skin surface and produce a dilute saline solution called sweat.Apocrine glands are located mainly in the axillae,anogenital area,nipples,and navel;they react with bacterial flora to produce a characteristic musky body odour.

Question 6

A 13-year-old girl is interested in obtaining information about the cause of her acne.The nurse would tell her that acne:

Accepted Answer

About 70% of teens will have acne,and although the cause is still unknown,acne is not caused by poor diet,oily complexion,or contagion.

Question 7

A patient tells the nurse that he has noticed that one of his nevi has started to burn and bleed.When assessing his skin,the nurse would pay special attention to danger signs such as pigmented lesions.Which additional finding would the nurse be concerned about?

Accepted Answer

Abnormal characteristics of pigmented lesions are summarized in the mnemonic ABCDE: asymmetry of pigmented lesion,border irregularity,colour variation,diameter greater than 6 mm (¼ in. ),and elevation and enlargement.

Question 8

The nurse educator is preparing an education module on the epidermal layer of skin for the nursing staff.Which of the following would be included in the module?

Accepted Answer

The epidermis is thin and avascular,and is replaced every 4 weeks.

Question 9

A 75-year-old woman who has a history of diabetes and peripheral vascular disease reports that she has tried to remove a corn on the bottom of her foot with a pair of scissors.The nurse will urge her to stop doing this because:

Accepted Answer

A personal history of diabetes and peripheral vascular disease increases the risk for skin lesions in the feet or ankles.

Question 10

A patient tells the nurse that he was confined to his recliner chair for about 3 days with his feet down and would like the nurse to evaluate his feet.During the assessment,the nurse might expect to find:

Accepted Answer

Keeping the feet in a dependent position can cause edema.It is most prevalent in dependent parts of the body.

Question 11

A woman has come in for a checkup before leaving on a trip to Hawaii.During the examination,the nurse finds out that she is diabetic and is on oral hypoglycemic agents.Which of the following should the woman be concerned about?

Accepted Answer

Medications that may increase sunlight sensitivity and produce a burn response include sulfonamides,thiazide diuretics,oral hypoglycemic agents,and tetracycline.

Question 12

The nurse is discussing epidermal appendages with a patient.Which of the following would be included in the discussion?

Accepted Answer

Epidermal appendages include hair,sebaceous glands,sweat glands,and nails.

Question 13

A thorough skin assessment is very important because the skin holds information about:

Accepted Answer

The skin holds information about the body's circulation,nutritional status,and signs of systemic diseases as well as topical data on the integument itself.

Question 14

Because in humans hair is no longer needed for protection from cold or trauma,it is called:

Accepted Answer

Hair is vestigial in humans.It no longer is needed for protection from cold or trauma.

Question 15

During physical examination,the nurse finds that the patient has excess dryness of the skin.The best term to describe this condition is:

Accepted Answer

Xerosis is the term used to describe skin that is excessively dry.

Question 16

The nurse educator is preparing an education module on the dermis layer of skin for the nursing staff.Which of the following would be included in the module?

Accepted Answer

The dermis consists mostly of collagen,has resilient elastic tissue that allows the skin to stretch,and contains nerves,sensory receptors,blood vessels,and lymphatics.

Question 17

The nurse is caring for a child of African descent who has been diagnosed with marasmus.The nurse would expect to find:

Accepted Answer

The hair of children of African descent with severe malnutrition (e.g. ,marasmus)frequently changes not only in texture but also in colour.The child's hair becomes less kinky and takes on a copper-red colour.

Question 18

A patient comes in for a physical examination and complains that she was "freezing to death" while waiting for her examination.The nurse notes that her skin is pale and cool,and attributes this finding to:

Accepted Answer

A chilly or air-conditioned environment causes vasoconstriction,which results in false pallor and coolness.The skin also looks pale with vasoconstriction from exposure to cigarette smoking and in the presence of edema.

Question 19

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:

Accepted Answer

An accumulation of factors place the older adult at risk for skin disease and breakdown: the thinning of the skin,the 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,the increasingly sedentary lifestyle,and the chance of immobility.

Question 20

During the aging process,the hair can look grey or white and become thin and fine.The nurse knows that this is because of a decrease in the number of functioning:

Accepted Answer

In the aging hair matrix,the number of functioning melanocytes decreases,so the hair looks grey or white and becomes thin and fine.

Quiz 13: Skin, hair, and Nails