Question 1

A 32-year-old female patient complains that she has noticed several small,slightly raised,bright red dots on her chest.On examination,the nurse expects that the spots are probably:

Accepted Answer

A) anascara. 
B) scleroderma. 
C) senile angiomas. 
D) latent myeloma.

Question 2

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 could be related to:

Accepted Answer

A) the eccrine glands. 
B) the apocrine glands. 
C) a disorder of the stratum corneum. 
D) a disorder of the stratum germinativum.

Question 3

Which of the following assessment findings is most consistent with clubbing of the fingernails?

Accepted Answer

A) A nail base that is firm to palpation and slightly tender 
B) Curved nails with a convex profile and ridges across the nail 
C) A nail base that feels spongy with an angle of the nail base of 150 degrees 
D) An angle of the nail base of 180 degrees or greater with a nail base that feels spongy

Question 4

A newborn infant is in the clinic for a well-baby check.The nurse observes the infant for the possibility of fluid loss because of which of the following?

Accepted Answer

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 rises dramatically in the newborn

Question 5

A mother brings her child in to the clinic for an examination of the scalp and hair.She states that the child has developed some places where there are irregularly shaped patches with broken-off,stub-like hair and she is worried that this could be some form of premature baldness.She tells the nurse that the child's hair is always kept very short.The nurse reassures her by telling her that it is:

Accepted Answer

A) folliculitis and that it can be treated with an antibiotic. 
B) traumatic alopecia that can be treated with antifungal medications. 
C) tinea capitis and that it is highly contagious and needs immediate attention. 
D) trichotillomania and that her child probably has a habit of twirling her hair absent-mindedly.

Question 6

A black patient is in the intensive care unit because of impending shock after an accident.The nurse would expect to find what characteristics in this patient's skin?

Accepted Answer

A) Ruddy blue 
B) Generalized pallor 
C) Ashen,gray,or dull 
D) Patchy areas of pallor

Question 7

A woman is leaving on a trip to Hawaii and has come in for a checkup.During the examination the nurse notices that she is diabetic and takes oral hypoglycemic agents.She needs to be concerned about which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A) An increased possibility of bruising 
B) Skin sensitivity as a result of exposure to salt water 
C) Lack of availability of glucose monitoring supplies 
D) The importance of sunscreen and avoiding direct sunlight

Question 8

A man has come in to the clinic for a skin assessment because he is afraid he might have skin cancer.During the skin assessment the nurse notices several areas of pigmentation that look greasy,dark,and "stuck on" his skin.Which is the best prediction?

Accepted Answer

A) He probably has senile lentigines,which do not become cancerous. 
B) He probably has actinic keratoses,a precursor to basal cell carcinoma. 
C) He probably has acrochordons,precursors to squamous cell carcinoma. 
D) He probably has seborrheic keratoses,which do not become cancerous.

Question 9

A 52-year-old woman has a papule on her nose that has rounded,pearly borders and a central red ulcer.She said she has noticed it for several months and it has slowly grown larger.The nurse suspects which condition?

Accepted Answer

A) Acne 
B) Basal cell carcinoma 
C) Malignant melanoma 
D) Squamous cell carcinoma

Question 10

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

Accepted Answer

A) contagious. 
B) caused by a poor diet. 
C) found in about 70% of all teens. 
D) has been found to be related to poor hygiene.

Question 11

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

Accepted Answer

A) The dermis contains mostly fat cells. 
B) The dermis consists mostly of keratin. 
C) The dermis is replaced every 4 weeks. 
D) The dermis contains sensory receptors.

Question 12

When performing an assessment of a 65-year-old man with a history of hypertension and coronary artery disease,the nurse notes the presence of pitting edema in the lower legs bilaterally.The skin is puffy and tight but of normal color.There is no increased redness or tenderness over his lower legs,and the peripheral pulses are equal and strong.In this situation,which of the following is the most likely cause of the edema?

Accepted Answer

A) Heart failure 
B) Venous thrombosis 
C) A local inflammation 
D) Blockage of lymphatic drainage

Question 13

A 75-year-old woman who has a history of diabetes and peripheral vascular disease has been trying to remove a corn on the bottom of her foot with a pair of scissors.The nurse will encourage her to stop trying to remove the corn with her scissors because:

Accepted Answer

A) the woman could be at increased risk for infection and lesions because of her chronic disease. 
B) with her diabetes,she has increased circulation to her foot and it could cause severe bleeding. 
C) she is 75 years old and is unable to see,so she puts herself at greater risk for self-injury with the scissors. 
D) with her peripheral vascular disease,her range of motion is limited and she may not be able to reach the corn safely.

Question 14

A physician has diagnosed a patient with purpura.After leaving the room,a nursing student asks the nurse what the physician saw that led to that diagnosis.The nurse should say:

Accepted Answer

A) "He is referring to that blue dilation of blood vessels in a star-shaped linear pattern on the legs." 
B) "He is referring to that fiery red,star-shaped marking on the cheek that has a solid circular center." 
C) "He is referring to that confluent and extensive patch of petechiae and ecchymoses on the feet." 
D) "He is referring to those tiny little areas of hemorrhage that are less than 2 mm,round,discrete,and dark red in color."

Question 15

A 40-year-old woman reports a change in mole size,accompanied by color changes,itching,burning,and bleeding over the past month.She has a dark complexion and has no family history of skin cancer,but she has had many blistering sunburns in the past.The nurse would would:

Accepted Answer

A) tell the patient to watch the lesion and report back in 2 months. 
B) refer the patient because of the suspicion of melanoma on the basis of her symptoms. 
C) ask additional questions regarding environmental irritants that may have caused this condition. 
D) suspect that this is a compound nevus,which is very common in young to middle-aged adults.

Question 16

MATCHING
The nurse needs to be familiar with the various lesions that may be identified on assessment of the skin.Match each description given below with the appropriate term.

-Petechiae

Accepted Answer

A) Tiny punctate hemorrhages,1-3 mm,round and discrete,dark red,purple,or brown in color 
B) A large patch of capillary bleeding into tissues 
C) A hypertrophic scar 
D) Elevated cavity containing free fluid,up to 1 cm.Clear serum flows if wall is ruptured. 
E) Also known as a friction blister
F)Solid,elevated,hard or soft,larger than 1 cm

Question 17

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

A) increased vascularity of the skin in the elderly. 
B) increased numbers of sweat and sebaceous glands in the elderly. 
C) an increase in elastin and a decrease in subcutaneous fat in the elderly. 
D) an increased loss of elastin and a decrease in subcutaneous fat in the elderly.

Question 18

The nurse has discovered decreased skin turgor in a patient and knows that this is an expected finding in which of the following conditions?

Accepted Answer

A) Cases of severe obesity 
B) During childhood growth spurts 
C) In an individual who is severely dehydrated 
D) With conditions of connective tissue disorders such as scleroderma

Question 19

A patient comes to the clinic and tells the nurse that he has been confined to his recliner chair for about 3 days with his feet down and he wants the nurse to evaluate his feet.During the assessment,the nurse might expect to find:

Accepted Answer

A) pallor. 
B) coolness. 
C) distended veins. 
D) decreased capillary filling time.

Question 20

The nurse notices that a patient has bluish-white,red-based spots in her mouth that are elevated about 1 mm to 3 mm.What other signs would the nurse expect to find in this patient?

Accepted Answer

A) A pink,papular rash on the face and neck 
B) Pruritic vesicles over her trunk and neck 
C) Hyperpigmentation on the chest,abdomen,and the back of the arms 
D) A red-purple,maculopapular,blotchy rash behind the ears and on the face

Exam 12: Skin, hair, and Nails