Author Question: A patient has an area of rough, thickened, hardened epidermis. What should the nurse suspect as the ... (Read 123 times)

bcretired · **on:** Jun 25, 2018

A patient has an area of rough, thickened, hardened epidermis. What should the nurse suspect as the reason for this skin lesion?

1. chronic dermatitis
2. athlete's foot
3. ear piercing
4. psoriasis

Question 2

The nurse is caring for a patient with thinning of the nails. Which test result should the nurse use to aid in the diagnosis of this nail disorder?

1. pulse oximetry
2. hemoglobin
3. serum albumin
4. white blood cell count

bblaney · **Reply #1 on:** Jun 25, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Correct Answer: 1
Lichenification is a rough, thickened, hardened area of epidermis resulting from chronic irritation such as scratching or rubbing. An example of lichenification is chronic dermatitis. A fissure is a linear crack with sharp edges, extending into the dermis. Examples include cracks at the corners of the mouth or in the hands, or those seen with athlete's foot. A keloid is an elevated, irregular, darkened area of excess scar tissue caused by excessive collagen formation during healing. It extends beyond the site of the original injury. An example of a keloid is scar tissue from ear piercing. Scales are shedding flakes of greasy, keratinized skin tissue. Examples of scales include dry skin, dandruff, psoriasis, and eczema.

Answer to Question 2

Correct Answer: 3
Thinning of the nails in seen in nutritional deficiencies. One laboratory test to assess for nutritional deficiencies is a serum albumin level. Pulse oximetry measures the oxygen level of the blood. Decreased oxygenation might cause nail thickening. Hemoglobin measures red blood cell oxygen-carrying capacity. If the patient has a hemoglobin problem, the nails would be spoon-shaped. A white blood cell count is used to check for an infection. The nails would appear to be inflamed or separating from the nail bed.