Skin Assessment

[zacarias, ASN, RN]

hey all!

i'm new here. my name is zach and i'm a beginning nursing student. so far it's been overwhelming and crazy..but i have a lot of friends in my class and we do well supporting eachother so i think we'll make it :)

my question on here deals with skin assessments. i have to do other assessments but skin is the one that worries me. we are just 4 weeks into the program and i feel totally unknowledgeable about the skin. i guess my teacher wants me to be pretty thorough about the skin, more thorough than in "real life nursing. however, i just barely have heard of terms like papules, pustules, macules, nodules etc... i've seen a picture here and there but i don't know how to specify everything i see. instead of the name non-technical "bump" in my descriptions of skin, what should i say? i have little supervision doing the assessment so i have to go on my feelings but i want to do it right!! please any suggestions are welcome.

z

[essarge]

First, let me welcome you to the crazy world of student nursing!!

As far as help with assessment, springhouse has a really excellent book that I use called "Assessment made incredibly easy". This book explains things thoroughly and in easy to understand terms. Hope this helps.

[MRed94]

Skin Assessment

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Color

Albinism

Vitiligo

Jaundice

Carotenemia

Pallor

Cyanosis

Erythema

Melanin

Vascular Lesions

Ecchymosis

Petechiae

Spider Angiomas

Telangiectasia

Venous Star

Cherry Angioma

Moisture

Temperature

Texture

Mobility/Turgor

Skin Lesions

Color

Type

Pattern, grouping, or arrangements

Location

Size

Mobility/Consistency

Found this listing at:

http://ruby.fgcu.edu/courses/80277/skin.html

I think I would maybe look up the words you don't know, and write note cards for them.

Good luck!

Marla