Head to Toe Physical Assessment

[happynurse49, BSN]

When commenting on skin assessment our study guide uses the example, skin is pink, warm, and dry. But what do I say if my patient is not Caucasian? Do I say brown, warm, and dry?

[WoundedBird]

Appropriate for race maybe?

[Best_Name_Ever]

Appropriate for race maybe?

I agree with this. Or substitute race for ethnicity.

[nursegorgeous]

Skin color congruent with genetic background.

[Kuriin, BSN, RN]

Disagree with the above posters. What you said, "brown, warm, and dry" is fine.

I'd tread carefully with any type of identification of ethnicity because someone who may look Caucasian may not identify as Caucasian.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

color congruent with genetic background. Skin warm and dry...mucous membranes are pink....even people of color have pink mucous membranes.

[Double-Helix, BSN, RN]

Our assessment forms read "Normal for ethnicity". "Congruent with genetic background" works fine too.

[MendedHeart]

Ours reads ,"Normal for Ethnicity" as well

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

\ said:

Disagree with the above posters. What you said "brown, warm, and dry" is fine. I'd tread carefully with any type of identification of ethnicity because someone who may look Caucasian may not identify as Caucasian.

That's why normal to ethnicity is a more common, and eloquent choice.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

Nailbeds and palmar creases (in addition to mucous membranes, conjunctiva, and oral tissues) are pink for everyone, so you can use them as a reference point for color and then just note that the skin is warm and dry.