Nursing 1101W Lecture 11: Lecture 11 - Integumentary Health Assessment
4 Mar 2016
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Symptom analysis of presenting problem: (onset, course, location, duration, characteristics, aggravating and alleviating factors, related symptoms, treatment, severity) Current health status: (include medications, dose & frequency) Past medical and surgical history: allergies. Family history: of skin problems. Social habits: bathing, cosmetics, sun exposure. Hair: inspect scalp, facial, & body hair for distribution, colour, quantity, & hygiene (wear clean gloves). Nails: inspect & palpate the nails for shape, contour, consistency, colour, thickness, and cleanliness. These lines emerge from under the nail folds weeks later, and allow us to estimate when the patient was sick. Vertical ridges: (lengthwise grooves or ridges) may indicate a kidney disorder (kidney failure); associated with aging; iron deficiency (anemia). May indicate a tendency to develop arthritis. Clubbing: fingertips widen and become round. Nails curve around your fingertips, more convex. Proximal nail fold feels spongy. Caused by enlargement in connective tissue as compensation for a chronic lack of oxygen. e. g. severe emphysema.
