Nursing 1180A/B Chapter Notes - Chapter week 12: Bilirubin, Keratin, Capillary Refill
9 Dec 2016
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Document Summary
First line of defense against pathogens and regulates body temp. Largest organ in the body: hair, scalp, nails. Skin is the largest active organ in the body with function including protection, secretion, excretion, temperature regulation, and sensation. Outer layer of the skin is the primary line of defense. It also protects underlying tissue from water loss and injury. It is home to various bacteria; these normal flora prevents the overgrowth of other infectious organisms: dermis. Thicker layer below the epidermis containing blood vessels, nerve fibers, sweat glands, hair follicles and sebaceous glands: subcutaneous tissue. Underlying tissue that contains vessels, nerves, lymph, loose connective tissue and fat cells. This fatty layer is a heat insulator for the body, and helps upper layers withstand pressure and stresses without injury. Implications for care: weakening of the epidermis leads to breaks in the skin & puts patients at risk for entry of microorganisms.
