Page 1 of 238
NURS 5220 exam 2, COMPLETE 450 QUESTIONS
AND DETAILED SOLUTIONS LATEST UPDATE THIS
YEAR
QUESTION: A 6-year-old girl has freckles over her nose and cheeks. The examiner will recall that
freckles are a type of:
A. macule.
B. papule.
C. nodule.
D. patch. - ANSWER-A:correctA macule is a flat, circumscribed area that is a change in the color
of the skin usually less than 1 cm in diameter. Freckles, flat moles, petechiae, and measles are
examples of macules.
QUESTION: Mrs. Tomberg brings her 4-day-old infant to your office with a concern of a
yellowish skin tone. Which of the following statements best describes the rationale for the skin
tone?
A. Increased formation of subcutaneous tissue causes a yellow hue.
B. Capillaries broken during the birth process turn the skin slightly yellow as bruises heal.
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,Page 2 of 238
C. The yellowish color results from increased fat metabolism and heat production.
D. The infant has hyperbilirubinemia. - ANSWER-D:CorrectHyperbilirubinemia, or physiologic
jaundice, is present to a mild degree in many newborn infants. It usually starts after the first
day of life and disappears by the eighth to tenth day but may persist for as long as 3 to 4 weeks.
Intense and persistent jaundice suggests liver disease, a hemolytic process, or severe,
overwhelming infection.
QUESTION: Mr. Russel is a 17-year-old adolescent patient who presents with a complaint of
acne. He asks the examiner why teens have more problems with acne than children. Which of
the following would be an appropriate response?
A. "Children have better hygiene habits than adolescents because of parental guidance."
B. "Adolescents have reduced blood flow to the epidermal layer of the skin, making them more
prone to infections."
C. "At puberty, adolescents begin to secrete more oil from sebaceous glands."
D. "Children have very little skin mass, which prevents development of acne." - ANSWER-C:
CorrectDuring adolescence, the apocrine glands enlarge and become active, causing increased
axillary sweating and sometimes body odor. Sebaceous glands increase sebum production in
response to increased hormone levels, primarily androgen, giving the skin an oily appearance
and predisposing the individual to acne.
2
,Page 3 of 238
QUESTION: While examining the skin of an 87-year-old woman, the nurse observes significant
tenting. Which of the following best explains that finding?
A. Small tags of skin form on the neck.
B. The skin becomes thin and takes on a parchment-like appearance.
C. The skin becomes dry with significant flaking.
D. There is a loss of adipose tissue and elasticity. - ANSWER-D:CorrectTenting occurs in the
older adult as a result of loss of adipose tissue and elasticity. The skin often appears to hang
loosely on the bony frame as a result of a general loss of elasticity, loss of underlying adipose
tissue, and years of gravitational pull.
In which age group are milia an expected finding?
A. Newborns
B. Young children
C. Adolescents
D. Older adults - ANSWER-A: CorrectMilia are small, whitish, discrete papules on the face; they
are commonly found during the first 2 to 3 months of life. The sebaceous glands function in an
immature fashion at this age and are easily plugged by sebum. Answers b, c, and d are
incorrect.
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QUESTION: Mr. Babson is a 74-year-old man who presents to your office with a complaint of a
"spot" on his chin and wants to know whether it is cancerous. Which of the following signs or
symptoms indicates a need for further medical investigation?
A. The "spot" is a reddish brown color.
B. The "spot" has been on his chin for 20 years.
C. The "spot" bleeds easily when it is touched.
D. The "spot" is slightly raised and circumscribed. - ANSWER-C: CorrectA "spot" that bleeds
easily when it is touched may be indicative of a more serious condition like basal cell
carcinoma, the most common form of skin cancer.
QUESTION: Mr. Allen is a 66-year-old man who presents to your clinic for follow-up for his
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). When assessing for the presence of clubbing,
the examiner specifically examines:
A. the width of the nail base.
B. the angle of the nail base.
C. the thickness of the nail.
D. the color of the nail. - ANSWER-B:CorrectThe average nail base angle should measure 160
degrees. In clubbing, the nail base is boggy and the angle increases and approaches or exceeds
4
NURS 5220 exam 2, COMPLETE 450 QUESTIONS
AND DETAILED SOLUTIONS LATEST UPDATE THIS
YEAR
QUESTION: A 6-year-old girl has freckles over her nose and cheeks. The examiner will recall that
freckles are a type of:
A. macule.
B. papule.
C. nodule.
D. patch. - ANSWER-A:correctA macule is a flat, circumscribed area that is a change in the color
of the skin usually less than 1 cm in diameter. Freckles, flat moles, petechiae, and measles are
examples of macules.
QUESTION: Mrs. Tomberg brings her 4-day-old infant to your office with a concern of a
yellowish skin tone. Which of the following statements best describes the rationale for the skin
tone?
A. Increased formation of subcutaneous tissue causes a yellow hue.
B. Capillaries broken during the birth process turn the skin slightly yellow as bruises heal.
1
,Page 2 of 238
C. The yellowish color results from increased fat metabolism and heat production.
D. The infant has hyperbilirubinemia. - ANSWER-D:CorrectHyperbilirubinemia, or physiologic
jaundice, is present to a mild degree in many newborn infants. It usually starts after the first
day of life and disappears by the eighth to tenth day but may persist for as long as 3 to 4 weeks.
Intense and persistent jaundice suggests liver disease, a hemolytic process, or severe,
overwhelming infection.
QUESTION: Mr. Russel is a 17-year-old adolescent patient who presents with a complaint of
acne. He asks the examiner why teens have more problems with acne than children. Which of
the following would be an appropriate response?
A. "Children have better hygiene habits than adolescents because of parental guidance."
B. "Adolescents have reduced blood flow to the epidermal layer of the skin, making them more
prone to infections."
C. "At puberty, adolescents begin to secrete more oil from sebaceous glands."
D. "Children have very little skin mass, which prevents development of acne." - ANSWER-C:
CorrectDuring adolescence, the apocrine glands enlarge and become active, causing increased
axillary sweating and sometimes body odor. Sebaceous glands increase sebum production in
response to increased hormone levels, primarily androgen, giving the skin an oily appearance
and predisposing the individual to acne.
2
,Page 3 of 238
QUESTION: While examining the skin of an 87-year-old woman, the nurse observes significant
tenting. Which of the following best explains that finding?
A. Small tags of skin form on the neck.
B. The skin becomes thin and takes on a parchment-like appearance.
C. The skin becomes dry with significant flaking.
D. There is a loss of adipose tissue and elasticity. - ANSWER-D:CorrectTenting occurs in the
older adult as a result of loss of adipose tissue and elasticity. The skin often appears to hang
loosely on the bony frame as a result of a general loss of elasticity, loss of underlying adipose
tissue, and years of gravitational pull.
In which age group are milia an expected finding?
A. Newborns
B. Young children
C. Adolescents
D. Older adults - ANSWER-A: CorrectMilia are small, whitish, discrete papules on the face; they
are commonly found during the first 2 to 3 months of life. The sebaceous glands function in an
immature fashion at this age and are easily plugged by sebum. Answers b, c, and d are
incorrect.
3
, Page 4 of 238
QUESTION: Mr. Babson is a 74-year-old man who presents to your office with a complaint of a
"spot" on his chin and wants to know whether it is cancerous. Which of the following signs or
symptoms indicates a need for further medical investigation?
A. The "spot" is a reddish brown color.
B. The "spot" has been on his chin for 20 years.
C. The "spot" bleeds easily when it is touched.
D. The "spot" is slightly raised and circumscribed. - ANSWER-C: CorrectA "spot" that bleeds
easily when it is touched may be indicative of a more serious condition like basal cell
carcinoma, the most common form of skin cancer.
QUESTION: Mr. Allen is a 66-year-old man who presents to your clinic for follow-up for his
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). When assessing for the presence of clubbing,
the examiner specifically examines:
A. the width of the nail base.
B. the angle of the nail base.
C. the thickness of the nail.
D. the color of the nail. - ANSWER-B:CorrectThe average nail base angle should measure 160
degrees. In clubbing, the nail base is boggy and the angle increases and approaches or exceeds
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