ASU NUR 352 EXAM 3 STUDY GUIDE | COMPREHENSIVE NURSING
REVIEW, PRACTICE QUESTIONS & ANSWERS 2026/2027
Health Assessment (Hair/Skin/Nails)
The nurse is assessing a client's skin temperature. Which technique is most appropriate?
a. Palpate with the palms
b. Palpate with the fingertips
c. Palpate with the dorsal surface of the hand
d. Palpate with the thumb - correct answer ✔✔c. Palpate with the dorsal surface of the hand
Rationale: The back of the hand is most sensitive to temperature.
Health Assessment (Hair/Skin/Nails)
Which finding is normal during assessment of an older adult's skin?
a. Tenting indicating dehydration
b. Increased thickness of subcutaneous fat
c. Widespread ecchymosis
d. Fragile, thin skin - correct answer ✔✔d. Fragile, thin skin
Rationale: Aging leads to thinning and fragility of skin.
Health Assessment (Hair/Skin/Nails)
The nurse is assessing a dark-skinned client for pallor. Which area is best?
a. Palms and conjunctiva
b. Cheeks
c. Forearm
d. Abdomen - correct answer ✔✔a. Palms and conjunctiva
Rationale: Pallor is assessed in mucous membranes and palms in darker skin tones.
Health Assessment (Hair/Skin/Nails)
A client has a mole with irregular borders and multiple colors. Which screening tool should the nurse
apply?
a. Braden scale
b. PUSH tool
c. ABCDE
d. Glasgow scale - correct answer ✔✔c. ABCDE
Rationale: ABCDE is used for melanoma screening.
Health Assessment (Hair/Skin/Nails)
The nurse documents non-pitting edema. This finding is associated with:
,a. Heart failure
b. Lymphedema
c. Fluid overload
d. Liver failure - correct answer ✔✔b. Lymphedema
Rationale: Lymphedema typically presents as firm, non-pitting edema.
Health Assessment (Hair/Skin/Nails)
Which finding is expected when assessing nail beds?
a. Capillary refill >3 seconds
b. Angle of the nail base >180°
c. Uniform thickness
d. Cyanotic nail beds - correct answer ✔✔c. Uniform thickness
Rationale: Healthy nails are smooth, clean, and uniformly thick.
Health Assessment (Hair/Skin/Nails)
Which client is most at risk for pressure injury?
a. Young adult in a cast
b. Post-op client receiving fluids
c. Teen with a sprained ankle
d. Older adult with limited mobility and incontinence - correct answer ✔✔d. Older adult with limited
mobility and incontinence
Rationale: Immobility + moisture greatly increase risk.
Health Assessment (Hair/Skin/Nails)
When educating about sun protection, which statement indicates understanding?
a. "I should avoid the sun between 10 AM and 4 PM."
b. "I only need sunscreen when it's hot."
c. "A base tan prevents skin damage."
d. "I'll reapply sunscreen every 6 hours." - correct answer ✔✔a. "I should avoid the sun between 10 AM
and 4 PM."
Rationale: Peak UV exposure is 1000-1600.
Health Assessment (Hair/Skin/Nails)
The nurse notes petechiae on the client's legs. This may indicate:
a. Liver disease
b. Vitamin C toxicity
c. Local irritation
d. Decreased platelet count - correct answer ✔✔d. Decreased platelet count
Rationale: Petechiae occur with bleeding disorders.
, Health Assessment (Hair/Skin/Nails)
A client has a Stage II pressure injury. The nurse expects:
a. Exposed tendon
b. Pink wound bed or blister
c. Necrosis of subcutaneous tissue
d. Non-blanchable redness with intact skin - correct answer ✔✔b. Pink wound bed or blister
Rationale: Stage II = partial thickness skin loss.
Health Assessment (Hair/Skin/Nails)
A yellow discoloration of the skin is best assessed in dark-skinned clients by inspecting the:
a. Cheeks
b. Palms and soles
c. Scalp
d. Forearms - correct answer ✔✔b. Palms and soles
Rationale: Jaundice is best seen in palms/soles in darker skin tones.
Health Assessment (Hair/Skin/Nails)
Clubbing of the nails is associated with:
a. Chronic hypoxia
b. Liver failure
c. Hypovolemia
d. Acute infection - correct answer ✔✔a. Chronic hypoxia
Rationale: Chronic low oxygen changes the nail angle.
Health Assessment (Hair/Skin/Nails)
The nurse observes erythema on the sacrum that does not blanch. This indicates:
a. Stage I pressure injury
b. Stage II pressure injury
c. Normal redness
d. Skin tear - correct answer ✔✔a. Stage I pressure injury
Rationale: Persistent, non-blanchable redness = Stage I.
Health Assessment (Hair/Skin/Nails)
Which is an appropriate assessment for turgor in an older adult?
a. Back of hand
b. Forearm
c. Sternum or chest
d. Abdomen - correct answer ✔✔c. Sternum or chest
REVIEW, PRACTICE QUESTIONS & ANSWERS 2026/2027
Health Assessment (Hair/Skin/Nails)
The nurse is assessing a client's skin temperature. Which technique is most appropriate?
a. Palpate with the palms
b. Palpate with the fingertips
c. Palpate with the dorsal surface of the hand
d. Palpate with the thumb - correct answer ✔✔c. Palpate with the dorsal surface of the hand
Rationale: The back of the hand is most sensitive to temperature.
Health Assessment (Hair/Skin/Nails)
Which finding is normal during assessment of an older adult's skin?
a. Tenting indicating dehydration
b. Increased thickness of subcutaneous fat
c. Widespread ecchymosis
d. Fragile, thin skin - correct answer ✔✔d. Fragile, thin skin
Rationale: Aging leads to thinning and fragility of skin.
Health Assessment (Hair/Skin/Nails)
The nurse is assessing a dark-skinned client for pallor. Which area is best?
a. Palms and conjunctiva
b. Cheeks
c. Forearm
d. Abdomen - correct answer ✔✔a. Palms and conjunctiva
Rationale: Pallor is assessed in mucous membranes and palms in darker skin tones.
Health Assessment (Hair/Skin/Nails)
A client has a mole with irregular borders and multiple colors. Which screening tool should the nurse
apply?
a. Braden scale
b. PUSH tool
c. ABCDE
d. Glasgow scale - correct answer ✔✔c. ABCDE
Rationale: ABCDE is used for melanoma screening.
Health Assessment (Hair/Skin/Nails)
The nurse documents non-pitting edema. This finding is associated with:
,a. Heart failure
b. Lymphedema
c. Fluid overload
d. Liver failure - correct answer ✔✔b. Lymphedema
Rationale: Lymphedema typically presents as firm, non-pitting edema.
Health Assessment (Hair/Skin/Nails)
Which finding is expected when assessing nail beds?
a. Capillary refill >3 seconds
b. Angle of the nail base >180°
c. Uniform thickness
d. Cyanotic nail beds - correct answer ✔✔c. Uniform thickness
Rationale: Healthy nails are smooth, clean, and uniformly thick.
Health Assessment (Hair/Skin/Nails)
Which client is most at risk for pressure injury?
a. Young adult in a cast
b. Post-op client receiving fluids
c. Teen with a sprained ankle
d. Older adult with limited mobility and incontinence - correct answer ✔✔d. Older adult with limited
mobility and incontinence
Rationale: Immobility + moisture greatly increase risk.
Health Assessment (Hair/Skin/Nails)
When educating about sun protection, which statement indicates understanding?
a. "I should avoid the sun between 10 AM and 4 PM."
b. "I only need sunscreen when it's hot."
c. "A base tan prevents skin damage."
d. "I'll reapply sunscreen every 6 hours." - correct answer ✔✔a. "I should avoid the sun between 10 AM
and 4 PM."
Rationale: Peak UV exposure is 1000-1600.
Health Assessment (Hair/Skin/Nails)
The nurse notes petechiae on the client's legs. This may indicate:
a. Liver disease
b. Vitamin C toxicity
c. Local irritation
d. Decreased platelet count - correct answer ✔✔d. Decreased platelet count
Rationale: Petechiae occur with bleeding disorders.
, Health Assessment (Hair/Skin/Nails)
A client has a Stage II pressure injury. The nurse expects:
a. Exposed tendon
b. Pink wound bed or blister
c. Necrosis of subcutaneous tissue
d. Non-blanchable redness with intact skin - correct answer ✔✔b. Pink wound bed or blister
Rationale: Stage II = partial thickness skin loss.
Health Assessment (Hair/Skin/Nails)
A yellow discoloration of the skin is best assessed in dark-skinned clients by inspecting the:
a. Cheeks
b. Palms and soles
c. Scalp
d. Forearms - correct answer ✔✔b. Palms and soles
Rationale: Jaundice is best seen in palms/soles in darker skin tones.
Health Assessment (Hair/Skin/Nails)
Clubbing of the nails is associated with:
a. Chronic hypoxia
b. Liver failure
c. Hypovolemia
d. Acute infection - correct answer ✔✔a. Chronic hypoxia
Rationale: Chronic low oxygen changes the nail angle.
Health Assessment (Hair/Skin/Nails)
The nurse observes erythema on the sacrum that does not blanch. This indicates:
a. Stage I pressure injury
b. Stage II pressure injury
c. Normal redness
d. Skin tear - correct answer ✔✔a. Stage I pressure injury
Rationale: Persistent, non-blanchable redness = Stage I.
Health Assessment (Hair/Skin/Nails)
Which is an appropriate assessment for turgor in an older adult?
a. Back of hand
b. Forearm
c. Sternum or chest
d. Abdomen - correct answer ✔✔c. Sternum or chest
