Medical Surgical Nursing Integumentary Exam Question and Answers
Functions of skin
Answer: Protect underlying tissues, act as a surface barrier, adipose layer acts as insulation and cushion
for trauma, excretion, sensory organ, and synthesizing of Vitamin D
Epidermis
Answer: Top layer, layers of epithelial cells
Dermis
Answer: Inner layer, functions to provide tensile strength, mechanical support, and protect the bones,
muscles and organs
Hypodermis
Answer: Subcutaneous fatty tissue
Age-related skin changes
Answer: Decreased turgor, thinning, dryness, roughness, wrinkling, vascular lesions, increased fragility
and benign neoplasms, sebaceous gland activity decreases, decrease of melanocytes
Objective Data (Inspection)
Answer: Colour, pigmentation, bruising, vascularity, lesions, discolourations, or unusual odours
Objective Data (Palpation)
Answer: Temperature, Turgor and mobility, Moisture, and Texture
Psoriasis
Answer: Common noninfectious inflammatory skin disorder; may come and go and flare up then go into
remission
Psoriasis symptoms
Answer: From cosmetic annoyance to physically disabling
Types of Psoriasis
Answer: Plaque, Guttate, Inverse, Pustular, and Erythrodermic
Topical Agents
Answer: Slow the overactive epidermis without affecting other tissues and cause sloughing of the rapidly
growing epidermal cells
Types of Topical Agents
Answer: Lotions, ointments, pastes, creams, shampoos, and tar preparations (but those are rarely used)
Topical Corticosteroids
Answer: Used for inflammatory effects; often limited to twice a day for a four week period
, Systemic Corticosteroids
Answer: Not generally used as they pose the possibility of provoking flare-ups
Systemic Agents
Answer: Used when other forms of treatment are not effective
Intralesional Agents
Answer: Medication injected directly into visible or isolated patches, often when lesions are resistant to
other form of treatment
Phototherapy
Answer: Exposing skin to wavelengths of ultraviolet light (UVB) which slows the rapid cell growth of skin
cells
Cellulitis
Answer: Inflammation of subcutaneous tissues, causing limb swelling
Acute onset of Cellulitis
Answer: Hot, tender, erythematous, and edematous areas with diffused borders, chills, malaise, and
fever
Eczema
Answer: Long term inflammation of the skin; hypersensitivity of the skin with hyperactivity inflammation
and hyperactivity
Sun Exposure
Answer: Major factor in precancerous and cancerous lesions such as: Actinic keratoses, Basal cell
carcinoma, Squamous cell carcinoma, and Malignant melanoma
Sun Safety Education
Answer: Sunscreen with a minimum of 15 SPF, wearing hats, teaching on danger of burns on overcast
days and the dangers of tanning beds
Skin Cancer Prevention
Answer: Use of the ABCDE rule
A
Answer: Asymmetry
B
Answer: Border Irregularity
C
Answer: Colour change or variation
D
Answer: Diameter of more than 6mm
Functions of skin
Answer: Protect underlying tissues, act as a surface barrier, adipose layer acts as insulation and cushion
for trauma, excretion, sensory organ, and synthesizing of Vitamin D
Epidermis
Answer: Top layer, layers of epithelial cells
Dermis
Answer: Inner layer, functions to provide tensile strength, mechanical support, and protect the bones,
muscles and organs
Hypodermis
Answer: Subcutaneous fatty tissue
Age-related skin changes
Answer: Decreased turgor, thinning, dryness, roughness, wrinkling, vascular lesions, increased fragility
and benign neoplasms, sebaceous gland activity decreases, decrease of melanocytes
Objective Data (Inspection)
Answer: Colour, pigmentation, bruising, vascularity, lesions, discolourations, or unusual odours
Objective Data (Palpation)
Answer: Temperature, Turgor and mobility, Moisture, and Texture
Psoriasis
Answer: Common noninfectious inflammatory skin disorder; may come and go and flare up then go into
remission
Psoriasis symptoms
Answer: From cosmetic annoyance to physically disabling
Types of Psoriasis
Answer: Plaque, Guttate, Inverse, Pustular, and Erythrodermic
Topical Agents
Answer: Slow the overactive epidermis without affecting other tissues and cause sloughing of the rapidly
growing epidermal cells
Types of Topical Agents
Answer: Lotions, ointments, pastes, creams, shampoos, and tar preparations (but those are rarely used)
Topical Corticosteroids
Answer: Used for inflammatory effects; often limited to twice a day for a four week period
, Systemic Corticosteroids
Answer: Not generally used as they pose the possibility of provoking flare-ups
Systemic Agents
Answer: Used when other forms of treatment are not effective
Intralesional Agents
Answer: Medication injected directly into visible or isolated patches, often when lesions are resistant to
other form of treatment
Phototherapy
Answer: Exposing skin to wavelengths of ultraviolet light (UVB) which slows the rapid cell growth of skin
cells
Cellulitis
Answer: Inflammation of subcutaneous tissues, causing limb swelling
Acute onset of Cellulitis
Answer: Hot, tender, erythematous, and edematous areas with diffused borders, chills, malaise, and
fever
Eczema
Answer: Long term inflammation of the skin; hypersensitivity of the skin with hyperactivity inflammation
and hyperactivity
Sun Exposure
Answer: Major factor in precancerous and cancerous lesions such as: Actinic keratoses, Basal cell
carcinoma, Squamous cell carcinoma, and Malignant melanoma
Sun Safety Education
Answer: Sunscreen with a minimum of 15 SPF, wearing hats, teaching on danger of burns on overcast
days and the dangers of tanning beds
Skin Cancer Prevention
Answer: Use of the ABCDE rule
A
Answer: Asymmetry
B
Answer: Border Irregularity
C
Answer: Colour change or variation
D
Answer: Diameter of more than 6mm
