Skin Assessment
Highlight the abnormal findings that the nurse should be concerned about. Select all that apply.
A 40-year-old woman reports a change in mole size, accompanied by color changes, itching, burning, and bleeding over the past month. She has a dark complexion and has no family history of skin cancer, but she has had many blistering sunburns in the past.
change in mole size
color changes
itching
burning
bleeding
has had many blistering sunburns in the past
dark complexion
no family history of skin cancer
The Correct Answer is ["A","B","C","D","E"]
A change in the size of a mole is a significant red flag and should be concerning for potential skin cancer, particularly melanoma. A mole that enlarges over time, especially if it changes size rapidly, can indicate the development of malignant melanoma.
Color changes in a mole, such as darkening, lightening, or developing multiple colors, should raise concern for melanoma. Melanomas often present with uneven pigmentation, where the mole may become more than one color, such as black, blue, red, or brown. This change in color is abnormal and requires further investigation.
Itching and burning are abnormal symptoms associated with skin lesions and can be indicative of skin cancer. These sensations can occur when the skin becomes irritated or inflamed due to a growing malignancy such as melanoma.
Bleeding from a mole is a red flag and is concerning for skin cancer, especially melanoma. A mole that bleeds or oozes may be ulcerating or eroding, which are signs of more advanced skin cancer.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
A. A tender thyroid nodule is more likely to be benign and associated with inflammation or thyroiditis, not cancer.
B. This is more concerning for a malignant nodule, as cancerous nodules are often firm and immobile.
C. A thyroid nodule typically does not change or disappear with facial movements, which is more characteristic of a different type of mass, such as a lymph node.
D. These characteristics are more consistent with a benign nodule, which is often movable and less likely to be cancerous.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. This is a vibration felt on the chest wall when a patient speaks, often used to assess lung sounds. It is not associated with the crackling sensation described here.
B. The coarse, crackling sensation felt on the skin surface when palpating is crepitus, which occurs when air escapes into the subcutaneous tissue, often due to trauma, infection, or the presence of a pneumothorax.
C. These are abnormal lung sounds, such as crackles, wheezes, or rhonchi, heard with a stethoscope during auscultation, not felt on the chest wall during palpation.
D. A friction rub is a grating or scraping sound heard with a stethoscope, typically due to inflammation of the pleural surfaces. It is not a sensation felt on the chest wall.
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