NURS 6512 Week 4: Assessment of the Skin, Hair, and Nails

Something as small and simple as a mole or a discolored toenail can offer meaningful clues about a patient’s health. Abnormalities in skin, hair, and nails can provide non-invasive external clues to internal disorders or even prove to be disorders themselves. Being able to evaluate such abnormalities of the skin, hair, and nails is a diagnostic benefit for any nurse conducting health assessments.

This week, you will explore how to assess the skin, hair, and nails, as well as how to evaluate abnormal skin findings.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

  • Apply assessment skills to diagnose skin conditions
  • Apply concepts, theories, and principles relating to health assessment techniques and diagnoses for the skin, hair, and nails

Learning Resources

Shadow Health Support and Orientation Resources

Use the following resources to guide you through your Shadow Health orientation as well as other support resources:

Note: You will sign and date this form each time you complete your DCE Assignment in Shadow Health to acknowledge your commitment to Walden University’s Code of Conduct. Document: DCE (Shadow Health) Documentation Template for Health History (Word document)

Use this template to complete your Assignment 2 for this week.

Module 3 Introduction

Dr. Tara Harris reviews the overall expectations for Module 3. Consider how you will manage your time as you review your media and Learning Resources for your Discussions, Case Study Lab Assignments, DCE Assignments, and your Midterm exam (12m).

Skin, Hair, and Nails – Week 4 (19m)

Online media for Seidel’s Guide to Physical Examination

In addition to this week’s media, it is highly recommended that you access and view the online resources included with the text, Seidel’s Guide to Physical Examination. Focus on the videos and animations in Chapter 8 that relate to the assessment of the skin, hair, and nails.

Note: To access the online resources included with the text, you need to complete the FREE online registration that is located at https://evolve.elsevier.com/cs/product/9780323172660?role=student .

To Register to View the Content

  1. Go to https://evolve.elsevier.com/cs/product/9780323172660?role=student
  2. Enter the name of the textbook, Seidel’s Guide to Physical Examination (name of text without the edition number) in the Search textbox.
  3. Complete the registration process.

To View the Content for this Text 

  1. Go to https://evolve.elsevier.com/
  2. Click on Student Site.
  3. Type in your username and password.
  4. Click on the Login button.
  5. Click on the plus sign icon for Resources on the left side of the screen.
  6. Click on the name of the textbook for this course.
  7. Expand the menu on the left to locate all the chapters.
  8. Navigate to the desired content (checklists, videos, animations, etc.).

Note: Clicking on the URLs in the APA citations for the Resources from the textbook will not link directly to the desired online content. Use the online menu to navigate to the desired content.

Suturing Tutorials

The following suturing tutorials provide instruction on the basic interrupted suture, as well as the vertical and horizontal mattress suturing techniques

Note: Approximate length of this media program is 5 minutes.

Note: Approximate length of this media program is 9 minutes.

Incision and Drainage of an Abscess (a common procedure in primary care)

Note: Approximate length of this media program is 10 minutes.

Dermablade Use for Shave Biopsies

Note: Approximate length of this media program is 5 minutes.