Integumentary System and Wound Healing

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary and concepts related to the integumentary system, skin health, and wound healing for study and review.

Integumentary System

The system that includes the skin, hair, and nails; it is the largest organ of the body.

Functions of Skin

Warmth, sensation, barrier, and infection prevention.

Arrector pili muscle

A small muscle attached to hair follicles that causes hair to stand up when contracted.

Epidermis

The outermost layer of skin that provides a barrier to infection.

Dermis

The thick layer of living tissue below the epidermis that contains blood vessels, nerve endings, and connective tissue.

Hypodermis

The deepest layer of skin that contains fat and connective tissue.

Sebaceous gland

Gland in the skin that secretes oily substances to lubricate the hair and skin.

Nail Functions

Protection, enhancing sensation, and serving as tools.

Impaired Skin Integrity

A condition where the skin's health is altered, defined as ‘altered epidermis or dermis.’

Factors Affecting Skin Health

Impaired circulation, oxygenation, immune function, diabetes, nutrition, obesity, moisture exposure, smoking, and aging.

Braden Scale

A standardized tool used to assess a person's risk of developing pressure injuries based on six categories.

Pressure Injury Stage 1

Reddened, non-blanchable intact skin indicating early signs of tissue damage.

Pressure Injury Stage 2

Partial-thickness loss of skin with exposed dermis; superficial and often painful.

Pressure Injury Stage 3

Full-thickness tissue loss; adipose tissue may be visible, and deeper structures are not exposed.

Pressure Injury Stage 4

Full-thickness tissue loss with exposed muscle, tendon, or bone, greatly increasing infection risk.

Deep Tissue Pressure Injury

Persistent, non-blanchable deep red, maroon, or purple discoloration indicating deep tissue damage.

Exudate Types

Serous (clear), serosanguinous (pink), sanguinous (bloody), purulent (pus-like).

Friction Injuries

Skin damage caused by rubbing against hard surfaces, common in elderly patients.

Shear Injuries

Injury that occurs when the skin remains stationary while deeper tissues shift, often due to sliding in bed.

Nutrition for Skin Health

Essential nutrients include proteins, vitamins A, C, D, E, and minerals like selenium and zinc.

Diabetes Effects on Wound Healing

Elevated blood glucose can delay healing and impair immune function, increasing infection risk.

Oxygenation in Healing

Critical for delivering nutrients and promoting growth and repair in tissue.

Assessment of Wounds

Includes examination of color, odor, consistency, and amount (COCA) of drainage.

Skin Moisture Assessment

Too much moisture leads to maceration; too little moisture causes dryness and cracking.