Week 3 - Assessment of Pain and Integumentary System Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards generated from lecture notes covering pain assessment tools and parameters, as well as skin, hair, and nail assessment findings.

Acute Pain

A normal predicted physiological response to an adverse chemical, thermal, or mechanical stimulus associated with surgery, trauma, and acute illness; generally time-limited and responsive to opioid therapy.

Persistent (Chronic) Pain

A painful state which is persistent over time.

PQRST Mnemonic

A pain assessment mnemonic where P stands for Provocative, Q stands for Quality, R stands for Region or radiation, S stands for Severity scale, and T stands for Timing.

Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale

A pain rating scale using faces scored 0 to 5 (or alternate coding 0 to 10: 0 = No Hurt, 2 = Hurts Little Bit, 4 = Hurts Little More, 6 = Hurts Even More, 8 = Hurts Whole Lot, 10 = Hurts Worst) where choice depends on client age or ability to communicate.

Numerical Pain Scale

A pain intensity scale ranging from 0 to 10 for adults (0 = No pain, 5 = Moderate pain, 10 = Worst possible pain) and 0 to 5 for children.

Visual Analog Scale (VAS)

A pain rating scale where a $10\text{ cm}$ baseline is recommended, ranging from 'No pain' to 'Pain as bad as it could possibly be'.

Pallor

A skin color change characterized by a white appearance.

Erythema

A skin color change characterized by a red appearance.

Cyanosis

A skin color change characterized by a blue appearance.

Jaundice

A skin color change characterized by a yellow appearance.

Edema Pitting Scale

A grading scale for swelling: 1+ mild pitting, 2+ moderate pitting, 3+ deep pitting, and 4+ very deep pitting.

Macule

A primary flat skin lesion measuring less than $1\text{ cm}$ ($< 1\text{ cm}$).

Patch

A primary flat skin lesion measuring greater than $1\text{ cm}$ ($> 1\text{ cm}$).

Vesicle

A primary fluid-filled skin lesion measuring less than or equal to $1\text{ cm}$ (\text{or } \begin{cases} \text{less than or equal to } 1\text{ cm} \right) \text{ such as chicken pox.}

Bulla

A primary fluid-filled skin lesion measuring greater than $1\text{ cm}$ ($> 1\text{ cm}$).

Annular

A lesion configuration that is circular in shape.

Confluent

A lesion configuration where individual lesions run together.

Discrete

A lesion configuration characterized by distinct, individual lesions.

Gyrate

A lesion configuration described as twisted, coiled spirals, or snakelike.

Target

A lesion configuration that resembles the iris of an eye.

Zosteriform

A linear lesion configuration along a nerve route.

Capillary Refill

An assessment that indicates the status of peripheral circulation, which is normally less than $2\text{ seconds}$.

Vitiligo

Complete absence of melanin pigment in patchy areas of white or light skin.

Petechiae

Skin lesions caused by bleeding from superficial capillaries that will not blanch and may indicate abnormal clotting factors.

Purpura

Flat macular hemorrhage seen in thrombocytopenia, or in old age when blood leaks from capillaries in response to minor trauma.

ABCDE Characteristics of Pigmented Lesions

Abnormal signs of pigmented lesions: Asymmetry, Border irregularity, Color variation, Diameter greater than $6\text{ mm}$ ($\frac{1}{4}\text{ inch}$), and Elevation and Enlargement.

Basal Cell Carcinoma

The most common form of skin cancer, which starts as a skin-colored papule with a translucent top.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

An erythematous scaly patch with sharp margins measuring $1\text{ cm}$ or more; less common than basal cell carcinoma and grows rapidly.

Malignant Melanoma

A skin cancer that is usually brown in color with irregular borders, many arising from preexisting nevi, and may have a flaking, scaling, or oozing texture.

Kaposi's Sarcoma

Widely disseminated lesions involving skin, mucous membranes, and visceral organs seen in advanced AIDS.

Koilonychia (Spoon Nails)

A nail condition where nails are thin and depressed with lateral edges tilted up forming a spoon shape; may be due to iron deficiency anemia.

Paronychia

Red, swollen, tender inflammation of the nail folds; acute if caused by bacterial infection, or chronic if caused by fungal infection from a break in the cuticle.

Beau's Line

Transverse groove in the nail occurring with trauma that temporarily impairs nail formation.

Splinter Hemorrhages

Red-brown colored linear streaks on the nails that may occur with bacterial endocarditis or minor trauma to the nail.

Late Clubbing

Nail abnormality where the angle of the nail is greater than $180\text{ degrees}$, seen with COPD and cyanotic congenital heart disease.

Pitting

Appears as pitting and crumbling of the nails with distal detachment; common in psoriasis.