Unit 5A.3: NAILS Assessment | Skin, Hair, Nails, Head, Ears

1. Nail Grooming & Cleanliness

2. Nail Color & Markings

3. Shape of Nails

What should be inspected in Nails Assessment?

Nail Grooming & Cleanliness

Should be inspected in Nails Assessment

• Nails are clean and manicured

Nails are clean and manicured

Normal finding for Nail Grooming and Cleanliness

Color

Should be inspected in Nails Assessment

• Pink tones should be seen

• Some longitudinal ridging is normal

• Dark-skinned clients may have freckles or pigmented streaks in their nails

Transparent with pinkish nail bed

Normal finding for nail color and markings

1. Pale or Cyanotic Nails

2. Splinter Hemorrhages

3. Beau’s Lines

4. Yellow Discoloration

5. Nail Pitting

Abnormal Nail Color and Markings

Pale or Cyanotic Nails

One of the Abnormal Nail Color and Markings

May indicate hypoxia or anemia

Splinter Hemorrhages

One of the Abnormal Nail Color and Markings

May be caused by trauma

Beau’s Lines

One of the Abnormal Nail Color and Markings

Occur after acute illness and eventually grow out

Yellow Discoloration

One of the Abnormal Nail Color and Markings

May be seen in fungal infections or psoriasis

Nail Pitting

One of the Abnormal Nail Color and Markings

Common in psoriasis

160 degree angle between nail base and skin, no signs of clubbing

Clean and well-trimmed smooth firm and hard, nail plate firmly attached to nail bed

Normal shape of nails

1. Schamroth’s Sign

2. Spooning

Abnormal findings for Nail Shape

Schamroth’s Sign

One of the Abnormal findings for Nail Shape

Early ____ (180 degree angle with spongy sensation) and late ___ (greater than 180 degree angle) can occur from hypoxia

Spooning

One of the Abnormal findings for Nail Shape

May be present with iron deficiency, anemia