NUR 2030: Physical Assessment and Dermatology Review

Vocabulary flashcards derived from NUR 2030 Physical Assessment notes covering health assessment steps, percussion notes, stethoscope usage, pediatric skin phenomena, dermatologic lesions, ABCDE evaluation, and skin cancers.

Tympany

A loud, high-pitched percussion sound with a musical or drum-like quality and the longest duration, heard over air-filled viscus such as the stomach and intestines.

Dull Percussion Sound

A soft, high-pitched percussion sound described as a muffled thud of short duration, heard over dense organs like the liver and spleen.

Flat Percussion Sound

A very soft, high-pitched percussion sound of very short duration representing a dead stop of sound, heard where no air is present such as the thigh muscles, bone, or tumors.

Stethoscope Diaphragm

The stethoscope attachment used to listen to high-pitched, normal sounds including the lungs, heart, bowel sounds, and crackles.

Stethoscope Bell

The stethoscope attachment used to listen to low-pitched, abnormal sounds including bruits, murmurs, and extra sounds.

Steps to the Complete Health Assessment

The 12 sequential steps of physical assessment: 1. Health history, 2. General appearance/measurements/vital signs, 3. Skin (assessed throughout), 4. HEENT (darken room for eyes), 5. Chest (posterior, lateral, anterior), 6. Upper extremities (ROM, skin, pulses, cap refill, neuro), 7. Breasts (supine position), 8. Abdomen (supine), 9. Female GU (lithotomy position), 10. Lower extremities (ROM, skin, cap refill, edema, neuro), 11. Gait, 12. Male GU (male standing).

Congenital Dermal Melanocytosis

Also known as mongolian spots; benign bluish-gray areas commonly found over the sacrum and buttocks in infants that are not bruising.

Café-au-lait Spot

A light brown macule that is usually benign, but multiple lesions require further evaluation for neurofibromatosis.

Harlequin Color Change

A strange, transient color change phenomenon in newborns where one side of the body appears red while the other side appears pale.

Erythema Toxicum

A common newborn rash that appears shortly after birth and resolves on its own.

Acrocyanosis

A common condition in infants where the hands and feet appear bluish despite normal oxygen levels.

Cutis Marmorata

A mottled appearance of an infant's skin that commonly occurs as a response to cold exposure.

Macule

A flat skin lesion.

Papular

Refers to raised skin lesions.

Coblic Spots

Small oral lesions associated with measles (rubeola) that often appear prior to the skin rash.

Vesicle

A fluid-filled blister skin lesion, such as those seen in chicken pox (varicella).

ABCDE Skin Assessment

A skin assessment framework representing Asymmetry, Border, Color, Diameter ($>6\,\text{mm}$ is concerning), and Elevation & Evolution.

Basal Cell Carcinoma

A major skin cancer presenting with a pearly border and a central ulcerated appearance.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

A major skin cancer appearing as scaly lesions surrounded by erythema.

Melanoma

The most dangerous major skin cancer, characterized by dark pigmentation, irregular borders, asymmetry, and changes over time.

Normal Nail Angle

An angle of $160^\circ$ between the nail bed and the proximal nail fold.

Healthy Infant Lymph Nodes

Lymph nodes that are not palpable in healthy babies.