Advanced Health Assessment

Objective Skin Video Transcript

This presentation will review the objective assessment of the skin. Inspection and palpation is the techniques that are used to evaluate the skin. The health care provider should observe the color and the pigmentation of the skin, looking at the entire body for any freckles, pallor, cyanosis, birth marks, et cetera. The health care provider should assess the temperature of the skin using the back of their hands for the trunk, upper extremities and lower extremities.

One should palpate the skin to assess for the moisture, is the skin dry, oily or diaphoretic? The texture and the thickness of the skin is important. Normal skin should feel smooth and firm, with an even surface. It is important to assess for mobility in skin turgor, to make sure the patient is hydrated.

Lesions as previously mentioned, should be evaluated and we will review in a future presentation, the warning signs of abnormal lesions. The health care provider should assess for edema and bruising, and always think about hygiene when you're evaluating the skin.