Why is skin assessment important in nursing? (2023)

Why is skin assessment important for you as a nurse?

A complete skin assessment is essential for holistic care and must be completed by nurses and other health professionals on a regular basis. Providing patients and relatives with information on good skin hygiene can improve skin integrity and reduce the risk of pressure damage and skin tears.

What is important for the nurse to assess when inspecting the skin of a patient?

There are five key areas to note during a focused integumentary assessment: color, skin temperature, moisture level, skin turgor, and any lesions or skin breakdown.

What is the importance of skin assessment?

Skin assessment is used to predict the development of pressure ulcers, and therefore is an extremely useful preventative tool. The small resource use associated with skin assessment is highly likely to be offset by costs savings as more pressure ulcers are prevented.

What is the purpose of a skin assessment?

Risk screening and risk assessment of skin integrity generally refer to the same process, which is used to identify patients who are at risk of developing skin problems or who have skin problems. The results of screening or assessment are used to inform the implementation of prevention and management strategies.

How would you describe skin in nursing assessment?

The physical assessment of the skin involves inspection and palpation and may reveal local or systemic problems in the patient. When palpating the skin, it is important to note: Texture – it should be smooth and even. Thickness – very thin skin may indicate steroid therapy or arterial insufficiency.

When should patients skin be assessed?

The skin assessment should be carried out every time they are identified as high risk following an assessment or reassessment of pressure ulcer risk.

How do you describe skin assessment?

A skin assessment should include the presenting concern/compliant with the skin, history of the presenting concern/compliant, past medical history, family history, social history, medicines (including topical treatment) and allergies and impact on quality of life.

What is a skin assessment in nursing?

A SKIN ASSESSMENT captures the patient's general physical condition, based on careful inspection and palpation of the skin and documentation of your findings.

Why is skin care important in healthcare?

Your skin acts as a barrier to our internal systems that are imperative to our health and well-being. Taking steps to properly care for our skin helps to ensure this important barrier is strong. When the skin is dry or irritated, cracks can occur, which make you more prone to infection.

What is the nursing assessment for skin integrity?

Nursing Assessment for Impaired Skin Integrity

The Braden Scale is an evidence-based tool that predicts the risk for pressure injuries. The patient is scored on six categories: Sensory perception, Moisture, Activity, Mobility, Nutrition, Friction and Shear. A score is calculated between 9-23.

Why is skin integrity an important part of healthcare?

Good skin integrity is vital to good health because the skin acts as a barrier to microbes and toxins, as well as physical stressors such as sunlight and radiation. It is well known that the skin loses integrity with the ageing process, and this makes older adults susceptible to pressure injury.