Brunner & Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing 14e (Hinkle 2017) - Assessment of Integumentary Function Related

Review Brunner & Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing 14e (Hinkle 2017) - Assessment of Integumentary Function related questions and content

An 82-year-old patient is being treated in the hospital for a sacral pressure ulcer. What age-related change is most likely to affect the patients course of treatment?

  • A. Increased thickness of the subcutaneous skin layer
  • B. Increased vascular supply to superficial skin layers
  • C. Changes in the character and quantity of bacterial skin flora
  • D. Increased time required for wound healing
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Aging slows wound healing, complicating treatment of pressure ulcers. Subcutaneous tissue and vascular supply decrease with age, and skin flora does not significantly change.