Practice Question
To determine if a client with darker skin has cyanosis, the nurse should assess the color in which of the following locations?
Answer Choices:
Correct Answer:
Mucous membranes
Rationale:
🔷 Mucous membranes show true oxygenation changes because they lack melanin; discoloration is more visible than on dark skin.
🔷 Cyanosis appears as a gray, pale, or bluish tinge inside the mouth or conjunctiva, even when the skin tone masks color changes.
🔷 Assessing the oral mucosa gives a reliable indicator for central cyanosis, which reflects low arterial oxygenation.
🔷 Peripheral areas (hands, face) can be misleading, but mucous membranes remain consistent across skin tones.
🔷 Clinical guidelines emphasize oral mucosa for dark-skinned patients for detecting hypoxia earlier and more accurately.
Why the Others Are Incorrect
🔷 Ear lobes: Color change may be subtle or hidden by skin tone; unreliable in dark-skinned clients.
🔷 Nose: Outer skin still contains melanin; cyanosis may not be visible.
🔷 Arms: Too peripheral, affected by cold or circulation, not a reliable sign of hypoxia.
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This question is from NR302Quiz 3 BSNOL SEPT25 (D41234478) which contains 10 questions.
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Question Details
- Category: RN Nursing Exam(s)
- Subcategory: Examplify Exam(s)
- Domain: Health Assessment
- Answer Choices: 4