Question

The nurse is assessing a dark-skinned client for signs of jaundice. The nurse can best detect jaundice in the client by examining which of the following features? A. Hard palate B. Palms of the hands C. Sclera D. Soles of the feet

Short answer

Answer: The best feature to examine for detecting jaundice in a dark-skinned client is the sclera of the eyes.

Step-by-step solution

Understand the condition (Jaundice)

Jaundice is a medical condition where the skin and the whites of the eyes (sclera) turn yellow due to an increased level of bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is a yellow pigment that is produced when red blood cells break down. It is eliminated from the body through the liver but might accumulate when the liver cannot process the bilirubin.

Analyze the given options

We have four options to indicate the best feature to examine for detecting jaundice in a dark-skinned client: A. Hard palate B. Palms of the hands C. Sclera D. Soles of the feet

Eliminate incorrect options

Let's analyze each option: A. Hard palate - Jaundice might be difficult to detect on the hard palate, especially in a dark-skinned client, as the color change might not be very noticeable. B. Palms of the hands - Although, jaundice might cause a color change in the palms of the hands, it is not the best location due to the presence of melanin in the skin which might obscure the yellow discoloration. D. Soles of the feet - Similar to the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet are also not the best location to detect jaundice due to the presence of melanin in the skin.

Identify the correct option

C. Sclera - The sclera is the white part of the eyes and is a better location to detect jaundice, even in dark-skinned clients, as the yellow discoloration from high bilirubin levels will be more noticeable against the white background.

Conclusion

The correct answer to the question is option C, examining the sclera in the client's eyes. This is because the sclera provides a clearer contrast, making it easier to detect the yellow discoloration caused by jaundice.