Patient Nursing Assessment 2022

Running head: PATIENT ASSESSMENT NURSING 1
Patient Assessment Nursing
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

2
Patient Assessment Nursing
Following the patient at hand, I shall explain the risk factors of skin cancer through
detailed description. Skin cancer has plenty of risk factors which call for note taking before
explaining to the patient. The fundamental risk for skin cancer is exposure to ultraviolet (UV)
light (Nahar et al., 2016). This includes tanning beds and sunlight. The risk intensifies with the
duration of exposure to the light. Individuals who live in areas with intensive sunlight and those
who spent most of their time outdoors are at higher risk. Early exposure, for instance, individuals
who had sunburns while still young are at higher risk for developing skin cancer.
Immune suppression is also a vital risk factor. Conditions which weaken the immune
system of the body like diseases, viruses and immune suppression therapy linked to organ
transplant increase the risk of developing skin cancer Garrett et al., 2017). Gender also plays a
significant role. Men are two times more likely to develop skin cancer compared to women.
With respect to the human body, plenty of moles increase the likelihood of developing
skin cancer. Thus individuals with moles are advised to seek dermatologist regularly for
examination (Seebode, Lehmann, & Emmert, 2016). Caucasians are also at a higher risk in
developing skin cancer when compared to non-white. The risk increases for individuals who
possess red or blond hair.
Following genetic make-up, family history plays a significant role. Individuals with one
or more siblings or parents with skin cancer are at higher risk of developing the disease.
Furthermore, presence of inherited conditions (xeroderma pigmentation), which hinder the skin
from preserving itself from UV light, increases the likelihood of developing skin cancer.