Which condition would the nurse suspect when a client reports itching two days after a physical exam?

• A. Contact Dermatitis
• B. Hives
• C. Psoriasis
• D. Urticaria

Answer: (A)

The key idea is recognizing a delayed contact reaction to something the client touched during the exam. When itching appears about 24–72 hours after exposure, it’s typical of contact dermatitis—a delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction where the skin reacts to an irritant or allergen (such as latex from gloves, adhesive tape, or antiseptics) in the area that contacted the substance. The itching, redness, and possible vesicles are localized to that contact site and develop after a short delay, which matches this two-day timeline.

Hives would usually show sudden, widespread, raised welts that appear quickly and move around, lasting relatively briefly, not confined to a single contact area over days. Psoriasis features chronic, well‑defined plaques with silvery scales, not an acute, localized reaction following a one‑time exposure during an exam. So the itching two days after the exam best fits a contact dermatitis scenario.