A nurse is assessing a client who reports a nevus that has increased in size and an irregularly shaped lesion that varies in color. These findings are consistent with which of the following medical diagnoses?

Choice A reason:
The statement "HIPAA is a federal law, not a state law" is correct. HIPAA is indeed a federal law that provides national standards to protect the privacy of personal health information.

Choice B reason:
The statement "HIPAA established regulations for individually identifiable health information in verbal, electronic, or written form" is also correct. HIPAA does regulate how individually identifiable health information should be protected and handled across various forms of communication.

Choice C reason:
The statement "Information about a client can be disclosed to family members at any time" indicates a need for further teaching. Under HIPAA, protected health information can only be disclosed to family members under certain conditions, such as when the patient has given permission or when it is directly relevant to the family member's involvement in the patient's care.

Choice D reason:
The statement "A client's address would be an example of personally identifiable information" is correct. Under HIPAA, a client's address is considered personally identifiable information, which is protected and cannot be disclosed without proper authorization.

Choice A reason:
Squamous cell carcinoma typically presents as a rough, scaly, red patch, open sore, or raised growth with a central depression, often on sun-exposed areas of the body. While it can appear as a lesion that varies in color, it is not commonly associated with a nevus that has increased in size.

Choice B reason:
Malignant melanoma is associated with changes in preexisting nevi, such as an increase in size and variations in color. It often appears as a mole that changes in color, size, or feel and may have irregular edges. The description of the lesion provided by the client is characteristic of malignant melanoma, making this the correct diagnosis.

Choice C reason:
Kaposi's sarcoma is a cancer that forms in the lining of blood and lymph vessels and typically appears as patches of abnormal tissue on the skin or mucous membranes. These lesions are usually red or purple and look similar to bruises¹. They are not typically described as nevi that increase in size or lesions that vary in color.

Choice D reason:
Basal cell carcinoma often appears as a slightly transparent bump on the skin, though it can take other forms. It usually presents as a pearly white or pink bump on white skin, or a brown or black bump on darker skin, and is most often found on sun-exposed areas. It is not typically associated with a nevus that has increased in size or an irregularly shaped lesion that varies in color.