Eczema / Atopic Dermatitis

Eczema is a chronic, relapsing inflammatory skin condition characterized by dry skin, pruritus, inflammation, impaired barrier function, and recurrent flares. In nursing education, “eczema” most often refers to atopic dermatitis, although other dermatitis patterns include irritant contact dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, dyshidrotic eczema, nummular eczema, and seborrheic dermatitis. Atopic dermatitis is especially important for RN practice because it is not only a skin condition; it can affect sleep, infection risk, mental health, family functioning, school participation, work performance, medication adherence, and quality of life. Eczema is not contagious. Clients and families often need reassurance because visible skin disease can cause shame, avoidance, and fear of spreading the condition. The Canadian Dermatology Association describes eczema as a non-contagious inflammatory skin condition and emphasizes flare control, moisturization, medication use, and trigger avoidance as key management goals. For RN-level practice, eczema should be understood as a disorder of barrier dysfunction plus immune dysregulation. The skin loses water too easily, irritants and allergens penetrate more readily, inflammatory pathways activate, and the client experiences intense itching. Scratching then causes further barrier injury, allowing more inflammation...