A 57-year-old male with a history of vasculitis has purple discolorations on his legs, each approximately 0.3 cm to 1 cm in size. He asks the nurse what these discolorations are called, and the nurse correctly calls them

Number 2 is correct.

Purpura are reddish-purple non-blanching skin discolorations (sized 0.3cm – 1cm) caused by bleeding under the skin. Ecchymosis is a hematoma larger than 1 cm in size. Petechia is a small hematoma less than 3mm. A bruise is bleeding under the skin caused by trauma.