Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 64%
Simulated
A nurse is reinforcing teaching to a newly licensed nurse about bowel sounds. Which of the following characteristics should the nurse use to describe hyperactive bowel sounds?
Correct answer
D
Rationale
The correct answer is D: Sounds are high-pitched. Hyperactive bowel sounds are characterized by loud, high-pitched noises that occur more frequently than normal. This indicates increased motility in the intestines. A is incorrect because a paralytic ileus would present with absent or hypoactive bowel sounds. B is incorrect as hyperactive bowel sounds indicate increased, not decreased, motility. C is incorrect as soft sounds at a rate of 1/min would be indicative of hypoactive bowel sounds.