A nurse on the Medical-Surgical unit is assessing a patient's wound dressing, and observes a watery light red-pink drainage. The nurse should document this drainage as which of the following?

Choice A rationale:

Decreased heart rate is not an anticipated finding in response to acute pain. Pain typically triggers sympathetic nervous system activation, leading to an increased heart rate as a physiological response to the stressor.

Choice B rationale:

Hyperactive bowel sounds are not typically associated with acute pain. Acute pain is more likely to induce a sympathetic response, which can lead to decreased gastrointestinal motility and hypoactive bowel sounds.

Choice C rationale:

Decreased blood pressure is not a common response to acute pain. Pain often leads to an increase in blood pressure due to the activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the release of stress hormones.

Choice D rationale:

Increased respiratory rate is the anticipated finding in response to acute pain. Acute pain can cause an increase in the sympathetic nervous system activity, leading to a higher respiratory rate as the body prepares for a fight-or-flight response. This increased respiratory rate helps oxygenate the blood and meet the potential increased demand for energy during stress.

Choice A rationale:

Intramuscular administration involves injecting medication into muscle tissue, which may result in slower and variable absorption rates. It is not the optimal route for providing fast and complete absorption of Furosemide.

Choice B rationale:

Subcutaneous administration delivers medication into the fatty tissue beneath the skin. While it can be used for some medications, it generally results in slower absorption compared to intravenous administration, and it may not be suitable for Furosemide, which requires rapid action in a severe heart failure situation.

Choice C rationale:

Oral administration involves taking medication by mouth, and the absorption process can be influenced by factors such as gastric emptying and gastrointestinal transit time. In an urgent scenario of severe heart failure, oral administration might be too slow and unpredictable.

Choice D rationale:

Intravenous administration allows for the fastest and most complete absorption of Furosemide. By directly delivering the medication into the bloodstream, it bypasses the absorption barriers of the gastrointestinal tract, leading to rapid onset of action and predictable effects, which is crucial in managing acute heart failure. This route is commonly used in critical situations where immediate therapeutic effects are needed.