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?

A. Incorrect. No sounds heard after listening for 3 to 5 minutes would be considered absent bowel sounds. B. Correct. Hyperactive bowel sounds are louder and more frequent than normal and can indicate increased bowel motility. They can also be present in early bowel obstructions due to increased peristalsis. C. Incorrect. Soft sounds at a rate of 1/min are within the range of normal bowel sounds. D. Incorrect. Decreased motility would result in hypoactive bowel sounds, not hyperactive.