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. Sounds are high-pitched. Hyperactive bowel sounds are bowel sounds that are louder and more frequent than normal. They may be heard as high-pitched rushing or tinkling sounds that occur irregularly at a rate greater than 5-6 sounds per minute. They are often associated with increased intestinal motility, such as in diarrhea, gastroenteritis, or early bowel obstruction. Option b is incorrect because hyperactive bowel sounds are not typically associated with a paralytic ileus, which is a condition where the bowel stops working and there is a lack of bowel sounds. Option c is incorrect because hyperactive bowel sounds indicate increased motility, not decreased motility. Option d is incorrect because soft bowel sounds at a rate of 1/min are considered hypoactive bowel sounds, which can be a sign of decreased intestinal motility, as seen in constipation or postoperative ileus.