Final answer:
The nurse can see approximately 38 patients in an 8-hour period by calculating the hourly rate of patients seen and multiplying by the total hours.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate how many patients a nurse can see in an 8-hour period based on the rate of seeing 24 patients in 5 hours, we first determine the rate per hour. This is done by dividing the total number of patients seen by the total hours worked: 24 patients ÷ 5 hours = 4.8 patients per hour. Then we multiply this rate by the 8-hour period to find out how many patients can be seen: 4.8 patients/hour × 8 hours = 38.4 patients. Since a nurse cannot see a fraction of a patient, we round this number to the nearest whole number. Therefore, the nurse can see approximately 38 patients in an 8-hour period, which corresponds to answer D.