Final answer:
The nurse recognizes increased blood pressure as a physiological response to acute pain. Acute pain triggers the release of stress hormones, leading to increased heart rate and vasoconstriction.
Step-by-step explanation:
The nurse recognizes which cue from the patient as a physiologic response to acute pain? The correct answer is a. Increased blood pressure. Acute pain can induce a stress response in the body leading to various physiological changes. One of these changes is an increase in blood pressure due to the release of stress hormones like epinephrine and norepinephrine from the adrenal glands, which cause vasoconstriction and increased heart rate. Increased minute respiration can occur as the body tries to meet the increased oxygen demands, and restlessness may be observed as a behavioral response to pain. However, responses such as decreased pulse, increased temperature, and changes in Na+ levels are not typically direct physiologic responses to acute pain.