Final answer:
The nurse should expect to find elevated D-dimers as a diagnostic finding in a patient with acute disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and bleeding. DIC is characterized by widespread activation of clotting factors, leading to the formation of small blood clots and consumption of platelets and clotting factors.
Step-by-step explanation:
The nurse should expect to find elevated D-dimers as a diagnostic finding in a patient with acute disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and bleeding. DIC is a condition characterized by widespread activation of clotting factors, which leads to the formation of small blood clots throughout the body. These clots consume platelets and clotting factors, leading to a decrease in their levels and the formation of fibrin degradation products (FDPs), which are elevated in DIC. Consequently, D-dimers, which are fragments of fibrin, are increased in the blood.