Final answer:
A patient suffering from anemia due to acute blood loss in a medical-surgical unit is likely to exhibit dyspnea, tachycardia, and pallor. These symptoms occur as the body attempts to compensate for reduced oxygen delivery due to the lower number of red blood cells from blood loss.
Step-by-step explanation:
A patient admitted to the medical-surgical unit with anemia from acute blood loss would typically exhibit symptoms associated with a significant reduction in blood volume and red blood cells. The expected assessment findings would include dyspnea (difficulty breathing), tachycardia (increased heart rate), and pallor (pale skin). As anemia affects the delivery of oxygen to the tissues, these findings are a direct result of the body's attempt to compensate for the decreased oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. Other possible signs and symptoms of anemia can be generalized weakness, fainting, chest pain, lower than normal blood pressure, and in severe cases, circulatory shock. Circulatory shock associated with anemia from acute blood loss may present with a fast but weak pulse, cool and clammy skin, rapid and shallow breathing, and a drop in urine output, potentially causing confusion or loss of consciousness. These findings are more consistent with anemia from acute blood loss than the symptoms listed in options A, C, and D, which are associated with various other health conditions. Therefore, the correct answer to what assessment findings the nurse would expect to find in a patient with anemia from acute blood loss is option B: Dyspnea, tachycardia, and pallor