Final answer:
The correct color seen by the patient that indicated functioning rods is gray, as rods are responsible for vision in low light and only detect shades of gray.
Step-by-step explanation:
The nurse determined that a patient's rods were functioning correctly because the patient was likely able to see in low light conditions and detect different shades of gray. Since rods are photoreceptors in the retina that respond in low light and are responsible for our vision in dim environments, they do not detect color but rather shades of gray. Given the options available, the correct answer to what color the patient saw is gray (option 3), as rods do not contribute to color vision, which is the function of cones.