Final answer:
An early indicator of internal bleeding in nontrauma patients is a rapid, thready pulse, a symptom of the body's compensatory mechanisms during hypovolemic shock.
Step-by-step explanation:
In nontrauma patients, the early indicators of internal bleeding include a range of symptoms caused by hypovolemia due to the loss of blood volume. One early sign of internal bleeding is a rapid, thready pulse, which results from the body's attempt to maintain blood pressure and blood flow despite the loss of blood. This rapid pulse, alongside other symptoms such as cool, clammy skin and rapid, shallow breathing, points to the body going into a state of hypovolemic shock.
The correct answer to the question is A. a rapid, thready pulse. This is because as blood volume decreases, the heart compensates by beating faster to maintain blood pressure and perfusion to vital organs. The thready quality of the pulse reflects the reduced volume of blood being pushed through the arteries with each heartbeat.