A nurse is caring for a client who had a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) and shows alertness but does not respond verbally. How should the nurse document this observation?

The most appropriate documentation choice for a client who is alert but does not respond verbally after a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) is expressive aphasia. This condition typically occurs when there is damage to the regions of the brain responsible for language production, often affecting the ability to speak or write, while comprehension may still be intact. The patient may understand questions or statements, but struggles to formulate and articulate their responses verbally.

In this case, the client's alertness indicates that they are aware of their surroundings and can process information, which aligns with expressive aphasia, where the individual has difficulty with verbal expression rather than comprehension. This distinction is critical in the assessment of language deficits following a stroke. The other options represent different types of language disturbances that do not accurately describe the client's presentation of being alert but non-verbal.