Which communication issue should a nurse expect in a client with receptive aphasia?

Receptive aphasia, often resulting from damage to specific language areas in the brain, particularly in the left hemisphere, significantly affects a person's ability to process and understand spoken language. Clients with receptive aphasia have difficulty comprehending words or sentences that they hear, leading to challenges in grasping the meaning of conversations and instructions. This condition does not primarily impact their ability to speak fluently or to produce language; rather, it hinders their ability to interpret language input correctly.

In the context of the other options, while individuals with receptive aphasia might display signs of non-fluent speech or respond inappropriately due to their misunderstanding, the hallmark feature is truly their impaired comprehension. Similarly, writing difficulties may be present, but this is not the defining characteristic of receptive aphasia. Recognizing this specific impairment helps guide appropriate nursing interventions, such as simplifying communication and using non-verbal cues to enhance understanding.