What expected finding would a nurse assess in a client recovering from a left-hemisphere stroke?

In the context of a left-hemisphere stroke, one of the expected findings is difficulty with speech, commonly referred to as aphasia. The left hemisphere of the brain is primarily responsible for language processing in most right-handed individuals and a significant portion of left-handed individuals as well. As a result, damage to this area can severely impact the person's ability to formulate words, understand language, or both.

Patients may exhibit various forms of aphasia, such as expressive aphasia, where they know what they want to say but struggle to communicate it, or receptive aphasia, where they have difficulty understanding spoken or written language. These speech and language difficulties are hallmark features of a left-hemisphere stroke and align with the neurological functions governed by that side of the brain.

Other options, like balance issues or emotional expression difficulties, are typically more associated with right-hemisphere brain injuries. Additionally, motor movement difficulties can occur but are not as specifically correlated with hemisphere-based strokes as speech deficits are. Thus, the presence of speech difficulties clearly categorizes this finding as a typical assessment result in a client recovering from a left-hemisphere stroke.