What should a nurse encourage a client with homonymous hemianopsia to help them compensate for their visual deficit?

Encouraging a client with homonymous hemianopsia to turn their head from side to side to scan is an effective strategy for compensating for their visual deficit. Homonymous hemianopsia results in loss of vision in half of the visual field on the same side in both eyes, which means the individual may not be aware of objects or people in that neglected visual field. By turning their head to scan the environment, the client can effectively broaden their field of vision and identify items or obstacles they might otherwise miss, enhancing their safety and mobility. This technique encourages the use of residual vision and helps improve the client's ability to interact with their surroundings more effectively.

Other strategies, such as avoiding eyeglasses during ambulation or concentrating on peripheral objects, may not provide the necessary visual input for safe navigation, since glasses typically help to enhance visual acuity. Using a walker can provide assistance for balance, but it does not inherently address the scanning process needed to compensate for the visual field loss.