A nurse is performing a cranial nerve assessment on a client following a head injury. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect if the client has impaired function of the vestibulocochlear nerve (cranial nerve VIII?

A. Deviation of the tongue from midline: Deviation of the tongue is associated with impairment of cranial nerve XII, the hypoglossal nerve. Damage to this nerve affects tongue movement rather than hearing or balance, so it is unrelated to vestibulocochlear nerve dysfunction. B. Disequilibrium with movement: The vestibulocochlear nerve (cranial nerve VIII) is responsible for transmitting information related to hearing and balance. Impairment can lead to vertigo, unsteadiness, or difficulty maintaining equilibrium during movement. These symptoms reflect disruption in the vestibular portion of the nerve. C. Inability to smell: Loss of smell is associated with cranial nerve I, the olfactory nerve. This nerve governs sensory input from the nasal mucosa and is unrelated to the auditory or balance functions of cranial nerve VIII. D. Loss of peripheral vision: Loss of peripheral vision is linked to cranial nerve II, the optic nerve. Damage to this nerve affects visual fields, not balance or hearing, and therefore does not indicate vestibulocochlear nerve impairment.