During an assessment of a 22-year-old woman who has a head injury from a car accident 4 hours ago,the nurse notices the following change: pupils were equal,but now the right pupil is fully dilated and nonreactive,left pupil is 4 mm and reacts to light.What does finding this suggest?

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In a brain-injured person,a sudden,unilateral,dilated,and nonreactive pupil is ominous.Cranial nerve III runs parallel to the brainstem.When increasing intracranial pressure pushes the brainstem down (uncal herniation),it puts pressure on cranial nerve III,causing pupil dilation.The other responses are incorrect.

During an Assessment of a 22-Year-Old Woman Who Has a Head