A newborn whose mother is HIV positive is admitted to the nursery from labor and delivery. Which action should the nurse implement first?

A. Bathing the infant first is correct because it removes maternal blood and amniotic fluid that may contain the HIV virus, reducing the risk of transmission to healthcare workers and preventing mucous membrane exposure in the newborn. B. Administering vitamin K is important to prevent bleeding, but it is not the priority before the infant is cleaned to reduce HIV exposure risk. C. Zidovudine therapy is started soon after birth to reduce vertical transmission, but bathing to remove potential infectious fluids takes precedence. D. Measuring head circumference is part of routine newborn assessment but is not urgent before infection-control measures are completed.