A nurse is admitting a child who has bacterial meningitis. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?

A. Initiate antibiotic therapy for the child: Bacterial meningitis is a medical emergency. Early administration of antibiotics is critical to reduce morbidity and mortality. B. Minimize the child's environmental stimuli: Reducing stimuli helps decrease ICP and is important, but it is not the first priority — treating the infection comes first. C. Place the child in a side-lying position: While positioning can help manage seizures or airway concerns, it does not treat the underlying infection. D. Administer pain medication to the child: Pain management is important but secondary to initiating life-saving treatment (antibiotics).