A nurse is assessing a child who has a suspected head injury. What would be the initial action the nurse should take to assess the child's cognitive status?

A. Have blood work done is not the initial priority for assessing cognitive status in a child with a suspected head injury. Blood work may be ordered later to assess for any contributing factors but is not the first step in cognitive assessment. B. Monitor intracranial pressure is important but typically comes after an initial cognitive assessment. Elevated intracranial pressure may be suspected after assessing cognitive function and other neurological signs. C. Recommend a CT scan might be ordered by a healthcare provider to assess for structural brain damage, but the initial assessment of cognitive status should be done first to evaluate the severity of the injury. D. Use the Glasgow cognitive scale is the correct initial action. The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is used to assess a child's level of consciousness and cognitive function following a head injury. It helps determine the severity of the injury and guides further intervention.