A nurse is assessing a child who has a suspected head injury. Which of the following actions should the nurse take to assess the child's cognitive status?

Choice A reason: The Glasgow Coma Scale assesses cognitive status by evaluating eye-opening, verbal, and motor responses. It quantifies consciousness level after a head injury, detecting neurological impairment due to trauma. This non-invasive tool provides immediate data on brain function, guiding further diagnostic and treatment decisions. Choice B reason: A CT scan identifies structural brain injuries, like hematomas, but does not directly assess cognitive function. It visualizes anatomical damage rather than real-time neurological status, making it secondary to tools like the Glasgow Coma Scale for immediate cognitive assessment post-injury. Choice C reason: Blood work can detect metabolic or infectious causes of altered cognition but does not directly evaluate cognitive status. It may reveal secondary issues like hypoglycemia but lacks specificity for assessing brain function after a head injury, making it less relevant for this purpose. Choice D reason: Monitoring intracranial pressure is critical in severe head injuries but requires invasive devices and does not directly assess cognitive status. It measures pressure dynamics, not consciousness or cognitive function, making it inappropriate for initial cognitive evaluation compared to the Glasgow Coma Scale.