A nurse is assisting with planning care for a school-age child who has suspected pertussis. Which of the following interventions is the nurse's priority to include?

A. Implementing droplet precautions: Pertussis (whooping cough) is highly contagious and spreads through respiratory droplets. Implementing droplet precautions is essential to prevent the transmission of the infection to others, especially in a school-age child. B. Obtaining a nasopharyngeal culture: While obtaining a culture is important for confirming the diagnosis of pertussis, the priority is to prevent the spread of the disease to others. Droplet precautions should be implemented immediately to reduce transmission. C. Encouraging family members' compliance with antibiotic therapy: Antibiotic therapy is important for treating pertussis, but this is secondary to preventing the spread of infection. Once precautions are in place, encouraging adherence to the prescribed antibiotic regimen is necessary for the child's recovery. D. Offering small amounts of oral fluids frequently: Maintaining hydration is important for a child with pertussis, especially as coughing can cause discomfort. However, the priority action is preventing the spread of the infection through droplet precautions.