A nurse is caring for a child who has a suspected diagnosis of bacterial meningitis. Which of the following actions is the nurse's priority?

A. Administering intravenous antibiotics is crucial for treating bacterial meningitis, but isolation is the priority to prevent the spread of infection. B. Preparing for a lumbar puncture is important for diagnosis, but ensuring the child is isolated to prevent transmission is the immediate concern. C. Obtaining blood cultures is important for identifying the causative organism but does not take precedence over isolation. D. Placing the child in isolation is the priority to prevent the spread of bacterial meningitis, which is highly contagious.