A nurse is caring for a client who is hemorrhaging and hypotensive from esophageal variceal bleeding. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?

Rationale: A. Administer vasopressin to the client: Vasopressin is used to constrict splanchnic circulation and reduce portal pressure, helping control variceal bleeding. However, medication administration requires functional IV access, which must be verified or established before proceeding. B. Request blood from the blood bank: Blood transfusion is necessary to treat hemorrhagic shock and restore circulating volume, but requesting blood is not the immediate priority before ensuring access for administration. C. Verify that the client has adequate IV access: Establishing or verifying large-bore IV access is the first priority in any client experiencing hemorrhagic shock. This enables the rapid infusion of fluids, blood products, and medications necessary to stabilize the client. D. Insert an indwelling urinary catheter: Monitoring urine output is important for assessing renal perfusion and fluid status, but it is not the most urgent intervention when the client is actively bleeding and hemodynamically unstable.