A nurse is caring for a client who is in the emergency department with multiple traumatic injuries following a motor-vehicle crash. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?

Rationale: A. Warm blood products prior to administration: While warming blood can prevent hypothermia during transfusion, ensuring airway patency takes priority in a trauma situation to maintain oxygenation and prevent respiratory compromise. B. Establish a patent oral airway: Airway management is the first step in the ABCs (Airway, Breathing, Circulation) of emergency care. Securing a patent airway ensures oxygen delivery to vital organs, which is critical in a client with multiple traumatic injuries. C. Assign the client a score on the Glasgow Coma Scale: Assessing neurological status is important, but it is secondary to establishing airway patency. A GCS score cannot help if the client is not oxygenating adequately. D. Remove the client's clothing: Removing clothing allows a thorough assessment, but it does not take priority over securing the airway, which is essential to prevent hypoxia.