The nurse working in an emergency department collects physical evidence 6 hours following a reported sexual assault. After placing the samples in sealed containers, which action is most important for the nurse to implement?

A. Assisting the client with hygiene and dressing is important but should only be done after evidence collection to avoid contamination or loss of evidence. B. Documenting collection sites is necessary but secondary to maintaining chain of custody for legal integrity. C. Maintaining possession of the evidence kit ensures the chain of custody is preserved, which is critical for legal proceedings and admissibility of evidence. D. Providing discharge instructions is important but should occur after ensuring proper evidence handling and documentation.