What is the priority nursing intervention on an alert and oriented client who arrived to the emergency department after a head injury that occurred while playing basketball?

A. Call for immediate head computed tomography is important for diagnostic purposes, but it is not the immediate priority. Diagnostic testing should follow stabilization and protection of the cervical spine. B. Assess full range of motion to determine injuries is incorrect because moving the head or neck before ruling out cervical spine injury can worsen potential spinal cord damage. Assessment of range of motion should be deferred until cervical spine injury is excluded. C. Open the airway with the head-tilt chin-lift maneuver is incorrect in this scenario. While airway management is a priority in unresponsive or compromised patients, this client is alert and oriented, indicating the airway is patent. Using a head-tilt chin-lift could risk cervical spine movement in a patient with potential spinal injury. D. Immobilize the client's head and neck is correct. Any patient who sustains head trauma should be assumed to have a cervical spine injury until proven otherwise. Immobilization with a cervical collar and careful handling is the priority intervention to prevent spinal cord injury while further assessment and imaging are planned.