What is the first intervention a nurse should perform for a client with increased intracranial pressure (ICP)?

The first intervention a nurse should perform for a client with increased intracranial pressure (ICP) is to place the head and neck in alignment. This positioning is crucial because proper alignment helps facilitate venous drainage from the brain, thereby potentially reducing ICP. When the head and neck are misaligned, it can impede the return of blood from the cranial cavity, exacerbating the pressure within the skull.

By ensuring that the head and neck are in a neutral position, the nurse can contribute to maintaining optimal intracranial pressure and prevent further complications. This intervention is foundational in managing ICP and takes precedence over other interventions which might be important but do not have the immediate impact on lowering ICP.

Other interventions, such as administering pain medication or starting intravenous fluids, could be necessary for overall patient management but do not directly address the immediate need to manage ICP. Checking vital signs is essential for monitoring the patient’s condition but is also secondary to ensuring proper positioning. Thus, maintaining head and neck alignment is the priority intervention in this context.