Which intervention should a nurse prioritize for a client with bacterial meningitis?

Administering prescribed antibiotics is the priority intervention for a client with bacterial meningitis because this condition can lead to serious complications and can rapidly deteriorate a patient's condition. Bacterial meningitis is a life-threatening infection of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, and prompt treatment with appropriate antibiotics is crucial to control the infection and reduce the risk of long-term neurological damage or death.

The other actions, such as repositioning a client with chronic back pain, removing a nitroglycerin transdermal patch, or collecting data on a client who had coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), do not address the immediate and critical needs of a patient with bacterial meningitis. These tasks, while important in their own contexts, do not have the same urgency as administering antibiotics to combat the infection. In the case of meningitis, timely intervention can significantly improve outcomes, making it essential for the nurse to act swiftly in this situation.