Prioritize Nursing Actions in Labor and Delivery

A primigravida patient who is 39 weeks pregnant arrives at the labor and delivery unit experiencing contractions. Upon assessment, the nurse notes that the fetal heart rate is 120 beats per minute and the pattern is reassuring. The patient reports that her contractions are occurring every 5 minutes and last 60 seconds. The nurse checks the cervix and notes it is 4 cm dilated, 80% effaced, and the fetus is in the vertex position. During the initial assessment, the nurse should prioritize which of the following actions?