A nurse is caring for a client who is postoperative. When the nurse prepares to change her dressing, she says, "every time you change my bandage, it hurts so much." Which of the following interventions is the nurse's priority action?
A) Assess the client's pain level before and after the dressing change.
B) Administer a pain medication prior to the dressing change.
C) Explain the importance of changing the dressing to prevent infection.
D) Collaborate with the healthcare team to explore alternative dressing options.