When assessing a patient with a head injury, the nurse recognizes that the earliest indication of increased intracranial pressure (ICP) is

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LOC is the most sensitive indicator of the patient's neurologic status and possible changes in ICP. Vomiting and sluggish pupil response to light are later signs of increased ICP. A headache can be caused by compression of intracranial structures as the brain swells, but it is not unexpected after a head injury.

When Assessing a Patient with a Head Injury, the Nurse