Final answer:
The highest priority nursing activity for a premature neonate is placement in a warm environment to assist with thermoregulation, which is critical for the infant's survival.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the immediate care of the premature neonate, the highest priority nursing activity is B. Placement in a warm environment. This is crucial because immediately after birth, the newborn is exposed to an environment that is much colder than the womb, which can lead to hypothermia as the neonate's thermoregulatory mechanisms are not fully matured. Ensuring that the neonate is in a warm environment assists in thermoregulation, which is vital for the survival and stabilization of the infant. Activities such as neurological assessment, identification by bracelet and footprints, and instillation of antibiotics in the eyes are also important but follow after the infant's temperature has been stabilized because they do not have as immediate an impact on the neonate's survival as thermoregulation does.