Final answer:
The nurse should first report the Blood Pressure and Intracranial Pressure readings to a healthcare provider to ensure immediate medical intervention. While elevating the bed and documenting the findings are important, addressing potential cerebral perfusion issues takes precedence.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a nurse encounters a patient with a systemic Blood Pressure (BP) of 108/51 mm Hg and an Intracranial Pressure (ICP) of 14 mm Hg, the priority is to ensure the patient's brain is receiving adequate perfusion. The first action should be to report the BP and ICP to the health care provider. A systolic blood pressure of 108 mm Hg may be adequate, but an ICP of 14 mm Hg is elevated, and this could compromise cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP). Elevating the head of the bed may help in reducing ICP, and it is important, but reporting to a health care provider should come first to ensure appropriate medical intervention. Documenting the readings is also crucial, but again, this comes after alerting the medical team so that immediate actions can be taken if required.