Final answer:
The nurse is conducting an independent nursing intervention by assessing a patient's level of consciousness, which is part of monitoring their neurological status.
Step-by-step explanation:
When assessing a patient's level of consciousness, the nurse is performing an independent nursing intervention. Independent interventions are actions that nurses are licensed to initiate based on their sound judgement and skills. These interventions require no direction or orders from others. Assessing a patient's level of consciousness involves using tools like the AVPU scale (which stands for Alert, Verbal response, Painful response, Unresponsive) or the Glasgow Coma Scale, and it's a critical aspect of monitoring a patient's neurological status.