For an infant showing respiratory distress, what is the recommended immediate action by the nurse?

In the scenario of an infant experiencing respiratory distress, initiating oxygen therapy is the most appropriate immediate action. Infants can quickly develop hypoxia due to various reasons such as airway obstruction, infection, or underlying respiratory conditions. Administering supplemental oxygen is a critical step to improve oxygen saturation levels in the blood, which helps alleviate the stress on the respiratory system.

Oxygen therapy can provide immediate relief and stabilization, allowing for better gas exchange and supporting the infant's overall physiological status. Once the immediate need for oxygen is addressed, further assessments and interventions can be undertaken, depending on the underlying cause of the respiratory distress.

Other options, such as providing sedation, while they may seem helpful in calming the infant, can actually exacerbate respiratory distress by further depressing the respiratory drive. Transferring the infant to a pediatric intensive care unit may be necessary later, but it's not the immediate action that addresses the acute problem at hand. Prescribing a chest CT scan is not appropriate for immediate intervention as it is an imaging study that requires time and preparation, and it wouldn't address the infant's urgent need for improved oxygenation.