A nurse is caring for a child who has a small foreign object lodged in the ear canal. After performing an otoscopic examination, which of the following actions should the nurse take first to safely remove the foreign body?

Use gentle irrigation with warm water to flush out the foreign object if the tympanic membrane is intact.

Instill prescribed ear drops immediately to soften the foreign object before removal.

Refer the child immediately for surgical removal without attempting any bedside removal.

Attempt to remove the foreign body with cotton swabs to grasp and extract it.