An alert and oriented 70-year-old patient has been admitted to the long-term care facility from home seven days ago and has refused to take a bath since admission. What action will the nurse take initially?

Contact the family to assist the patient with bathing; only family can make the patient bathe.

Notify the physician of the patient’s situation and ask for a sedative.

Assess the reasons the patient does not want to bathe and inform him of the risks.

Explain to the patient he is at high risk for infection and he does not have a choice; it must be done today.