An imminently dying patient has Cheyne-Stokes breathing without signs of distress. The family is requesting oxygen. Which of the following should be the nurse's INITIAL action?

Simply obtaining an order for oxygen without first discussing its effectiveness may not address the patient's needs. In cases of terminal illness, oxygen may not improve comfort or prolong life, and administering it without proper evaluation could lead to unnecessary interventions.

While consulting a respiratory therapist might provide additional insights into oxygen therapy, this step may not be the most immediate or necessary action. The nurse should first assess the situation and discuss the appropriateness of oxygen before involving additional personnel, especially since the patient is in a terminal phase.

Measuring oxygen saturation may offer useful data, but in a dying patient, the results may not change the course of care. The focus should be on discussing the potential benefits of oxygen with the family rather than relying on numerical values that may not reflect the patient's comfort or needs at this stage.