A 34-year-old patient presents to the emergency department with a persistent cough, night sweats, and a recent weight loss. The patient mentions they have recently returned from a country with high incidence of tuberculosis. Given these symptoms and history, what is the most appropriate initial action by the nurse?
Place the patient in airborne precautions immediately
Schedule an aggressive workup including a chest X-ray and sputum analysis without isolation precautions
Start broad-spectrum antibiotics while awaiting further tests
Provide symptomatic treatment for cough and fever