Nurse Mary is assigned to care for a suicidal client. Initially, which is the nurse’s highest care priority.. Exploring the nurse’s own feelings about suicide

Nurse Mary is assigned to care for a suicidal client. Initially, which is the nurse’s highest care priority?
a. Assessing the client’s home environment and relationships outside the hospital
b. Exploring the nurse’s own feelings about suicide
c. Discussing the future with the client
d. Referring the client to a clergyperson to discuss the moral implications of suicide

Answer B.
The nurse’s values, beliefs, and attitudes toward self-destructive behavior influence responses to a suicidal client; such responses set the overall mood for the nurse-client relationship. Therefore, the nurse initially must explore personal feelings about suicide to avoid conveying negative feelings to the client. Assessment of the client’s home environment and relationships may reveal the need for family therapy; however, conducting such an assessment isn’t a nursing priority. Discussing the future and providing anticipatory guidance can help the client prepare for future stress, but this isn’t a priority. Referring the client to a clergyperson may increase the client’s trust or alleviate guilt; however, it isn’t the highest priority.