An adolescent tells the school nurse, My friend threatened to ...

[Zulu123]

An adolescent tells the school nurse, My friend threatened to take an overdose of pills. The nurse talks to the friend who verbalized the suicide threat. The most critical question for the nurse to ask would be:
 
  a. Why do you want to kill yourself?
  b. Do you have access to medications?
  c. Have you been taking drugs and alcohol?
  d. Did something happen with your parents?

Question 2

A person intentionally overdoses on antidepressant drugs. Which nursing diagnosis has the highest priority?
 
  a. Powerlessness
  b. Social isolation
  c. Risk for suicide
  d. Compromised family coping

[shayla]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: B
The nurse must assess the patient's access to the means to carry out the plan and, if there is access, alert the parents to remove them from the home. The other questions may be important to ask but are not the most critical.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: C
This diagnosis is the only one with life-or-death ramifications and is therefore higher in priority than the other options.

[Zulu123]

Excellent

[Sarahjh]

Great answer, keep it coming