A client diagnosed with major depressive disorder began taking escitalopram 5 days ago. The client says, “This treatment isn’t working.” What is the nurse’s best intervention?

Choice A reason: SSRIs like escitalopram typically take 2–4 weeks to begin showing clinical effects, with full therapeutic benefit often seen around 4–6 weeks. Educating the client about this delay helps manage expectations and supports adherence. Choice B reason: While reassurance may provide temporary comfort, it lacks the educational component necessary for informed consent and understanding of pharmacodynamics. It may also come off as dismissive if not paired with factual information. Choice C reason: Increasing the dose at day 5 is premature and not evidence-based. Dose adjustments should only be considered after an adequate trial period, typically several weeks, unless adverse effects or worsening symptoms occur. Choice D reason: Assessing for improvement is part of ongoing care, but at day 5, significant symptom relief is unlikely. The priority is to educate the client about the expected timeline rather than prematurely evaluate efficacy.