The mental health unit nurse completes the admission assessment for a depressed adolescent client with suicidal ideation. The client reports becoming angry with a sibling, so the client took a handful of pills. Which goal is most important for the nurse to establish with this client?

A. Identify three effective ways to cope with feelings: Developing safe coping strategies directly addresses the client’s self-harming behavior and suicidal ideation. Teaching and reinforcing alternative ways to manage anger and distress is critical for preventing future overdose attempts and promoting emotional regulation. B. Attend at least 2 group sessions daily on the unit: Participation in group activities supports socialization and therapeutic engagement, but it does not directly reduce the immediate risk of self-harm or teach coping skills necessary to manage suicidal impulses. C. Verbally express anger towards family: Expressing anger can be therapeutic, but without structured coping strategies, the client may continue to use unsafe methods to manage emotions. The focus should remain on developing skills to prevent self-harm. D. Interact positively with the staff on the unit: Positive interactions promote rapport and trust, which are important for ongoing treatment, but they do not address the client’s primary safety concern of suicidal behavior and maladaptive coping.