The nurse is planning care for an older patient diagnosed with major depression who states that voices are telling the patient to kill himself. Which nursing diagnosis would be a priority for this patient?
1. Social isolation
2. Risk for suicide
3. Disturbed sleep pattern
4. Altered sensory perception
2. Risk for suicide
Explanation: 1. Social isolation might be causing the patient to hear voices; however, this would not be the priority diagnosis at this time.
2. The patient is hearing voices that are telling him to kill himself. This patient is at risk for suicide.
3. The patient may or may not have disturbed sleep. This is not the priority diagnosis for the patient at this time.
4. Even though the patient is hearing voices, which would be an alteration in sensory perception, the voices are telling the patient to kill himself. This is not the priority diagnosis for the patient at this time.
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