A 16-year-old male tells the nurse that he is not in the mood to do anything with his friends.He states,"For weeks now I am just not interested in doing anything and I've stopped all my sports activities.I just feel sad all the time and I just don't want to go on." The nurse completes her assessment and begins her plan of care.What is the most appropriate nursing intervention at this time?

A) Inform the patient you will be contacting his parents
B) Inform the patient you are completing a mental health referral
C) Teach the male coping strategies
D) Contact the patient's teachers for further information

Depression affects up to 8.3% of adolescents in the United States and the percentage may even be higher.Adolescents who report feeling sad or hopeless almost every day for more than 2 weeks usually stop doing some activities they considered fun.Additionally,they may have difficulty identifying and describing their emotional or mood states.In this item,the male is expressing how he feels.He is also describing a severe depressive state by citing,"I do not want to go on." The nurse must be alerted to this and immediately intervene by making a mental health referral,as this male is at high risk for suicide.Confidentiality is important in this age group; however,if there is concern about suicide,explain to the adolescent that you are required to share this information with others including mental health specialists and parents.Contacting the parents is important but the first action is to make a mental health referral.