A young adult client with a recent diagnosis of bipolar disorder takes lithium carbonate daily. The client informed the school nurse of the desire to live away from home to attend college after graduating in one month. Which information is most important for the nurse to provide the client and his family?

For a client with a recent diagnosis planning to live independently, the most critical factor for maintaining stability is the ability to self-monitor for early signs of both manic and depressive relapse. Recognizing these early symptoms allows for prompt intervention before a full-blown episode occurs. While routine lithium monitoring (A) and ongoing therapy (D) are important components of management, they are secondary to the client's own ability to identify when they are becoming ill. Simply affirming the client's ability to live away from home (B) is supportive but does not provide the necessary tool for managing the illness independently.