Final answer:
The nurse's most therapeutic response would be to acknowledge and validate the client's feelings while encouraging further discussion to assess risk for harm and to offer support.
Step-by-step explanation:
In response to a depressed client expressing a desire to die, the most therapeutic response by the nurse would be to acknowledge the client’s feelings, express empathy, and engage the client in discussing these feelings further. A possible response could be, “It sounds like you’re feeling overwhelmed right now. Can you tell me more about what’s making you feel this way?” This approach validates the client’s experiences, opens a dialogue, and enables the nurse to assess the client's risk for harm while also providing support.