Practice Question
A nurse is caring for a client who was admitted with acute psychosis and is being treated with haloperidol. The nurse should suspect that the client may be experiencing tardive dyskinesia when the client exhibits which of the following? (Select all that apply.)
Answer Choices:
Correct Answer:
Slurred speech
Rationale:
Slurred speech
💎 Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is a late-onset extrapyramidal side effect of haloperidol, resulting from chronic dopamine receptor blockade in the basal ganglia.
💎 Involvement of the orofacial muscles leads to difficulty in articulating words, presenting as slurred speech.
💎 Slurred speech in TD is persistent and involuntary, distinguishing it from transient dysarthria caused by other conditions.
💎 Early recognition is critical because TD symptoms can become irreversible if not promptly addressed.
💎 Nurses should report these findings immediately for possible medication adjustment or discontinuation.
Involuntary movements of the tongue
💎 Involuntary tongue thrusting, lip-smacking, and chewing movements are hallmark signs of TD.
💎 These movements occur due to supersensitivity of dopamine receptors after long-term antipsychotic use.
💎 TD can severely affect speech, swallowing, and social interactions, reducing quality of life.
💎 Identifying early orofacial TD signs allows for timely intervention, such as switching to atypical antipsychotics or using VMAT2 inhibitors.
💎 Continuous assessment for TD is a critical nursing responsibility when caring for clients on typical antipsychotics.
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This question is from Custom: Mental Health Med-know Exam which contains 24 questions.
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Question Details
- Category: LPN Nursing Exam(s)
- Subcategory: LPN ATI Exams
- Domain: Mental Health
- Answer Choices: 4