Tardive dyskinesia: a key issue facing the psychiatric/mental health nurse

The use of psychotropic drugs over the past four decades has helped calm violent behavior in psychiatric patients. However, a significant number of patients using these drugs have developed tardive dyskinesia, a potentially irreversible neurological syndrome that causes a variety of involuntary movements of the head, face, and body. The nurse can play a large role in structuring a written informed consent document and a well-coordinated TD monitoring system to protect patients and prevent lawsuits.