Implications of Antipsychotic Use: Antipsychotic-Induced Movement Disorders, with a Focus on Tardive Dyskinesia

Antipsychotics can be life changing, but like all medications, they can also have unwanted effects, including drug-induced movement disorders such as tardive dyskinesia (TD). More patients are receiving antipsychotic treatment from non-psychiatry health care providers, including primary care and general practitioners. Despite misconceptions to the contrary, recent analyses suggest that the risk of drug-induced movement disorders such as TD has not been eliminated. Nurses across all care settings will increasingly encounter patients treated with antipsychotics. Nurses are critical for ensuring that patients exposed to antipsychotics receive screening and monitoring, care, and education.