Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 68%
Simulated
A client is being seen in the mental health clinic. The client has been on a conventional, first-generation antipsychotic for 8 months and is now exhibiting tongue protrusion, lip smacking, and rapid eye blinking. A nurse would document this chronic syndrome as:
Correct answer
D
Rationale
The correct answer is D: Tardive dyskinesia. Tardive dyskinesia is a chronic syndrome characterized by involuntary movements of the tongue, lips, and face, as described in the client's symptoms. This condition is commonly associated with long-term use of first-generation antipsychotics, like the one the client has been taking for 8 months. Tardive dyskinesia typically develops after prolonged exposure to antipsychotic medications and is often irreversible.
A: Akathisia is characterized by restlessness and the inability to sit still, not the involuntary movements described in the client.
B: Neuroleptic malignant syndrome presents with fever, altered mental status, muscle rigidity, and autonomic dysfunction, not the specific movements seen in the client.
C: Dystonia involves sustained muscle contractions leading to abnormal postures or repetitive movements, but it does not typically involve the specific facial movements described.
Therefore, D is the most appropriate choice given the
A: Akathisia is characterized by restlessness and the inability to sit still, not the involuntary movements described in the client.
B: Neuroleptic malignant syndrome presents with fever, altered mental status, muscle rigidity, and autonomic dysfunction, not the specific movements seen in the client.
C: Dystonia involves sustained muscle contractions leading to abnormal postures or repetitive movements, but it does not typically involve the specific facial movements described.
Therefore, D is the most appropriate choice given the