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Antipsychotic Medications Explained (Haloperidol, CloZAPine, Ziprasidone) | NCLEX Pharm Review

Struggling to remember antipsychotic medications, side effects, and NCLEX safety priorities — even after hours of studying? You’re not alone. In this mini lesson, Nurse Mike breaks down antipsychotic pharmacology the SimpleNursing way, making complex psych meds like haloperidol, clozapine, and ziprasidone easy to understand, remember, and apply on exam day. You’ll learn how to quickly spot life-threatening red flags like Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS), agranulocytosis, and QT prolongation, so you can answer priority NCLEX questions with confidence and think like a real nurse at the bedside. 🚀 TRY SIMPLENURSING FOR FREE. Make nursing knowledge stick with SimpleNursing: 👉 https://shorturl.at/1KY2Z 🔗 Helpful Links Pharmacology for Nurses: https://simplenursing.com/pharmacology/?utm_content=antipsychotics_new_callouts_video&utm_source=youtube.com&utm_medium=referral Medication Classifications: https://simplenursing.com/drug-classifications/?utm_content=antipsychotics_new_callouts_video&utm_source=youtube.com&utm_medium=referral 💡 What You’ll Learn - First vs. second generation antipsychotics made simple - How to recognize and respond to NMS (Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome) - Clozapine safety, low WBCs, agranulocytosis & infection risk - Ziprasidone and QT prolongation, hypotension & cardiac monitoring - Key nursing interventions and NCLEX priority actions - Memory tricks to lock in psych pharmacology fast 🕒 Timestamps 00:00 Antipsychotic Medications Overview (Haloperidol, Clozapine, Ziprasidone) 00:21 First-Generation Antipsychotics (Haloperidol) Indications & Uses 00:40 EPS & Dystonia Explained (Common Side Effects) 01:01 Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) Red Flags & Nursing Priorities 01:52 NCLEX Trap: Haloperidol vs. Hydrochlorothiazide 02:21 Second-Generation Antipsychotics (Clozapine & Risperidone) 02:41 Common Side Effects: Weight Gain, Drooling & Sedation 02:54 Agranulocytosis & Low WBCs: Clozapine Safety Monitoring 03:27 Dementia Contraindication (Risperidone Warning) 03:57 Ziprasidone (Geodon) Indications & Cardiac Risks 04:11 QT Prolongation, Hypotension & ECG Monitoring 04:35 Study Guides, NCLEX Review & Membership Access ❤️ Why This Matters Antipsychotics are a high-risk, high-yield NCLEX topic because they test whether students can recognize life-threatening adverse effects and take immediate priority action — not just memorize drug names. Teaching these meds through memory-based, safety-first frameworks directly improves exam performance and real-world patient outcomes. 👍 Like, Subscribe & Study Smarter If this helped, hit Like, Subscribe, and share it with a classmate who’s feeling overwhelmed. 🧠 Explore interactive NCLEX-style quizzes, animated lessons, and study guides at SimpleNursing.com — learning that actually sticks. 📚 More Nursing Resources Official Website: https://shorturl.at/1KY2Z Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simplenursing.com_/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@simplenursing Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SimpleNursing YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/simplenursing #NursingSchool #StudySmarter #NCLEXPrep #NurseMike #SimpleNursing #NursingStudents #ActiveRecall #SpacedRepetition #NursingStudyTips #CriticalThinking #NCLEXStudy #NursingEducation #antipsychotics #nclexpharmacology #pharmacology