BARKLEY PMHNP MENTAL HEALTH REVIEW
EXAM PAPER
All answers Provided on the last pages {Student Exam}
Candidate Name:
Student Number:
Course / Class:
Time Allowed: 3 Hours
Total Marks: 150
Instructions to Students
- Answer all questions.
- Choose the best answer for Section A.
- For select-response questions, choose all options that apply.
- Write short, clear answers for Sections B and C.
- This paper is intended for student revision and classroom practice.
Exam Coverage
- Psychiatric assessment, history taking, and Mental Status Examination
- Screening tools, laboratory assessment, epidemiology, and prevention
- Suicide risk, culture, violence, abuse, and crisis intervention
- Personality disorders, eating disorders, substance use disorders
- Mood disorders, anxiety disorders, PTSD, OCD, and somatic symptom disorders
PMHNP Mental Health Review Paper | Page 1
,SECTION A: Multiple Choice Questions
Answer all questions. Each question carries 1 mark.
1. During an initial psychiatric assessment, which action should the clinician complete first?
A. Begin medication teaching
B. Gather the chief complaint and history before treatment planning
C. Administer a depression rating scale before speaking to the patient
D. Discuss long-term relapse prevention
2. A student clinician uses COLDSPA to assess symptoms. Which item best represents the 'P' component?
A. Protective factors
B. Precipitating factors
C. Previous diagnosis
D. Patient preference
3. Which information belongs in a psychiatric social history?
A. Only current vital signs
B. Relationships, work, education, trauma, and legal history
C. Only medication allergies
D. Only cranial nerve findings
4. Why is medical history important during psychiatric evaluation?
A. It replaces the mental status exam
B. It helps rule out medical disorders that may mimic psychiatric symptoms
C. It confirms all psychiatric diagnoses
D. It is only required in older adults
5. Which finding is part of a mental status examination?
A. Insurance status
B. Speech pattern and thought process
C. Childhood vaccination record only
D. Family income level only
PMHNP Mental Health Review Exam Paper | Page 2
,SECTION A: Multiple Choice Questions continued
6. A clock-drawing task is most useful when screening for which problem?
A. Cognitive impairment
B. Substance intoxication only
C. Hypertension
D. Osteoporosis
7. The PHQ-9 is primarily used to assess symptoms of:
A. Depression
B. Alcohol withdrawal
C. Psychosis
D. Mania only
8. The GAD-7 is most appropriate for evaluating:
A. Generalized anxiety symptoms
B. Cranial nerve function
C. Lymph node enlargement
D. Opioid withdrawal
9. For an ADHD diagnosis, symptoms must be present:
A. Only at home
B. Only in school
C. In at least two settings
D. Only during sleep
10. The AIMS scale is used to monitor:
A. Abnormal involuntary movements
B. Blood alcohol level
C. Thyroid function
D. Suicide intent
PMHNP Mental Health Review Exam Paper | Page 3
, SECTION A: Multiple Choice Questions continued
11. Which general laboratory tests are commonly considered during psychiatric evaluation?
A. CBC, CMP, thyroid studies, B12, folate, and vitamin D
B. Only lipid profile
C. Only urinalysis
D. Only arterial blood gas
12. Which cranial nerve is associated with smell?
A. Olfactory nerve
B. Optic nerve
C. Vagus nerve
D. Hypoglossal nerve
13. Which cranial nerve is primarily responsible for vision?
A. Trochlear
B. Optic
C. Facial
D. Accessory
14. Which cranial nerve controls tongue movement?
A. Hypoglossal
B. Acoustic
C. Trigeminal
D. Oculomotor
15. Enlarged supraclavicular lymph nodes are clinically significant because they may suggest:
A. A concerning pathologic process
B. Normal aging only
C. Improved immunity
D. Mild dehydration
PMHNP Mental Health Review Exam Paper | Page 4
EXAM PAPER
All answers Provided on the last pages {Student Exam}
Candidate Name:
Student Number:
Course / Class:
Time Allowed: 3 Hours
Total Marks: 150
Instructions to Students
- Answer all questions.
- Choose the best answer for Section A.
- For select-response questions, choose all options that apply.
- Write short, clear answers for Sections B and C.
- This paper is intended for student revision and classroom practice.
Exam Coverage
- Psychiatric assessment, history taking, and Mental Status Examination
- Screening tools, laboratory assessment, epidemiology, and prevention
- Suicide risk, culture, violence, abuse, and crisis intervention
- Personality disorders, eating disorders, substance use disorders
- Mood disorders, anxiety disorders, PTSD, OCD, and somatic symptom disorders
PMHNP Mental Health Review Paper | Page 1
,SECTION A: Multiple Choice Questions
Answer all questions. Each question carries 1 mark.
1. During an initial psychiatric assessment, which action should the clinician complete first?
A. Begin medication teaching
B. Gather the chief complaint and history before treatment planning
C. Administer a depression rating scale before speaking to the patient
D. Discuss long-term relapse prevention
2. A student clinician uses COLDSPA to assess symptoms. Which item best represents the 'P' component?
A. Protective factors
B. Precipitating factors
C. Previous diagnosis
D. Patient preference
3. Which information belongs in a psychiatric social history?
A. Only current vital signs
B. Relationships, work, education, trauma, and legal history
C. Only medication allergies
D. Only cranial nerve findings
4. Why is medical history important during psychiatric evaluation?
A. It replaces the mental status exam
B. It helps rule out medical disorders that may mimic psychiatric symptoms
C. It confirms all psychiatric diagnoses
D. It is only required in older adults
5. Which finding is part of a mental status examination?
A. Insurance status
B. Speech pattern and thought process
C. Childhood vaccination record only
D. Family income level only
PMHNP Mental Health Review Exam Paper | Page 2
,SECTION A: Multiple Choice Questions continued
6. A clock-drawing task is most useful when screening for which problem?
A. Cognitive impairment
B. Substance intoxication only
C. Hypertension
D. Osteoporosis
7. The PHQ-9 is primarily used to assess symptoms of:
A. Depression
B. Alcohol withdrawal
C. Psychosis
D. Mania only
8. The GAD-7 is most appropriate for evaluating:
A. Generalized anxiety symptoms
B. Cranial nerve function
C. Lymph node enlargement
D. Opioid withdrawal
9. For an ADHD diagnosis, symptoms must be present:
A. Only at home
B. Only in school
C. In at least two settings
D. Only during sleep
10. The AIMS scale is used to monitor:
A. Abnormal involuntary movements
B. Blood alcohol level
C. Thyroid function
D. Suicide intent
PMHNP Mental Health Review Exam Paper | Page 3
, SECTION A: Multiple Choice Questions continued
11. Which general laboratory tests are commonly considered during psychiatric evaluation?
A. CBC, CMP, thyroid studies, B12, folate, and vitamin D
B. Only lipid profile
C. Only urinalysis
D. Only arterial blood gas
12. Which cranial nerve is associated with smell?
A. Olfactory nerve
B. Optic nerve
C. Vagus nerve
D. Hypoglossal nerve
13. Which cranial nerve is primarily responsible for vision?
A. Trochlear
B. Optic
C. Facial
D. Accessory
14. Which cranial nerve controls tongue movement?
A. Hypoglossal
B. Acoustic
C. Trigeminal
D. Oculomotor
15. Enlarged supraclavicular lymph nodes are clinically significant because they may suggest:
A. A concerning pathologic process
B. Normal aging only
C. Improved immunity
D. Mild dehydration
PMHNP Mental Health Review Exam Paper | Page 4
