Chamberlain University-Illinois / NR 668
PMHNP ANCC Exam Questions And
Correct Verified Answers New Version 2026
26
The purpose of the American Nurses Association's Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing: Scope
20
and Standards of Practice is to
a. Define the role and actions for the NP
b. Establish the legal authority for the prescription of psychotropic medications
c. Define the legal statutes of the role of the PMHNP
s
d. Define the differences between the physician role and .the NP role
am
-ANSWER- a. Define the role and actions for the NP
Rationale - The ANAs Psych-Mental Health Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice defines the
role and actions of the nurse practitioner.
Ex
Primary prevention care practices are an essential aspect of the PMHNP role. Which of the
following is the best example of a primary prevention care strategy for community behavioral
health?
s
a. Aftercare program for chronically mentally ill clients recently discharged from the hospital
rt
b. Court-ordered counseling for abusive parents
pe
c. 24-hour crisis hotlines
d. Parenting skills classes for pregnant adolescents -ANSWER-d. Parenting skills classes for
pregnant adolescents
Ex
Rationale - Information reduces incidence of disease.
The trend in legal rulings on cases involving mental illness over the past 25 years has been to
se
a. Encourage juries to find defendants not guilty by reason of insanity
b. Protect the person's freedoms or rights when he or she is committed to a mental hospital
c. Place increasing trust in mental health professionals to make good and ethical decisions
ur
d. Decrease the "red tape" associated with commitments .so that commitments are faster and
easier -ANSWER- b. Protect the person's freedoms or rights when he or she
N
is committed to a mental hospital
Rationale -;Identifies the trend of ensuring the protection of individual civil liberties for
psychiatric clients.
,Which of the following statements best reflects the difference A. Social relationships are mutual interpersonal relationships in which the needs of both
between the nurse-client (N-C) relationship and a social parties are addressed. The N-C relationship is most concerned with meeting the needs of
relationship? the client.
a. In the N-C relationship, the primary focus is on the client
and the client's needs.
b. Goals in the N-C relationship are deliberately left
vague and unspoken so that the client can work on any issue.
c. In the N-C relationship, the nurse is solely responsible for
making the relationship work.
d. In the N-C relationship, there is no place for social
interaction.
26
A community has an unusually high incidence of depression A. This action focuses on interventions designed to reduce the incidence of new cases of
20
and drug use among the teenage population. disease.
The public health nurses decide to address this problem,in part,
by modifying the environment and strengthening the capacities
of families to prevent the development of new cases of
s
depression and drug use. What is this is an example of?
am
a. Primary prevention
b. Secondary prevention
c. Tertiary prevention
d. Protective factorial prevention
Ex
Mrs. Kemp is voluntarily admitted to the hospital. After 24hours, B. Almost every state allows for a brief for a period detainment to assess a client for
s
she states she wishes to leave because "this place can't help dangerousness to self or others before allowing the client to leave a hospital setting, even
rt
me." The best nursing action that reflects the legal right of this if the admission was voluntary.
client is
a. Discharge the client
pe
b. Explain that the client cannot leave until you can
complete further assessment
c. Allow the client to leave but have her sign forms stating she is
Ex
leaving against medical advice
d. Immediately start the paperwork to commit the client and to
allow you to treat her against her wishes
se
In forming a therapeutic relationship with clients, the PMHNP
C. Authenticity. Being genuine, honest, and respectful are essential elements in
must consider developing many characteristics that are known
ur
to be helpful in relationship-building. establishing a working relationship with any client. Like-mindedness is not a part of the
therapeutic relationship. Althoughan important aspect of the PMHNP role,collecting a family
Which of the following is an essential part of building a
history and accuracy in assessment does not in and of itself facilitate relationship building.
therapeutic relationship?
N
a. Collecting a family history
b. Like-mindedness
c. Authenticity
d. Accuracy in assessment
, According to the DSM-5, which of the following is true?(Ch.3) D. All DSM-5 disordders need to be made taking a person's culture into account. A cultural
a. A mental disorder is equivalent to the need for expression of a response to grief, loss, or stress is not considered a DSM-5 diagnosis.
treatment.
b. Diagnostic criteria are used to inform clinical judgment.c.
Socially deviant behavior is considered a mental disorder.
d. A culturally expected response to a stressor is not a mental
disorder.
C. Clients frequently display resistanceand regression at the termination of a
Mrs. French has been in individual therapy for 3 months.She has
26
meaningful therapeutic process. The PMHNP is responsible for planning an effective
shown much growth and improvement in her functioning and termination and monitoring clients during the termination period.
insight and is to discontinue services within the next few weeks.
In the next session, after you discuss service termination, she
20
suddenly begins to demonstrate the original symptoms that had
brought her to treatment initially. She is now hesitant to
discharge,wants to continue services, and is displaying an
increase in regressive defense mechanisms. What is the best
explanation for Ms. French's behavior?
s
a. An exacerbation of her symptoms related to stress
am
b. The normal cyclic nature of chronic mental health
symptoms
c. A sign of normal resistance to termination seen in the
termination phase of therapy
d. A sign of pathological attachment to the therapist that must
Ex
be addressed
s
rt
A client is displaying low self-esteem, poor self-control,self- B. These signs indicate developmental failure of early childhood.
pe
doubt, and a high level of dependency. These
behaviors indicate developmental failure of which of the
following stages of development:
a. Infancy
Ex
b. Early childhood
c. Late childhood
d. School age
se
Mr. Thompson has been forgetful lately,for B. The psychic determinism principle states that all behavior has purpose and meaning,
ur
example,forgetting where he has placed his keys or what time often unconscious in nature, and that no behaviors occur randomly or by coincidence.
appointments are scheduled, and he has stated that he thinks
these are just random behaviors that have no
particular meaning. Which Freudian-based
N
psychodynamic principle assumes that all behavior and actions
are purposeful?
a. Pleasure principle
b. Psychic determinism principle
c. Reality principle
d. Unconsciousness principle
PMHNP ANCC Exam Questions And
Correct Verified Answers New Version 2026
26
The purpose of the American Nurses Association's Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing: Scope
20
and Standards of Practice is to
a. Define the role and actions for the NP
b. Establish the legal authority for the prescription of psychotropic medications
c. Define the legal statutes of the role of the PMHNP
s
d. Define the differences between the physician role and .the NP role
am
-ANSWER- a. Define the role and actions for the NP
Rationale - The ANAs Psych-Mental Health Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice defines the
role and actions of the nurse practitioner.
Ex
Primary prevention care practices are an essential aspect of the PMHNP role. Which of the
following is the best example of a primary prevention care strategy for community behavioral
health?
s
a. Aftercare program for chronically mentally ill clients recently discharged from the hospital
rt
b. Court-ordered counseling for abusive parents
pe
c. 24-hour crisis hotlines
d. Parenting skills classes for pregnant adolescents -ANSWER-d. Parenting skills classes for
pregnant adolescents
Ex
Rationale - Information reduces incidence of disease.
The trend in legal rulings on cases involving mental illness over the past 25 years has been to
se
a. Encourage juries to find defendants not guilty by reason of insanity
b. Protect the person's freedoms or rights when he or she is committed to a mental hospital
c. Place increasing trust in mental health professionals to make good and ethical decisions
ur
d. Decrease the "red tape" associated with commitments .so that commitments are faster and
easier -ANSWER- b. Protect the person's freedoms or rights when he or she
N
is committed to a mental hospital
Rationale -;Identifies the trend of ensuring the protection of individual civil liberties for
psychiatric clients.
,Which of the following statements best reflects the difference A. Social relationships are mutual interpersonal relationships in which the needs of both
between the nurse-client (N-C) relationship and a social parties are addressed. The N-C relationship is most concerned with meeting the needs of
relationship? the client.
a. In the N-C relationship, the primary focus is on the client
and the client's needs.
b. Goals in the N-C relationship are deliberately left
vague and unspoken so that the client can work on any issue.
c. In the N-C relationship, the nurse is solely responsible for
making the relationship work.
d. In the N-C relationship, there is no place for social
interaction.
26
A community has an unusually high incidence of depression A. This action focuses on interventions designed to reduce the incidence of new cases of
20
and drug use among the teenage population. disease.
The public health nurses decide to address this problem,in part,
by modifying the environment and strengthening the capacities
of families to prevent the development of new cases of
s
depression and drug use. What is this is an example of?
am
a. Primary prevention
b. Secondary prevention
c. Tertiary prevention
d. Protective factorial prevention
Ex
Mrs. Kemp is voluntarily admitted to the hospital. After 24hours, B. Almost every state allows for a brief for a period detainment to assess a client for
s
she states she wishes to leave because "this place can't help dangerousness to self or others before allowing the client to leave a hospital setting, even
rt
me." The best nursing action that reflects the legal right of this if the admission was voluntary.
client is
a. Discharge the client
pe
b. Explain that the client cannot leave until you can
complete further assessment
c. Allow the client to leave but have her sign forms stating she is
Ex
leaving against medical advice
d. Immediately start the paperwork to commit the client and to
allow you to treat her against her wishes
se
In forming a therapeutic relationship with clients, the PMHNP
C. Authenticity. Being genuine, honest, and respectful are essential elements in
must consider developing many characteristics that are known
ur
to be helpful in relationship-building. establishing a working relationship with any client. Like-mindedness is not a part of the
therapeutic relationship. Althoughan important aspect of the PMHNP role,collecting a family
Which of the following is an essential part of building a
history and accuracy in assessment does not in and of itself facilitate relationship building.
therapeutic relationship?
N
a. Collecting a family history
b. Like-mindedness
c. Authenticity
d. Accuracy in assessment
, According to the DSM-5, which of the following is true?(Ch.3) D. All DSM-5 disordders need to be made taking a person's culture into account. A cultural
a. A mental disorder is equivalent to the need for expression of a response to grief, loss, or stress is not considered a DSM-5 diagnosis.
treatment.
b. Diagnostic criteria are used to inform clinical judgment.c.
Socially deviant behavior is considered a mental disorder.
d. A culturally expected response to a stressor is not a mental
disorder.
C. Clients frequently display resistanceand regression at the termination of a
Mrs. French has been in individual therapy for 3 months.She has
26
meaningful therapeutic process. The PMHNP is responsible for planning an effective
shown much growth and improvement in her functioning and termination and monitoring clients during the termination period.
insight and is to discontinue services within the next few weeks.
In the next session, after you discuss service termination, she
20
suddenly begins to demonstrate the original symptoms that had
brought her to treatment initially. She is now hesitant to
discharge,wants to continue services, and is displaying an
increase in regressive defense mechanisms. What is the best
explanation for Ms. French's behavior?
s
a. An exacerbation of her symptoms related to stress
am
b. The normal cyclic nature of chronic mental health
symptoms
c. A sign of normal resistance to termination seen in the
termination phase of therapy
d. A sign of pathological attachment to the therapist that must
Ex
be addressed
s
rt
A client is displaying low self-esteem, poor self-control,self- B. These signs indicate developmental failure of early childhood.
pe
doubt, and a high level of dependency. These
behaviors indicate developmental failure of which of the
following stages of development:
a. Infancy
Ex
b. Early childhood
c. Late childhood
d. School age
se
Mr. Thompson has been forgetful lately,for B. The psychic determinism principle states that all behavior has purpose and meaning,
ur
example,forgetting where he has placed his keys or what time often unconscious in nature, and that no behaviors occur randomly or by coincidence.
appointments are scheduled, and he has stated that he thinks
these are just random behaviors that have no
particular meaning. Which Freudian-based
N
psychodynamic principle assumes that all behavior and actions
are purposeful?
a. Pleasure principle
b. Psychic determinism principle
c. Reality principle
d. Unconsciousness principle
