AMERICAN NURSES CREDENTIALING CENTER • PSY CH IATRIC-MENTAL H EALTH NURSING
AMERICAN NURSES CREDENTIALING CENTER
Psychiatr ic-Mental Health Nur sing
Com pr ehensive Exam ination
ANCC PMH-BC™ Preparation | Academic Year 2026/2027
100 Or igin al Pr actice Question s | Four Cor e Dom ain s | An sw er s & Ration ales
Independent study material • Not an official ANCC examination
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing • 2026/2027 Practice Examination • 1
,AMERICAN NURSES CREDENTIALING CENTER • PSY CH IATRIC-MENTAL H EALTH NURSING
Introduction
This comprehensive practice examination is designed for candidates preparing for the American Nurses
Credentialing Center (ANCC) Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Board Certification Examination (PMH-
BC™). It contains 100 original practice questions organized around the four domains in the ANCC Test
Content Outline effective September 16, 2024: Assessment and Diagnosis; Planning; Implementation; and
Evaluation.
The current ANCC outline describes 150 examination questions: 125 scored and 25 pretest questions. The
scored content is distributed across Assessment and Diagnosis (28 questions; 22%), Planning (26; 21%),
Implementation (58; 46%), and Evaluation (13; 10%). The official certification information states that the
examination allows three hours for 150 questions.
Im por tant note: These are original practice items, not leaked, copied, retired, or guaranteed live
examination questions. This document is not an official ANCC/ANA publication. Candidates should use the
current ANCC Test Content Outline and official certification materials for final preparation.
DOMAIN I: ASSESSMENT AND DIAGNOSIS
Question 1. W hich option best answ er s the follow ing? The pr ior ity assessm ent for a client
w ith m ajor depr essive sym ptom s is?
A. dietary preference
B. employment history
C. suicide risk, including thoughts, intent, plan, access to means, and protective factors
D. sleep duration
Cor r ect Answ er : C
Rationale: Safety assessment is essential whenever depressive symptoms may be associated with self-
harm risk.
Question 2. W hich option best answ er s the follow ing? A per ception occur r ing w ithout an
exter nal stim u lu s is called a?
A. confabulation
B. hallucination
C. delusion
D. compulsion
Cor r ect Answ er : B
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing • 2026/2027 Practice Examination • 2
,AMERICAN NURSES CREDENTIALING CENTER • PSY CH IATRIC-MENTAL H EALTH NURSING
Rationale: A hallucination is a sensory perception without an external stimulus.
Question 3. W hich option best answ er s the follow ing? A fi xed false belief despite evidence to
the contr ar y is a?
A. delusion
B. hallucination
C. phobia
D. flashback
Cor r ect Answ er : A
Rationale: Delusions are fixed false beliefs that are not consistent with available evidence.
Question 4. W hich option best answ er s the follow ing? Acu te fl u ctu ating confu sion w ith
im pair ed attention is m ost char acter istic of?
A. schizophrenia
B. persistent depressive disorder
C. specific phobia
D. delirium
Cor r ect Answ er : D
Rationale: Delirium typically has acute onset, fluctuating course, and impaired attention.
Question 5. W hich option best answ er s the follow ing? Decr eased need for sleep w ith
incr eased ener gy is a classic fi nding of?
A. negative symptoms
B. obsessive-compulsive disorder
C. mania
D. delirium
Cor r ect Answ er : C
Rationale: Mania commonly includes increased energy and a decreased need for sleep.
Question 6. W hich option best answ er s the follow ing? Avolition and dim inished em otional
expr ession ar e exam ples of?
A. dissociative symptoms
B. negative symptoms
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing • 2026/2027 Practice Examination • 3
, AMERICAN NURSES CREDENTIALING CENTER • PSY CH IATRIC-MENTAL H EALTH NURSING
C. positive symptoms
D. panic symptoms
Cor r ect Answ er : B
Rationale: Negative symptoms include reduced motivation, expression, and other normal functions.
Question 7. W hich option best answ er s the follow ing? Recu r r ent intr u sive thou ghts
accom panied by r epetitive r ituals suggest?
A. obsessive-compulsive disorder
B. bipolar disorder
C. delirium
D. neurocognitive disorder
Cor r ect Answ er : A
Rationale: Obsessions and compulsions are central features of OCD.
Question 8. W hich option best answ er s the follow ing? The m ental statu s exam ination
pr im ar ily descr ibes?
A. only childhood development
B. only medication adherence
C. only physical findings
D. current cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and perceptual functioning
Cor r ect Answ er : D
Rationale: The MSE provides a structured description of current psychiatric functioning.
Question 9. W hich option best answ er s the follow ing? Insight r efer s to a client's?
A. ability to calculate numbers
B. level of muscle strength
C. awareness or understanding of their illness and circumstances
D. ability to remember three objects
Cor r ect Answ er : C
Rationale: Insight concerns awareness and understanding of one's condition.
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing • 2026/2027 Practice Examination • 4
AMERICAN NURSES CREDENTIALING CENTER
Psychiatr ic-Mental Health Nur sing
Com pr ehensive Exam ination
ANCC PMH-BC™ Preparation | Academic Year 2026/2027
100 Or igin al Pr actice Question s | Four Cor e Dom ain s | An sw er s & Ration ales
Independent study material • Not an official ANCC examination
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing • 2026/2027 Practice Examination • 1
,AMERICAN NURSES CREDENTIALING CENTER • PSY CH IATRIC-MENTAL H EALTH NURSING
Introduction
This comprehensive practice examination is designed for candidates preparing for the American Nurses
Credentialing Center (ANCC) Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Board Certification Examination (PMH-
BC™). It contains 100 original practice questions organized around the four domains in the ANCC Test
Content Outline effective September 16, 2024: Assessment and Diagnosis; Planning; Implementation; and
Evaluation.
The current ANCC outline describes 150 examination questions: 125 scored and 25 pretest questions. The
scored content is distributed across Assessment and Diagnosis (28 questions; 22%), Planning (26; 21%),
Implementation (58; 46%), and Evaluation (13; 10%). The official certification information states that the
examination allows three hours for 150 questions.
Im por tant note: These are original practice items, not leaked, copied, retired, or guaranteed live
examination questions. This document is not an official ANCC/ANA publication. Candidates should use the
current ANCC Test Content Outline and official certification materials for final preparation.
DOMAIN I: ASSESSMENT AND DIAGNOSIS
Question 1. W hich option best answ er s the follow ing? The pr ior ity assessm ent for a client
w ith m ajor depr essive sym ptom s is?
A. dietary preference
B. employment history
C. suicide risk, including thoughts, intent, plan, access to means, and protective factors
D. sleep duration
Cor r ect Answ er : C
Rationale: Safety assessment is essential whenever depressive symptoms may be associated with self-
harm risk.
Question 2. W hich option best answ er s the follow ing? A per ception occur r ing w ithout an
exter nal stim u lu s is called a?
A. confabulation
B. hallucination
C. delusion
D. compulsion
Cor r ect Answ er : B
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing • 2026/2027 Practice Examination • 2
,AMERICAN NURSES CREDENTIALING CENTER • PSY CH IATRIC-MENTAL H EALTH NURSING
Rationale: A hallucination is a sensory perception without an external stimulus.
Question 3. W hich option best answ er s the follow ing? A fi xed false belief despite evidence to
the contr ar y is a?
A. delusion
B. hallucination
C. phobia
D. flashback
Cor r ect Answ er : A
Rationale: Delusions are fixed false beliefs that are not consistent with available evidence.
Question 4. W hich option best answ er s the follow ing? Acu te fl u ctu ating confu sion w ith
im pair ed attention is m ost char acter istic of?
A. schizophrenia
B. persistent depressive disorder
C. specific phobia
D. delirium
Cor r ect Answ er : D
Rationale: Delirium typically has acute onset, fluctuating course, and impaired attention.
Question 5. W hich option best answ er s the follow ing? Decr eased need for sleep w ith
incr eased ener gy is a classic fi nding of?
A. negative symptoms
B. obsessive-compulsive disorder
C. mania
D. delirium
Cor r ect Answ er : C
Rationale: Mania commonly includes increased energy and a decreased need for sleep.
Question 6. W hich option best answ er s the follow ing? Avolition and dim inished em otional
expr ession ar e exam ples of?
A. dissociative symptoms
B. negative symptoms
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing • 2026/2027 Practice Examination • 3
, AMERICAN NURSES CREDENTIALING CENTER • PSY CH IATRIC-MENTAL H EALTH NURSING
C. positive symptoms
D. panic symptoms
Cor r ect Answ er : B
Rationale: Negative symptoms include reduced motivation, expression, and other normal functions.
Question 7. W hich option best answ er s the follow ing? Recu r r ent intr u sive thou ghts
accom panied by r epetitive r ituals suggest?
A. obsessive-compulsive disorder
B. bipolar disorder
C. delirium
D. neurocognitive disorder
Cor r ect Answ er : A
Rationale: Obsessions and compulsions are central features of OCD.
Question 8. W hich option best answ er s the follow ing? The m ental statu s exam ination
pr im ar ily descr ibes?
A. only childhood development
B. only medication adherence
C. only physical findings
D. current cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and perceptual functioning
Cor r ect Answ er : D
Rationale: The MSE provides a structured description of current psychiatric functioning.
Question 9. W hich option best answ er s the follow ing? Insight r efer s to a client's?
A. ability to calculate numbers
B. level of muscle strength
C. awareness or understanding of their illness and circumstances
D. ability to remember three objects
Cor r ect Answ er : C
Rationale: Insight concerns awareness and understanding of one's condition.
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing • 2026/2027 Practice Examination • 4
