Sample Test Questions ANCC – PMHNP (with error-free
answers)
A patient with borderline personality disorder experiences intense anxiety when an adult
psychiatric and mental health nurse practitioner goes on vacation. The best explanation for this
reaction is that the patient:
A. has failed to develop clear ego boundaries.
B. has failed to master object constancy.
C. is employing primitive idealization.
D. is employing projective identification. correct answers B. has failed to master object
constancy
2. A patient has been taking escitalopram (Lexapro) 10 mg daily for four weeks. Initially, the
patient reported depression and suicidal thoughts. The patient's sleep, appetite, energy, and
appearance have now begun to improve. Which statement applies to this patient?
A. The medication should be discontinued.
B. The medication should be increased.
C. The patient's risk for suicide is not a concern.
D. The patient's suicide potential is increased. correct answers D. The patient's suicide potential
is increased.
3. Which behavior reflects existentially oriented therapy?
A. Attempting to understand a patient's subjective world
B. Challenging a patient's irrational beliefs
C. Developing specific plans for change
D. Establishing general group goals correct answers A. Attempting to understand a patient's
subjective world
4. Serving as a member on a crisis team, an adult psychiatric and mental health nurse practitioner
provides crisis intervention to the survivors of a plane crash. Forty-eight hours after the accident,
the survivors describe vivid flashbacks, startle reactions, and disrupted sleep patterns. The nurse
practitioner responds by:
A. advising the survivors to consider using a hypnotic medication for a brief period.
B. educating the survivors about prodromal symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder.
C. encouraging the survivors to rest during the day.
D. suggesting that the survivors join a posttrauma support group. correct answers B. educating
the survivors about prodromal symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder.
5. An adult psychiatric and mental health nurse practitioner uses the interpersonal therapy model
with a patient to establish a therapeutic alliance based upon empathy and trust. The nurse
practitioner recognizes the patient's readiness to terminate therapy when the patient
demonstrates:
A. an understanding that leaving a significant other may be painful, but also presents an
opportunity for growth.
B. breathing and muscle relaxation exercises that decrease muscle tension and anxiety.
, C. free association, and considers the nurse practitioner's interpretation of the patient's dreams.
D. new adaptive skills and responses after completing "homework assignments." correct answers
A. an understanding that leaving a significant other may be painful, but also presents an
opportunity for growth.
6. An Hispanic patient informs an adult psychiatric and mental health nurse practitioner during a
wellness visit that he or she occasionally uses hot chili juice to relieve a "nervous condition." The
patient denies any complaints related to this practice. The nurse practitioner's response is to:
A. actively discourage the patient from continuing this treatment.
B. offer a medication to treat the nervous condition.
C. suggest an alternative food to relieve the nervous condition.
D. view this as a self-care ritual that needs to be preserved. correct answers D. view this as a self-
care ritual that needs to be preserved.
7. Before an older adult patient initiates pharmacotherapy with a medication that is cleared by the
kidneys, an adult psychiatric and mental health nurse practitioner assesses the patient's:
A. blood urea nitrogen level.
B. creatinine clearance.
C. specific gravity.
D. urinary sediment. correct answers B. creatinine clearance.
8. An adult psychiatric and mental health nurse practitioner uses a cognitive-behavioral approach
to help an adolescent patient change self-defeating behaviors. After identifying the initial stressor
that is causing the inappropriate behavior, the therapeutic intervention is to identify:
A. alternative positive responses to the stressor.
B. negative consequences of the behavioral response to the stressor.
C. possible outcomes of alternative responses.
D. rational and irrational beliefs about the stressor. correct answers D. rational and irrational
beliefs about the stressor.
9. Which characteristic of fluoxetine (Prozac) provides the greatest degree of safety for patients
who have severe depression?
A. Greater efficacy than tricyclic antidepressants
B. Less potential for drug interaction
C. Less potential for injury with intentional overdose
D. Less potential for suicidal thinking correct answers C. Less potential for injury with
intentional overdose
10. When lobbying a local congressional representative to include nurse practitioners in
reimbursement for services in all areas of the country, an adult psychiatric and mental health
nurse practitioner emphasizes the:
A. ability of nurse practitioners to provide health care that patients need.
B. fact that nurse practitioners are caring in their patient care delivery.
C. importance of broadening the scope of nursing practice.
D. necessity of offering equivalent services both to urban and rural patients. correct answers A.
ability of nurse practitioners to provide health care that patients need.
answers)
A patient with borderline personality disorder experiences intense anxiety when an adult
psychiatric and mental health nurse practitioner goes on vacation. The best explanation for this
reaction is that the patient:
A. has failed to develop clear ego boundaries.
B. has failed to master object constancy.
C. is employing primitive idealization.
D. is employing projective identification. correct answers B. has failed to master object
constancy
2. A patient has been taking escitalopram (Lexapro) 10 mg daily for four weeks. Initially, the
patient reported depression and suicidal thoughts. The patient's sleep, appetite, energy, and
appearance have now begun to improve. Which statement applies to this patient?
A. The medication should be discontinued.
B. The medication should be increased.
C. The patient's risk for suicide is not a concern.
D. The patient's suicide potential is increased. correct answers D. The patient's suicide potential
is increased.
3. Which behavior reflects existentially oriented therapy?
A. Attempting to understand a patient's subjective world
B. Challenging a patient's irrational beliefs
C. Developing specific plans for change
D. Establishing general group goals correct answers A. Attempting to understand a patient's
subjective world
4. Serving as a member on a crisis team, an adult psychiatric and mental health nurse practitioner
provides crisis intervention to the survivors of a plane crash. Forty-eight hours after the accident,
the survivors describe vivid flashbacks, startle reactions, and disrupted sleep patterns. The nurse
practitioner responds by:
A. advising the survivors to consider using a hypnotic medication for a brief period.
B. educating the survivors about prodromal symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder.
C. encouraging the survivors to rest during the day.
D. suggesting that the survivors join a posttrauma support group. correct answers B. educating
the survivors about prodromal symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder.
5. An adult psychiatric and mental health nurse practitioner uses the interpersonal therapy model
with a patient to establish a therapeutic alliance based upon empathy and trust. The nurse
practitioner recognizes the patient's readiness to terminate therapy when the patient
demonstrates:
A. an understanding that leaving a significant other may be painful, but also presents an
opportunity for growth.
B. breathing and muscle relaxation exercises that decrease muscle tension and anxiety.
, C. free association, and considers the nurse practitioner's interpretation of the patient's dreams.
D. new adaptive skills and responses after completing "homework assignments." correct answers
A. an understanding that leaving a significant other may be painful, but also presents an
opportunity for growth.
6. An Hispanic patient informs an adult psychiatric and mental health nurse practitioner during a
wellness visit that he or she occasionally uses hot chili juice to relieve a "nervous condition." The
patient denies any complaints related to this practice. The nurse practitioner's response is to:
A. actively discourage the patient from continuing this treatment.
B. offer a medication to treat the nervous condition.
C. suggest an alternative food to relieve the nervous condition.
D. view this as a self-care ritual that needs to be preserved. correct answers D. view this as a self-
care ritual that needs to be preserved.
7. Before an older adult patient initiates pharmacotherapy with a medication that is cleared by the
kidneys, an adult psychiatric and mental health nurse practitioner assesses the patient's:
A. blood urea nitrogen level.
B. creatinine clearance.
C. specific gravity.
D. urinary sediment. correct answers B. creatinine clearance.
8. An adult psychiatric and mental health nurse practitioner uses a cognitive-behavioral approach
to help an adolescent patient change self-defeating behaviors. After identifying the initial stressor
that is causing the inappropriate behavior, the therapeutic intervention is to identify:
A. alternative positive responses to the stressor.
B. negative consequences of the behavioral response to the stressor.
C. possible outcomes of alternative responses.
D. rational and irrational beliefs about the stressor. correct answers D. rational and irrational
beliefs about the stressor.
9. Which characteristic of fluoxetine (Prozac) provides the greatest degree of safety for patients
who have severe depression?
A. Greater efficacy than tricyclic antidepressants
B. Less potential for drug interaction
C. Less potential for injury with intentional overdose
D. Less potential for suicidal thinking correct answers C. Less potential for injury with
intentional overdose
10. When lobbying a local congressional representative to include nurse practitioners in
reimbursement for services in all areas of the country, an adult psychiatric and mental health
nurse practitioner emphasizes the:
A. ability of nurse practitioners to provide health care that patients need.
B. fact that nurse practitioners are caring in their patient care delivery.
C. importance of broadening the scope of nursing practice.
D. necessity of offering equivalent services both to urban and rural patients. correct answers A.
ability of nurse practitioners to provide health care that patients need.
