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