NR548/ NR 548 LATEST UPDATE 2025-2026 EXAM
PSYCHIATRIC ASSESSMENT FOR THE
PSYCHIATRIC-MENTAL HEALTH NURSE
PRACTITIONER QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
|GRADED A+ GUARANTEE
In the late 19th century - Answer-Focus shifted from restrictive custodial
care to treatment.
Dr. Edward Cowles created the first organized training school within a
hospital for the insane in 1882.
Early 20th century - Answer-Early psychiatric nurses were trained by
physicians; however, in 1913, Effie Jane Taylor developed the first
nurse-organized training course for psychiatric nursing at Johns Hopkins
Hospital.
World War I - Answer-expanded awareness of mental health disorders
and the need for specialized nursing care. Following WWI, the National
League for Nursing Education added "nursing in nervous and mental
diseases" to curriculum guides.
World War II - Answer-In WWII, many potential military recruits
deemed unfit for service due to psychiatric concerns, while many
veterans experienced combat-related neuropsychiatric conditions. Laura
,Fitzsimmons recommended standards of training for psychiatric nurses,
which led to improved education and standards of care.
1946 - Answer-With the passage of the National Mental Health Act
(NMHA) of 1946, psychiatric nursing was recognized as one of the four
core disciplines in psychiatric care and treatment (American Nurses
Association [ANA] et al., 2022). The act increased funding for
psychiatric nursing education programs and contributed to a growth in
university-based nursing education.
1954 - Answer-In 1954, the first graduate program in psychiatric
nursing was established at Rutgers University by Hildegarde Peplau to
prepare nurse therapists. The first advanced practice nursing role was the
psychiatric-mental health clinical nurse specialist (PMHCNS) role.
1963 - Answer-The 1950s brought a transition towards
deinstitutionalization in care for those with mental illnesses, which led to
an increase in the number of psychiatric clients receiving care in the
community rather than hospitals. The Community Mental Health
Centers Act of 1963 allowed for the expansion of the PMHCNS role into
community and ambulatory settings as they helped those who had been
deinstitutionalized adapt (ANA et al., 2022).
1965 - Answer-Loretta Ford, RN and Henry Silver MD introduce the
nurse practitioner role.
1973 - Answer-ANA first published Standards of Psychiatric-Mental
Health Nursing Practice in 1973.
, 1980s - Answer-Over time, research turned towards the neurobiological
basis for mental illness. With advances in psychotropic medications,
psychopharmacology has played an increased role in treatment. In the
1980s, states began to grant prescriptive authority to advanced practice
registered nurse (APRN), adding medication prescribing and
management to the traditional therapy role of the psychiatric mental
health (PMH) APRN.
2000s - Answer-Certification exams for adult and family psychiatric
mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) developed. These exams
were retired in 2015 when psychiatric certification exams were
combined to a single Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
(Across the Lifespan) Certification (PMHNP-BC).
Present - Answer-Current trends in care focus on integrated treatment of
those with co-occurring medical and psychiatric diagnoses and co-
occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders, leading to a need to
add content in advanced health assessment, pharmacology,
pathophysiology, and the diagnosis of psychiatric illness to graduate
psychiatric nursing curricula. Primary care has become the point of entry
to psychiatric care for many clients. PMHNPs are helping to address the
growing need for primary mental health services and mental illness
prevention. Though the number of advanced practice psychiatric nurses
has increased, there are still limitations in access for many clients, which
has led to disparities in mental health treatment.
PSYCHIATRIC ASSESSMENT FOR THE
PSYCHIATRIC-MENTAL HEALTH NURSE
PRACTITIONER QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
|GRADED A+ GUARANTEE
In the late 19th century - Answer-Focus shifted from restrictive custodial
care to treatment.
Dr. Edward Cowles created the first organized training school within a
hospital for the insane in 1882.
Early 20th century - Answer-Early psychiatric nurses were trained by
physicians; however, in 1913, Effie Jane Taylor developed the first
nurse-organized training course for psychiatric nursing at Johns Hopkins
Hospital.
World War I - Answer-expanded awareness of mental health disorders
and the need for specialized nursing care. Following WWI, the National
League for Nursing Education added "nursing in nervous and mental
diseases" to curriculum guides.
World War II - Answer-In WWII, many potential military recruits
deemed unfit for service due to psychiatric concerns, while many
veterans experienced combat-related neuropsychiatric conditions. Laura
,Fitzsimmons recommended standards of training for psychiatric nurses,
which led to improved education and standards of care.
1946 - Answer-With the passage of the National Mental Health Act
(NMHA) of 1946, psychiatric nursing was recognized as one of the four
core disciplines in psychiatric care and treatment (American Nurses
Association [ANA] et al., 2022). The act increased funding for
psychiatric nursing education programs and contributed to a growth in
university-based nursing education.
1954 - Answer-In 1954, the first graduate program in psychiatric
nursing was established at Rutgers University by Hildegarde Peplau to
prepare nurse therapists. The first advanced practice nursing role was the
psychiatric-mental health clinical nurse specialist (PMHCNS) role.
1963 - Answer-The 1950s brought a transition towards
deinstitutionalization in care for those with mental illnesses, which led to
an increase in the number of psychiatric clients receiving care in the
community rather than hospitals. The Community Mental Health
Centers Act of 1963 allowed for the expansion of the PMHCNS role into
community and ambulatory settings as they helped those who had been
deinstitutionalized adapt (ANA et al., 2022).
1965 - Answer-Loretta Ford, RN and Henry Silver MD introduce the
nurse practitioner role.
1973 - Answer-ANA first published Standards of Psychiatric-Mental
Health Nursing Practice in 1973.
, 1980s - Answer-Over time, research turned towards the neurobiological
basis for mental illness. With advances in psychotropic medications,
psychopharmacology has played an increased role in treatment. In the
1980s, states began to grant prescriptive authority to advanced practice
registered nurse (APRN), adding medication prescribing and
management to the traditional therapy role of the psychiatric mental
health (PMH) APRN.
2000s - Answer-Certification exams for adult and family psychiatric
mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) developed. These exams
were retired in 2015 when psychiatric certification exams were
combined to a single Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
(Across the Lifespan) Certification (PMHNP-BC).
Present - Answer-Current trends in care focus on integrated treatment of
those with co-occurring medical and psychiatric diagnoses and co-
occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders, leading to a need to
add content in advanced health assessment, pharmacology,
pathophysiology, and the diagnosis of psychiatric illness to graduate
psychiatric nursing curricula. Primary care has become the point of entry
to psychiatric care for many clients. PMHNPs are helping to address the
growing need for primary mental health services and mental illness
prevention. Though the number of advanced practice psychiatric nurses
has increased, there are still limitations in access for many clients, which
has led to disparities in mental health treatment.
