Latest Barkley Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse
Practitioner (PMHNP) Diagnostic Readiness Test
(DRT) | 100 Actual Practice Questions and Verified
Answers
CORE DOMAINS
Assessment and Diagnosis
Psychopharmacology and Neurobiology
Psychotherapy and Therapeutic Interventions
Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention
Professional Practice and Ethics
Special Populations and Comorbidities
INTRODUCTION
This comprehensive examination is designed to assess the knowledge
and clinical judgment required for the Barkley Psychiatric-Mental
Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Diagnostic Readiness Test (DRT).
The DRT consists of 100 multiple-choice questions administered over a
100-minute period, followed by a 45-minute review session . The test is
designed to assess mastery of concepts within the PMHNP specialty,
identify strengths and areas requiring further remediation, and
introduce students to the quality and rigor of national certification
examinations . Achieving a score of 80% or higher is strongly correlated
with mastery of the material, though scores in the 70-79% range
indicate fair performance needing improvement . This test bank contains
100 practice questions with verified answers and detailed rationales,
updated for the 2026/2027 testing cycle. This assessment prepares
PMHNP students for national certification exam success through
,comprehensive coverage of core psychiatric-mental health nursing
domains.
SECTION ONE: CRISIS INTERVENTION AND SUICIDE
PREVENTION (Questions 1-10)
QUESTION 1
During a suicide intervention with a 28-year-old male patient, to which
agreement should you ask for his consent, verbally or in writing?
A) "No Harm" contract
B) "No Suicide" contract
C) "Prevention" Contract
D) "Affirming Life" contract
Correct answer: A
RATIONALE: Healthcare professionals are obligated to ask suicidal
patients to agree to a "No Harm" contract, verbally or in writing,
detailing specifically that the patient will refrain from harming
themselves . This is the preferred terminology for safety contracting.
"No Suicide" contracts are less precise and may have legal implications,
while "Prevention" and "Affirming Life" are not standard terminology in
suicide intervention .
QUESTION 2
Courtney, 35, is a rape victim. You note that she has an expressed style
of coping in her acute rape trauma syndrome. Which of the following
would most lead you to this conclusion?
,A) Patient's Masked face
B) Patient's Distractibility
C) Patient Smiling
D) Patient having difficulty making decisions
Correct answer: C
RATIONALE: Smiling is an expressed style of coping as it masks
the underlying distress . In acute rape trauma syndrome, expressed style
refers to outwardly displaying emotions that may not reflect the true
internal state. Masked face, distractibility, and difficulty making
decisions are not specifically characteristic of expressed coping style .
QUESTION 3
Which of the following patients would NOT require hospitalization?
A) A 29-year-old self-admitted bulimic male with bradycardia
B) A 27-year-old female with repeated use of laxatives and diuretics at
least two times a week for 3 months
C) A 20-year-old male suffering from persistent hypothermia
D) An 18-year-old young woman who is 5'4" and weighs 92 pounds
Correct answer: B
RATIONALE: The 27-year-old female with laxative/diuretic use
twice weekly does not meet typical inpatient criteria unless other severe
symptoms are present . The other options show significant medical
instability requiring hospitalization: bradycardia (bulimia with cardiac
complications), persistent hypothermia (medical emergency), and severe
underweight (BMI ~15.8) with significant malnutrition risk .
QUESTION 4
, You are attending to a 30-year-old male after he was shot at and almost
killed. By showing empathy, confrontation, and immediacy, you are
exhibiting which of the following?
A) Identifying the hazard and precipitating event
B) Counseling keystones relevant to assessment of a crisis
C) Identifying coping mechanisms
D) Situational support
Correct answer: B
RATIONALE: Three of the counseling keystones relevant to
assessment of a crisis are empathy, confrontation, and immediacy .
These are core therapeutic techniques in crisis intervention. Identifying
hazards, coping mechanisms, and situational support are related but not
the specific keystones described .
QUESTION 5
Which of the following findings should be referred to primary care for
cardiovascular problems?
A) A patient with a blood pressure of 130/85 mmHg
B) Systolic ejection murmur
C) Diastolic murmur
D) Low density lipoprotein level (LDL) of 69 mg/dL
Correct answer: A
RATIONALE: A blood pressure of 130/85 mmHg is considered
prehypertension and should be referred to primary care for
cardiovascular evaluation . An LDL of 69 mg/dL is desirable (optimal),
while murmurs require cardiology evaluation but are not the primary
finding for referral .
Practitioner (PMHNP) Diagnostic Readiness Test
(DRT) | 100 Actual Practice Questions and Verified
Answers
CORE DOMAINS
Assessment and Diagnosis
Psychopharmacology and Neurobiology
Psychotherapy and Therapeutic Interventions
Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention
Professional Practice and Ethics
Special Populations and Comorbidities
INTRODUCTION
This comprehensive examination is designed to assess the knowledge
and clinical judgment required for the Barkley Psychiatric-Mental
Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Diagnostic Readiness Test (DRT).
The DRT consists of 100 multiple-choice questions administered over a
100-minute period, followed by a 45-minute review session . The test is
designed to assess mastery of concepts within the PMHNP specialty,
identify strengths and areas requiring further remediation, and
introduce students to the quality and rigor of national certification
examinations . Achieving a score of 80% or higher is strongly correlated
with mastery of the material, though scores in the 70-79% range
indicate fair performance needing improvement . This test bank contains
100 practice questions with verified answers and detailed rationales,
updated for the 2026/2027 testing cycle. This assessment prepares
PMHNP students for national certification exam success through
,comprehensive coverage of core psychiatric-mental health nursing
domains.
SECTION ONE: CRISIS INTERVENTION AND SUICIDE
PREVENTION (Questions 1-10)
QUESTION 1
During a suicide intervention with a 28-year-old male patient, to which
agreement should you ask for his consent, verbally or in writing?
A) "No Harm" contract
B) "No Suicide" contract
C) "Prevention" Contract
D) "Affirming Life" contract
Correct answer: A
RATIONALE: Healthcare professionals are obligated to ask suicidal
patients to agree to a "No Harm" contract, verbally or in writing,
detailing specifically that the patient will refrain from harming
themselves . This is the preferred terminology for safety contracting.
"No Suicide" contracts are less precise and may have legal implications,
while "Prevention" and "Affirming Life" are not standard terminology in
suicide intervention .
QUESTION 2
Courtney, 35, is a rape victim. You note that she has an expressed style
of coping in her acute rape trauma syndrome. Which of the following
would most lead you to this conclusion?
,A) Patient's Masked face
B) Patient's Distractibility
C) Patient Smiling
D) Patient having difficulty making decisions
Correct answer: C
RATIONALE: Smiling is an expressed style of coping as it masks
the underlying distress . In acute rape trauma syndrome, expressed style
refers to outwardly displaying emotions that may not reflect the true
internal state. Masked face, distractibility, and difficulty making
decisions are not specifically characteristic of expressed coping style .
QUESTION 3
Which of the following patients would NOT require hospitalization?
A) A 29-year-old self-admitted bulimic male with bradycardia
B) A 27-year-old female with repeated use of laxatives and diuretics at
least two times a week for 3 months
C) A 20-year-old male suffering from persistent hypothermia
D) An 18-year-old young woman who is 5'4" and weighs 92 pounds
Correct answer: B
RATIONALE: The 27-year-old female with laxative/diuretic use
twice weekly does not meet typical inpatient criteria unless other severe
symptoms are present . The other options show significant medical
instability requiring hospitalization: bradycardia (bulimia with cardiac
complications), persistent hypothermia (medical emergency), and severe
underweight (BMI ~15.8) with significant malnutrition risk .
QUESTION 4
, You are attending to a 30-year-old male after he was shot at and almost
killed. By showing empathy, confrontation, and immediacy, you are
exhibiting which of the following?
A) Identifying the hazard and precipitating event
B) Counseling keystones relevant to assessment of a crisis
C) Identifying coping mechanisms
D) Situational support
Correct answer: B
RATIONALE: Three of the counseling keystones relevant to
assessment of a crisis are empathy, confrontation, and immediacy .
These are core therapeutic techniques in crisis intervention. Identifying
hazards, coping mechanisms, and situational support are related but not
the specific keystones described .
QUESTION 5
Which of the following findings should be referred to primary care for
cardiovascular problems?
A) A patient with a blood pressure of 130/85 mmHg
B) Systolic ejection murmur
C) Diastolic murmur
D) Low density lipoprotein level (LDL) of 69 mg/dL
Correct answer: A
RATIONALE: A blood pressure of 130/85 mmHg is considered
prehypertension and should be referred to primary care for
cardiovascular evaluation . An LDL of 69 mg/dL is desirable (optimal),
while murmurs require cardiology evaluation but are not the primary
finding for referral .
