ANCC DOMAIN 2 QUESTIONS AD ANSWERS
GRADED A+ 2025/2026
A .78 .y/o .cattleman .referred .for .treatment .of .refractory .depression .by .his .primary .care
.provider .reports .continued .thoughts .of .failure, .lack .of .purpose .in .life, .lack .of .interest .in
.ranching, .fishing, .hunting, .or .family .since .losing .his .driver's .license .due .to .DUI .six .months
.ago. .Which .of .the .following .areas .is .an .assessment .priority?
A. .Prior .and .current .medications, .dose, .clinical .response, .side .effects
B. .Extent .of .alcohol .use .and .motivation .to .reduce .to .safe .levels
C. .Thoughts .of .self-harm, .plan, .intent, .access
D. .Sleep .patterns .(early-middle-late .awakening), .sleep .hygiene .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-C.
.Thoughts .of .self-harm, .plan, .intent, .access
A .32 .y/o .Caucasian .Catholic .female .patient .presents .for .her .therapy .session. .She .is .upset
.because .she .and .her .husband .have .been .in .an .argument .over .finances. .She .does .not
.work .and .stays .at .home .to .take .care .of .the .children. .She .reports .feeling .sad .and .has .had
.thoughts .of .hurting .herself. .She .has .a .past .history .of .overdosing .with .Tylenol .several
.years .ago. .Which .of .the .following .places .her .at .high-risk .for .suicide?
A. .age
B. .gender
C. .previous .suicide .attempt
D. .marital .status .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-C. .previous .suicide .attempt
During .a .follow-up .medication .visit .with .a .13 .y/o .male, .his .mother .stayed .longer .to .ask
.the .psychiatric .mental .health .nurse .practitioner .(PMHNP) .a .question. .Specifically, .his
.mother .states, ."the .school .sent .home .information .about .the .human .papillomavirus .and
.suggested .my .son .see .his .primary .care .provider .to .get .an .immunization. .Why .did .I .get
,.this .information .for .my .son? .Furthermore, .he .is .not .sexually .active." .Which .of .the
.following .would .be .the .PMHNP's .best .response?
A. .As .your .son's .PMHNP, .I .cannot .provide .you .with .information .about .immunizations
B. .I .understand .your .concern .with .talking .to .your .son .about .becoming .sexually .active.
.Let's .address .how .to .start .the .conversation.
C. .Decisions .about .immunizations .can .be .difficult. .The .Centers .for .Disease .Control .and
.Prevention .recommend .that .all .males .between .the .ages .of .11-12, .or .as .early .as .9 .years
.of .age, .receive .this .vaccination. .What .concerns .do .you .have?
D. .You .are .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-C. .Decisions .about .immunizations .can .be .difficult. .The
.Centers .for .Disease .Control .and .Prevention .recommend .that .all .males .between .the .ages
.of .11-12, .or .as .early .as .9 .years .of .age, .receive .this .vaccination. .What .concerns .do .you
.have?
What .opening .question .or .statement .by .a .Psychiatric-Mental .Health .Nurse .Practitioner
.facilitates .communication .at .an .initial .visit?
A. .Tell .me .your .concerns .and .how .I .may .be .of .help.
B. .Tell .me .what .you .think .the .problem .is.
C. .What .seems .to .be .the .problem .today?
D. .What .problem .does .your .primary .care .physician .want .us .to .evaluate? .- .CORRECT
.ANSWER-A. .Tell .me .your .concerns .and .how .I .may .be .of .help.
In .evaluating .the .functional .status .of .a .68 .y/o .woman .who .has .depression, .the
.Instrumental .Activities .of .Daily .Living .Scale .includes .which .of .the .following .activities?
A. .Using .telephone
B. .Filing .taxes
C. .Bathing
D. .Toileting .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-A. .Using .telephone
An .adult .female .patient .has .been .prescribed .an .SSRI .for .an .initial .episode .of .major
.depression. .She .is .fearful .of .side .effects .and .of .becoming .suicidal. .Which .of .the .following
.initial .responses .is .most .appropriate?
, A. .SSRI's .are .the .safest .antidepressant .medications .and .rarely .cause .suicidal .thoughts. .Try
.the .medication .and .we .can .watch .closely .for .any .side .effects.
B. .SSRI's .are .generally .quite .safe .and .rarely .cause .suicidal .thoughts. .I .could .call .you .every
.few .days .to .see .if .you .are .having .any .of .these .thoughts.
C. .Have .you .ever .had .feelings .of .hurting .yourself? .If .you .took .the .medication .and .had
.thoughts .like .that, .what .would .you .do?
D. .Have .you .ever .had .feelings .of .hurting .yourself? .If .you .took .the .medication .and .had
.thoughts .like .that, .would .you .be .willing .to .call .the .crisis .hotline? .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-C.
.Have .you .ever .had .feelings .of .hurting .yourself? .If .you .took .the .medication .and .had
.thoughts .like .that, .what .would .you .do?
A .psychiatric .mental .health .nurse .practitioner .(PMHNP) .is .working .in .an .integrated .care
.clinic .and .his .family .nurse .practitioner .colleague .asks .for .a .consult. .The .family .nurse
.practitioner .asks .the .PMHNP .what .antidepressant .to .start .for .a .patient .who .has .a .score
.of .15 .on .the .patient .health .questionnaire .9 .(PHQ9). .What .is .the .appropriate .response?
A. .A .score .of .15 .on .the .patient .health .questionnaire .indicates .moderate .depression, .so
.the .patient .should .be .started .on .a .selective .serotonin .norepinephrine .reuptake .inhibitor.
B. .A .score .of .15 .on .the .patient .health .questionnaire .9 .indicates .possible .moderate
.depression, .but .a .follow-up .interview .is .required .to .assess .for .depression. .I .can .see .this
.patient .today .and .further .assess .for .depression .and .the .appropriate .treatment
C. .A .score .of .15 .on .the .patient .health .questionnaire .9 .indicates .severe .depression, .so .you
.should .start .a .selective .serotonin .reuptake .inhibitor .and .an .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-B. .A
.score .of .15 .on .the .patient .health .questionnaire .9 .indicates .possible .moderate
.depression, .but .a .follow-up .interview .is .required .to .assess .for .depression. .I .can .see .this
.patient .today .and .further .assess .for .depression .and .the .appropriate .treatment
An .example .of .a .screening .tool .that .measures .severity .and .tracks .change .in .specific
.symptoms .is
A. .The .mini-mental .state .examination .(MMSE)
B. .The .behavior .and .Symptom .Identification .Scale .(BASIS)
C. .The .Short .Form .36 .(SF-36)
D. .The .CAGE .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-A. .The .mini-mental .state .examination .(MMSE)
GRADED A+ 2025/2026
A .78 .y/o .cattleman .referred .for .treatment .of .refractory .depression .by .his .primary .care
.provider .reports .continued .thoughts .of .failure, .lack .of .purpose .in .life, .lack .of .interest .in
.ranching, .fishing, .hunting, .or .family .since .losing .his .driver's .license .due .to .DUI .six .months
.ago. .Which .of .the .following .areas .is .an .assessment .priority?
A. .Prior .and .current .medications, .dose, .clinical .response, .side .effects
B. .Extent .of .alcohol .use .and .motivation .to .reduce .to .safe .levels
C. .Thoughts .of .self-harm, .plan, .intent, .access
D. .Sleep .patterns .(early-middle-late .awakening), .sleep .hygiene .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-C.
.Thoughts .of .self-harm, .plan, .intent, .access
A .32 .y/o .Caucasian .Catholic .female .patient .presents .for .her .therapy .session. .She .is .upset
.because .she .and .her .husband .have .been .in .an .argument .over .finances. .She .does .not
.work .and .stays .at .home .to .take .care .of .the .children. .She .reports .feeling .sad .and .has .had
.thoughts .of .hurting .herself. .She .has .a .past .history .of .overdosing .with .Tylenol .several
.years .ago. .Which .of .the .following .places .her .at .high-risk .for .suicide?
A. .age
B. .gender
C. .previous .suicide .attempt
D. .marital .status .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-C. .previous .suicide .attempt
During .a .follow-up .medication .visit .with .a .13 .y/o .male, .his .mother .stayed .longer .to .ask
.the .psychiatric .mental .health .nurse .practitioner .(PMHNP) .a .question. .Specifically, .his
.mother .states, ."the .school .sent .home .information .about .the .human .papillomavirus .and
.suggested .my .son .see .his .primary .care .provider .to .get .an .immunization. .Why .did .I .get
,.this .information .for .my .son? .Furthermore, .he .is .not .sexually .active." .Which .of .the
.following .would .be .the .PMHNP's .best .response?
A. .As .your .son's .PMHNP, .I .cannot .provide .you .with .information .about .immunizations
B. .I .understand .your .concern .with .talking .to .your .son .about .becoming .sexually .active.
.Let's .address .how .to .start .the .conversation.
C. .Decisions .about .immunizations .can .be .difficult. .The .Centers .for .Disease .Control .and
.Prevention .recommend .that .all .males .between .the .ages .of .11-12, .or .as .early .as .9 .years
.of .age, .receive .this .vaccination. .What .concerns .do .you .have?
D. .You .are .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-C. .Decisions .about .immunizations .can .be .difficult. .The
.Centers .for .Disease .Control .and .Prevention .recommend .that .all .males .between .the .ages
.of .11-12, .or .as .early .as .9 .years .of .age, .receive .this .vaccination. .What .concerns .do .you
.have?
What .opening .question .or .statement .by .a .Psychiatric-Mental .Health .Nurse .Practitioner
.facilitates .communication .at .an .initial .visit?
A. .Tell .me .your .concerns .and .how .I .may .be .of .help.
B. .Tell .me .what .you .think .the .problem .is.
C. .What .seems .to .be .the .problem .today?
D. .What .problem .does .your .primary .care .physician .want .us .to .evaluate? .- .CORRECT
.ANSWER-A. .Tell .me .your .concerns .and .how .I .may .be .of .help.
In .evaluating .the .functional .status .of .a .68 .y/o .woman .who .has .depression, .the
.Instrumental .Activities .of .Daily .Living .Scale .includes .which .of .the .following .activities?
A. .Using .telephone
B. .Filing .taxes
C. .Bathing
D. .Toileting .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-A. .Using .telephone
An .adult .female .patient .has .been .prescribed .an .SSRI .for .an .initial .episode .of .major
.depression. .She .is .fearful .of .side .effects .and .of .becoming .suicidal. .Which .of .the .following
.initial .responses .is .most .appropriate?
, A. .SSRI's .are .the .safest .antidepressant .medications .and .rarely .cause .suicidal .thoughts. .Try
.the .medication .and .we .can .watch .closely .for .any .side .effects.
B. .SSRI's .are .generally .quite .safe .and .rarely .cause .suicidal .thoughts. .I .could .call .you .every
.few .days .to .see .if .you .are .having .any .of .these .thoughts.
C. .Have .you .ever .had .feelings .of .hurting .yourself? .If .you .took .the .medication .and .had
.thoughts .like .that, .what .would .you .do?
D. .Have .you .ever .had .feelings .of .hurting .yourself? .If .you .took .the .medication .and .had
.thoughts .like .that, .would .you .be .willing .to .call .the .crisis .hotline? .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-C.
.Have .you .ever .had .feelings .of .hurting .yourself? .If .you .took .the .medication .and .had
.thoughts .like .that, .what .would .you .do?
A .psychiatric .mental .health .nurse .practitioner .(PMHNP) .is .working .in .an .integrated .care
.clinic .and .his .family .nurse .practitioner .colleague .asks .for .a .consult. .The .family .nurse
.practitioner .asks .the .PMHNP .what .antidepressant .to .start .for .a .patient .who .has .a .score
.of .15 .on .the .patient .health .questionnaire .9 .(PHQ9). .What .is .the .appropriate .response?
A. .A .score .of .15 .on .the .patient .health .questionnaire .indicates .moderate .depression, .so
.the .patient .should .be .started .on .a .selective .serotonin .norepinephrine .reuptake .inhibitor.
B. .A .score .of .15 .on .the .patient .health .questionnaire .9 .indicates .possible .moderate
.depression, .but .a .follow-up .interview .is .required .to .assess .for .depression. .I .can .see .this
.patient .today .and .further .assess .for .depression .and .the .appropriate .treatment
C. .A .score .of .15 .on .the .patient .health .questionnaire .9 .indicates .severe .depression, .so .you
.should .start .a .selective .serotonin .reuptake .inhibitor .and .an .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-B. .A
.score .of .15 .on .the .patient .health .questionnaire .9 .indicates .possible .moderate
.depression, .but .a .follow-up .interview .is .required .to .assess .for .depression. .I .can .see .this
.patient .today .and .further .assess .for .depression .and .the .appropriate .treatment
An .example .of .a .screening .tool .that .measures .severity .and .tracks .change .in .specific
.symptoms .is
A. .The .mini-mental .state .examination .(MMSE)
B. .The .behavior .and .Symptom .Identification .Scale .(BASIS)
C. .The .Short .Form .36 .(SF-36)
D. .The .CAGE .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-A. .The .mini-mental .state .examination .(MMSE)
