PMH-BC Certification Exam 2026 | Psychiatric-
Mental Health Nursing Practice Questions &
Verified Answers
A rape victim with multiple injuries has been brought to the
emergency department for evaluation and treatment. The first
thing that the psychiatric and mental health nurse should
communicate is:
A. "I am so sorry this happened to you"
B. "You are safe here. No one can hurt you."
C. "This was not your fault"
D. "I'm thankful you survived this attack." - Precise Answer
✔✔B. "you are safe here. No one can hurt you."
Patients who have been raped are often severely traumatized
emotionally and physically, and are commonly very fearful and
panicked, so the first thing that the mental health nurse should
communicate is "you are safe here, no one can hurt you". The
psychiatric and mental health nurse may need to repeat this a
number of times because traumatized patients may block out
what people are saying. The nurse should also reassure the
patient that the attack was not the patient's fault and that the
nurse is sorry for what the patient has gone through.
A patient has signed the consent form for ECT under pressure
from her spouse but confides in the psychiatric and mental
health nurse that she does not want the treatment and is terrified
but afraid to stand up to her spouse. The psychiatric and mental
nurse should:
,A.) Ask the patient if she wants to rescind the content form.
B.) Tell the patient that she must tell her spouse she does not
want the treatment .
C.) Tell the patient she must go through with the treatment since
she signed the consent.
D.) Notify the physician of the patient's feelings about the
treatment. - Precise Answer ✔✔(D.) Notify the physician of the
patients feelings about the treatment.
Because the patient is intimidated by her spouse and has stated
she is afraid to stand up to him, as an advocate for the patient,
the nurse should notify the physician of the patient's feelings
about the treatment. Being coerced into signing a consent form
is not the same is not the same as giving informed consent,
which is required by law. Because patients are vulnerable to
manipulation, the nurse must ensure that the actual wishes of the
patient are respected.
A patient was able to slowly read aloud an information sheet but
when asked to state what she had read in her own words was
unable to do so. The most likely reason is:
A.) Low self-esteem
B.) Poor hearing
C.) Low health literacy
D.) Anxiety - Precise Answer ✔✔(C.) Low health literacy
The most likely reason the patient was able to read slowly but
not state what she had read is low health literacy. The ability to
,read is different from the ability to comprehend, and
comprehension usually lags behind reading skills by about three
grade levels. Thus, a person whop is able to read at the fourth-
grade level may have only a first-grade reading comprehension,
making it difficult for the person to understand health materials,
especially since the vocabulary is often more difficult.t to
understand than that found in other readings.
Testing testing a patient who has repeated arrests for driving
under the influence of alcohol refuses to admit that he has a
drinking problem and states that the police have targeted him
unfairly. The ego defense mechanisms that the patient is using
is:
A.) Denial
B.) Reaction formation
C.) Regression
D.) Undoing - Precise Answer ✔✔A.) Denial
The patient is using the ego defense mechanism of denial when
the patient, who has repeated arrests for driving under the
influence of alcohol, refuses to admit that he has a drinking
problem and states that the police have targeted him unfairly.
Reaction formation is refusing to acknowledge undesirable
feelings, thoughts, or behavior by exaggerating the opposite.
Regression is retreating to an earlier level of development.
Undoing is still carrying out of an action to indicate a previous
unacceptable action.
A patient with schizophrenia has delusions and believes that his
family members cannot be trusted. According to Maslow's
, hierarchy of needs, the patient's delusions are interfering with
the development at the level of:
A. Physiological needs
B. Love/belongings needs
C. Safety needs
D. Self-esteem needs - Precise Answer ✔✔B.) Love/Belongings
needs
The patient's delusions are interfering with the development at
the level of love/belonging needs. Maslow's hierarchy of needs
is based on the premise that 1 must satisfy one type of need
before 1 can obtain the next. The hierarchy of need includes:
Physiological: Basic needs such as air, food, water, shelter.
Safety and security: Freedom from fear:
Safety comfort:
Physical comfort
Love and belonging: Companionship, caring/giving receiving
love, group identification, satisfying interpersonal relationships.
Self-esteem: Working for success, desiring respecting prestige,
seeking self respect.
Self-actualization: Feeling of self-fulfillment, satisfaction with
achievement.
The patient states that, on the advice of a friend, he has been
Mental Health Nursing Practice Questions &
Verified Answers
A rape victim with multiple injuries has been brought to the
emergency department for evaluation and treatment. The first
thing that the psychiatric and mental health nurse should
communicate is:
A. "I am so sorry this happened to you"
B. "You are safe here. No one can hurt you."
C. "This was not your fault"
D. "I'm thankful you survived this attack." - Precise Answer
✔✔B. "you are safe here. No one can hurt you."
Patients who have been raped are often severely traumatized
emotionally and physically, and are commonly very fearful and
panicked, so the first thing that the mental health nurse should
communicate is "you are safe here, no one can hurt you". The
psychiatric and mental health nurse may need to repeat this a
number of times because traumatized patients may block out
what people are saying. The nurse should also reassure the
patient that the attack was not the patient's fault and that the
nurse is sorry for what the patient has gone through.
A patient has signed the consent form for ECT under pressure
from her spouse but confides in the psychiatric and mental
health nurse that she does not want the treatment and is terrified
but afraid to stand up to her spouse. The psychiatric and mental
nurse should:
,A.) Ask the patient if she wants to rescind the content form.
B.) Tell the patient that she must tell her spouse she does not
want the treatment .
C.) Tell the patient she must go through with the treatment since
she signed the consent.
D.) Notify the physician of the patient's feelings about the
treatment. - Precise Answer ✔✔(D.) Notify the physician of the
patients feelings about the treatment.
Because the patient is intimidated by her spouse and has stated
she is afraid to stand up to him, as an advocate for the patient,
the nurse should notify the physician of the patient's feelings
about the treatment. Being coerced into signing a consent form
is not the same is not the same as giving informed consent,
which is required by law. Because patients are vulnerable to
manipulation, the nurse must ensure that the actual wishes of the
patient are respected.
A patient was able to slowly read aloud an information sheet but
when asked to state what she had read in her own words was
unable to do so. The most likely reason is:
A.) Low self-esteem
B.) Poor hearing
C.) Low health literacy
D.) Anxiety - Precise Answer ✔✔(C.) Low health literacy
The most likely reason the patient was able to read slowly but
not state what she had read is low health literacy. The ability to
,read is different from the ability to comprehend, and
comprehension usually lags behind reading skills by about three
grade levels. Thus, a person whop is able to read at the fourth-
grade level may have only a first-grade reading comprehension,
making it difficult for the person to understand health materials,
especially since the vocabulary is often more difficult.t to
understand than that found in other readings.
Testing testing a patient who has repeated arrests for driving
under the influence of alcohol refuses to admit that he has a
drinking problem and states that the police have targeted him
unfairly. The ego defense mechanisms that the patient is using
is:
A.) Denial
B.) Reaction formation
C.) Regression
D.) Undoing - Precise Answer ✔✔A.) Denial
The patient is using the ego defense mechanism of denial when
the patient, who has repeated arrests for driving under the
influence of alcohol, refuses to admit that he has a drinking
problem and states that the police have targeted him unfairly.
Reaction formation is refusing to acknowledge undesirable
feelings, thoughts, or behavior by exaggerating the opposite.
Regression is retreating to an earlier level of development.
Undoing is still carrying out of an action to indicate a previous
unacceptable action.
A patient with schizophrenia has delusions and believes that his
family members cannot be trusted. According to Maslow's
, hierarchy of needs, the patient's delusions are interfering with
the development at the level of:
A. Physiological needs
B. Love/belongings needs
C. Safety needs
D. Self-esteem needs - Precise Answer ✔✔B.) Love/Belongings
needs
The patient's delusions are interfering with the development at
the level of love/belonging needs. Maslow's hierarchy of needs
is based on the premise that 1 must satisfy one type of need
before 1 can obtain the next. The hierarchy of need includes:
Physiological: Basic needs such as air, food, water, shelter.
Safety and security: Freedom from fear:
Safety comfort:
Physical comfort
Love and belonging: Companionship, caring/giving receiving
love, group identification, satisfying interpersonal relationships.
Self-esteem: Working for success, desiring respecting prestige,
seeking self respect.
Self-actualization: Feeling of self-fulfillment, satisfaction with
achievement.
The patient states that, on the advice of a friend, he has been
