PSYCHIATRIC MENTAL HEALTH BOARD
CERTIFICATION QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS 2026
◉ What are the PMH-BC exam requirements? Answer: RN license
(min 2 years experience)
2,000 hours clinical practice in past 3 years
30 hours CE in past 3 years
◉ 10 Test Taking Techniques Answer: 1. One min per question
2. Answer every question
3. Have a "guess" answer
4. Identify key words (e.g. age, diagnosis)
5. Identify priority words (e.g. first, best)
6. Identify word clues (e.g. physiologic needs)
7. Identify opposites
8. Identify absolutes (e.g. just, always, never)
9. Identify duplicate facts
10. Avoid changing answers
◉ What are the patient barriers to the therapeutic relationship?
Answer: The psychiatric illness
,Being resistant to care (paranoia, cultural)
Defense mechanisms
◉ What are the nurse barriers to the therapeutic relationship?
Answer: Distracted/ preoccupied/ not fully focused on pts. Verbal
and nonverbal cues
Countertransference
Asking patients "why" questions
Asking patients more than 1 question at a time
◉ What are the 8 methods to enhance the therapeutic relationship?
Answer: 1. Maintaining professional boundaries
2. Comfortable eye contact/ empathetic facial expressions
3. Engaging with a patient with gentle, supportive tone of voice
4. Keeping relaxed, open body posture
5. Providing pt with physical comforts
6. Actively listening to what patient is saying
7. Being fully self-aware
8. Using Therapeutic silence to allow pt reflect/regroup
◉ What practitioners are qualified to make a psychiatric diagnosis?
Answer: MD
DO
,NP
PA
◉ What handbook is used to make a psychiatric diagnosis? Answer:
DSM-5
◉ In what year was the first DSM published? Answer: 1952
◉ What are the 5 characteristics of stable mental health? Answer: 1.
Accurately appraise and interpret reality
2. Love, experience joy, play and laugh
3. Think clearly, make appropriate decisions and problem solve
4. Control one's behavior and cope with one's thoughts
5. Relate to other's, form relationships, experience empathy, and
manage conflict constructively
◉ What are the 5 characteristics of a mental health disorder?
Answer: 1. Impairment of brain functioning caused by
neurotransmitter dysfunction, abnormal brain structure, genetic
factors or injury
2. There is evidence showing that severe psychological trauma
causes physical brain injury
3. Dysfunction in cognition, emotion regulation or behavior
, 4. It is usually associated with distress or disability in important
activities, relationships or occupations
5. The inability to cope with life stressors, including job changes, loss
of a loved one, birth of a child, medical challenges, etc.
◉ What does the AIMS assessment stand for? Answer: Abnormal
Involuntary Movement Scale
◉ What does the AIMS assessment tool evaluate? Answer: Assesses
the presence and severity of abnormal extremity, facial and body
movement.
Higher score = worse impairment
◉ What does the BDI assessment stand for? Answer: Beck
Depression Inventory
◉ What does the BDI assessment tool evaluate? Answer: Measures
the presence and severity of depression
◉ What BDI score is associated with moderate depression? Answer:
19-29
◉ What does the BVC assessment tool stand for? Answer: Broset
Violence Checklist
CERTIFICATION QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS 2026
◉ What are the PMH-BC exam requirements? Answer: RN license
(min 2 years experience)
2,000 hours clinical practice in past 3 years
30 hours CE in past 3 years
◉ 10 Test Taking Techniques Answer: 1. One min per question
2. Answer every question
3. Have a "guess" answer
4. Identify key words (e.g. age, diagnosis)
5. Identify priority words (e.g. first, best)
6. Identify word clues (e.g. physiologic needs)
7. Identify opposites
8. Identify absolutes (e.g. just, always, never)
9. Identify duplicate facts
10. Avoid changing answers
◉ What are the patient barriers to the therapeutic relationship?
Answer: The psychiatric illness
,Being resistant to care (paranoia, cultural)
Defense mechanisms
◉ What are the nurse barriers to the therapeutic relationship?
Answer: Distracted/ preoccupied/ not fully focused on pts. Verbal
and nonverbal cues
Countertransference
Asking patients "why" questions
Asking patients more than 1 question at a time
◉ What are the 8 methods to enhance the therapeutic relationship?
Answer: 1. Maintaining professional boundaries
2. Comfortable eye contact/ empathetic facial expressions
3. Engaging with a patient with gentle, supportive tone of voice
4. Keeping relaxed, open body posture
5. Providing pt with physical comforts
6. Actively listening to what patient is saying
7. Being fully self-aware
8. Using Therapeutic silence to allow pt reflect/regroup
◉ What practitioners are qualified to make a psychiatric diagnosis?
Answer: MD
DO
,NP
PA
◉ What handbook is used to make a psychiatric diagnosis? Answer:
DSM-5
◉ In what year was the first DSM published? Answer: 1952
◉ What are the 5 characteristics of stable mental health? Answer: 1.
Accurately appraise and interpret reality
2. Love, experience joy, play and laugh
3. Think clearly, make appropriate decisions and problem solve
4. Control one's behavior and cope with one's thoughts
5. Relate to other's, form relationships, experience empathy, and
manage conflict constructively
◉ What are the 5 characteristics of a mental health disorder?
Answer: 1. Impairment of brain functioning caused by
neurotransmitter dysfunction, abnormal brain structure, genetic
factors or injury
2. There is evidence showing that severe psychological trauma
causes physical brain injury
3. Dysfunction in cognition, emotion regulation or behavior
, 4. It is usually associated with distress or disability in important
activities, relationships or occupations
5. The inability to cope with life stressors, including job changes, loss
of a loved one, birth of a child, medical challenges, etc.
◉ What does the AIMS assessment stand for? Answer: Abnormal
Involuntary Movement Scale
◉ What does the AIMS assessment tool evaluate? Answer: Assesses
the presence and severity of abnormal extremity, facial and body
movement.
Higher score = worse impairment
◉ What does the BDI assessment stand for? Answer: Beck
Depression Inventory
◉ What does the BDI assessment tool evaluate? Answer: Measures
the presence and severity of depression
◉ What BDI score is associated with moderate depression? Answer:
19-29
◉ What does the BVC assessment tool stand for? Answer: Broset
Violence Checklist
