NR548 EXAM 2: PSYCHIATRIC ASSESSMENT
FOR PSYCHIATRIC-MENTAL HEALTH
NURSE PRACTITIONER (LATEST 2026/2027
UPDATE) QUESTIONS & ANSWERS | GRADE
A | 100% CORRECT
AT CHAMBERLAIN COLLEGE OF NURSING
Obtain the Psychiatric Database - CORRECT ANSWERS- Also known as the psychiatric
history
-includes historical information relevant to the current clinical presentation
• history of present illness, psychiatric history, medical history, family psychiatric
history, and aspects of the social and developmental history
Psychiatric interview - CORRECT ANSWERS- the process by which psychiatric
assessment is conducted
-primary tasks
• building a therapeutic alliance between the PMHNP & client
• obtaining a database of psychiatric info about the client
• establishing a dx
• negotiating a tx plan
Therapeutic Alliance - CORRECT ANSWERS- a feeling that you should create over the
course of the diagnostic interview, a sense of rapport, trust, and warmth
-most important goal of the interview process
,-the cooperative working relationship between the therapist and client
• begins during the initial or opening phase of the interview
-fundamental component of successful therapy
• Without trust, adherence to treatment recommendations may be compromised
• interview may not elicit the information needed to formulate an appropriate dx &
plan of care without rapport & trust
Creating rapport: tips - CORRECT ANSWERS- -Be Yourself
-Be Warm, Courteous, and Emotionally Sensitive
-Actively Defuse the Strangeness of the Clinical Situation
-Give Your Patient the Opening Word
-Gain Your Patient's Trust by Projecting Competence
How to approach threatening topics (sensitive/embarrassing material) - CORRECT
ANSWERS- -Normalization
-Symptom Expectation
-Symptom Exaggeration
-Reduction of Guilt
-Use Familiar Language When Asking about Behaviors
Four Tasks of the Diagnostic Interview - CORRECT ANSWERS- 1. Build a therapeutic
alliance
2. Obtain the psychiatric database
3. Interview for diagnosis
4. Negotiate a tx plan with your patient
, Normalization - CORRECT ANSWERS- Introducing Q with some type of normalizing
statement
-two principal ways to do this:
1. start the question by implying that the behavior is a normal or understandable
response to a mood or situation
• ex: Sometimes when people are very depressed, they think of hurting themselves.
Has this been true for you?
2. Begin by describing another patient (or patients) who has engaged in the behavior,
showing your patient that she is not alone
• ex: I've talked to several patients who've said that their depression causes them to
have strange experiences, like hearing voices or thinking that strangers are laughing
at them. Has that been happening to you?
Symptom Expectation - CORRECT ANSWERS- communicate that a behavior is in some
way normal or expected
-Phrase your Q's to imply that you already assume the patient has engaged in some
behavior and that you will not be offended by a positive response
-high index of suspicion of some self-destructive activity
-Ex: patient is profoundly depressed and has expressed feelings of hopelessness. You
suspect suicidality, but you sense that the patient may be too ashamed to admit it.
Rather than gingerly asking "Have you had any thoughts that you'd be better off
dead?" you might decide to use symptom expectation. "What kinds of ways to hurt
yourself have you thought about?"
*reserve this technique for situations in which it seems appropriate
FOR PSYCHIATRIC-MENTAL HEALTH
NURSE PRACTITIONER (LATEST 2026/2027
UPDATE) QUESTIONS & ANSWERS | GRADE
A | 100% CORRECT
AT CHAMBERLAIN COLLEGE OF NURSING
Obtain the Psychiatric Database - CORRECT ANSWERS- Also known as the psychiatric
history
-includes historical information relevant to the current clinical presentation
• history of present illness, psychiatric history, medical history, family psychiatric
history, and aspects of the social and developmental history
Psychiatric interview - CORRECT ANSWERS- the process by which psychiatric
assessment is conducted
-primary tasks
• building a therapeutic alliance between the PMHNP & client
• obtaining a database of psychiatric info about the client
• establishing a dx
• negotiating a tx plan
Therapeutic Alliance - CORRECT ANSWERS- a feeling that you should create over the
course of the diagnostic interview, a sense of rapport, trust, and warmth
-most important goal of the interview process
,-the cooperative working relationship between the therapist and client
• begins during the initial or opening phase of the interview
-fundamental component of successful therapy
• Without trust, adherence to treatment recommendations may be compromised
• interview may not elicit the information needed to formulate an appropriate dx &
plan of care without rapport & trust
Creating rapport: tips - CORRECT ANSWERS- -Be Yourself
-Be Warm, Courteous, and Emotionally Sensitive
-Actively Defuse the Strangeness of the Clinical Situation
-Give Your Patient the Opening Word
-Gain Your Patient's Trust by Projecting Competence
How to approach threatening topics (sensitive/embarrassing material) - CORRECT
ANSWERS- -Normalization
-Symptom Expectation
-Symptom Exaggeration
-Reduction of Guilt
-Use Familiar Language When Asking about Behaviors
Four Tasks of the Diagnostic Interview - CORRECT ANSWERS- 1. Build a therapeutic
alliance
2. Obtain the psychiatric database
3. Interview for diagnosis
4. Negotiate a tx plan with your patient
, Normalization - CORRECT ANSWERS- Introducing Q with some type of normalizing
statement
-two principal ways to do this:
1. start the question by implying that the behavior is a normal or understandable
response to a mood or situation
• ex: Sometimes when people are very depressed, they think of hurting themselves.
Has this been true for you?
2. Begin by describing another patient (or patients) who has engaged in the behavior,
showing your patient that she is not alone
• ex: I've talked to several patients who've said that their depression causes them to
have strange experiences, like hearing voices or thinking that strangers are laughing
at them. Has that been happening to you?
Symptom Expectation - CORRECT ANSWERS- communicate that a behavior is in some
way normal or expected
-Phrase your Q's to imply that you already assume the patient has engaged in some
behavior and that you will not be offended by a positive response
-high index of suspicion of some self-destructive activity
-Ex: patient is profoundly depressed and has expressed feelings of hopelessness. You
suspect suicidality, but you sense that the patient may be too ashamed to admit it.
Rather than gingerly asking "Have you had any thoughts that you'd be better off
dead?" you might decide to use symptom expectation. "What kinds of ways to hurt
yourself have you thought about?"
*reserve this technique for situations in which it seems appropriate
